The Comparasion on Management Professionalization within the Enterprises in Hebei, China and Flanders, Belgium: Some Empirical Findings

Originating from strategic management, entrepreneurial orientation (EO) has been the focus of entrepreneurship research for a considerable time. Researchers believe the concept of EO can significantly assist in explaining the growth potential of an enterprise and the success of a business (e.g., Covin & Slevin, 1988; Wiklund & Shepherd, 2005). Researchers have made studies on EO using multiple dimensions, which mainly include innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactiveness (e.g., Lumpkin & Dess, 1996; 2005; Covin & Slevin, 1996; Miller & Friesen, 1986). Based on an extensive review of the studies about entrepreneurship, management, and EO, the authors made an argument that entrepreneurs\´ strategic orientation towards efficient and better-quality management is very important for business development, and initially took management professionalization as an EO dimension. In this study, following a behavioral approach, the authors used case study as the research method, and achieved a firm level empirical research, with the intention of making a comparative study on the management professionalization held by the entrepreneurs from Flanders, Belgium and Hebei, China. Furthermore, taking as the contextual framework the major dimensions of entrepreneurship (GEM Executive Report, 2004), the authors intended to interpret the contextual determinants underpinning the differences and similarities in management professionalization between the entrepreneurs in the two countries. This pioneering empirical research contributes to understanding questions such as "How and why do the Chinese enterprises in manufacturing industry achieve management professionalization, when compared with the international counterparts?"