Jupsang leadership orientation: Conceptualization and scale development

Abstract

This paper aims to construct a scale for Jupsang leadership orientation (JSLO). We first provide a theoretical background for the concept of Jupsang, which originates from the ancient literature of Sun Tsu and Lao Tsu and the modern literature of Maoism and Deng Xiaoping in China. We used a grounded theory approach to obtain five dimensions of the Jupsang concept: agility orientation, innovation orientation, vigilant orientation, market awareness orientation, and visionary orientation. Items were generated through 12 in-depth interviews in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China and were included in a questionnaire, which we used to collect data from two large forums in Hong Kong, where 440 middle and senior executives from China attended. Using SPSS Version 25 and following the scale development procedures provided by Churchill and De Villis, we found the Jupsang scale reliable and valid. This paper contributes to providing a brand new scale for strategic leadership. Practically, it can enhance the relationship between a leader and his/her followers. Finally, we provided limitations and directions for future research.

Keywords:

• Agility
• innovation
• Jupsang
• leadership
• market awareness
• scale development
• vigilance
• visionary

Acknowledgments

The researchers would like to thank Dr. Eric Cheng for his assistance in conducting in-depth interviews with the first author and Dr. Anthony Tsui for his comments on an earlier version of this paper.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was partially financed by a research grant from the Metropolitan University of Hong Kong.

Notes on contributors

Oliver H. M. Yau

Prof. Oliver H. M. Yau was the Chairman of the Association of International Business Southeast Asia Region (AIBSEAR) and is now an Honorary Professor at The Open University of Hong Kong. He is a retired Chair Professor of Marketing at the City University of Hong Kong (CityU), where he served as Associate Dean (Graduate Programmes) of the Faculty of Business for seven years and Head of the Department of Business and Management for two years. After retirement, he joined the University of Nottingham. He served as a Professor of Marketing at its Ningbo Campus in China during 2014–15. Being an Australian, he holds a BBA degree with honors and an MBA from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, an International Teacher’s Certificate from CESA (now HEC), France, and a Ph.D. in marketing from the Management Centre, University of Bradford, England. He is a former chairman of the Academy of International Business Southeast Asia Region (AIBSEAR). He has published more than 100 papers in internationally referred journals, including Business Horizon, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Journal of International Business Studies, Psychology and Marketing, and Journal of International Marketing, etc.

Eddie F. K. Yu

Dr. Eddie Yu (Ph.D., Wollongong), Adjunct Professor of the Hong Kong Management Association, Emeritus Associate Professor of the City University of Hong Kong, where he has served 26 years as course leader of Management courses for undergraduate and postgraduate programs. He has also supervised and examined over 10 Ph.D. and DBA theses. Currently, he is teaching part-time postgraduate courses for the University of Cologne, Georgetown University, Swiss Business School, and the University of Wales. He was awarded the University’s Teaching Excellence Award in 1995. Eddie also received the Best Writer of the Year Award in Hong Kong in 1991, the Best Case Analysis of the Year in 2000, and the City University's Interdisciplinary Professional Development Award in 2013. Eddie’s research interests are in advancing his 3H framework and holistic management. Before joining the academe, Eddie had worked with Hewlett-Packard, American Express, and several international firms for 14 years. His last position was the Group General Manager.

Anthony C. K. Ko

Dr. Anthony Ko is now an Advisor at the Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration, The Metropolitan University of Hong Kong (HKMU), where he served as Associate Dean before he retired in 2020. He was educated in Hong Kong and obtained his MBA and Ph.D. from the University of Hong Kong. Before joining HKMU (known as the Open University of Hong Kong then) in 2000, he was Acting Head of the Department of Management at the City University of Hong Kong, where he served for more than 12 years. Between 2005 and 2007, he was the Director School of Business Administration and Tourism Management of The Chinese University of Hong Kong – Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Community College. He was a Chartered Financial Analyst (C.F.A.). He had eight years of experience in the private sector before becoming an academic. He has conducted consulting projects training for major organizations such as Hong Kong Ferry Holdings Limited, New World Paging Limited, and the Hospital Authority.

Jimmy H. T. Chan

Dr. Jimmy Chan, Associate Professor of the Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration, Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU). He obtained his PCBA, MBA, and DBA from the Open University of Hong Kong (renamed Hong Kong Metropolitan University in 2021). He teaches strategic management, Human Resource Management, and business management subjects. His research interests are in the areas of social networks and team management. Before becoming an academic, he was a business practitioner and gained extensive management experience in both Hong Kong and China.