For many years, Chinese entrepreneurs and their senior executives as well, have enjoyed a happy time with employees. However, those good old days has gone, at least in some labor-intensive industries. According to statistics, many of the traditionally prosperous regions, like the Yangtze and the Pearl River deltas are experiencing labor shortages. Along with the power change from the manager side to the labor side, the workers who used to be very pleased to have a job now ask for more in terms of payment, working environment and leisure time. Dissatisfaction may easily lead to protest, strike or even worse, violence. How could managers confront the challenge? Are there any effective ways to manage the risks which often occurred unpredictably?
On November 3rd and November 4th, 2014, Fudan IMBA freshmen were given an impressive lecture on Managerial Tools and Systems for Workplace Conflicts by two distinguished lecturers, Mr. Arnold Zack and Professor Thomas Kochan. Mr. Arnold Zack is an Arbitrator and Mediator of over 5,000 Labor Management Disputes since 1957. He has also been a Member of Four Presidential Emergency Boards (chair of two). (Harvard Law School), and currently teaches at the Labor and Work life Program at Harvard Law School. Thomas Kochan is the George Maverick Bunker Professor of Management, a Professor of Work and Employment Research and Engineering Systems, and the Co-Director of the MIT Sloan Institute for Work and Employment Research at the MIT Sloan School of Management. At the very beginning, by presenting a picture of a imprisoned manager, two veteran professor introduced a new word-bossnaping-to the students before illustrating some basic concepts. The audiences were deeply involved. As future leaders, the students were asked to learn three key strategic tasks, including adapt to new regulations and media attention, develop talent to help move up value chain and anticipate and prepare for workplace conflicts.
By 2014 IMBA Qian Zhujian
