The role of Zhong-Yong thinking in business and management research: a review and future research agenda

Abstract

Zhong-Yong thinking is seen as an indigenous concept that best fits the Chinese context and guides people’s actions and decisions. However, its influence on business and management remains unclear and less studied, with little understanding of both theoretical and practical lenses. This paper synthesizes 41 articles by systematic review and employs the TCCM framework (theory, context, characteristics, and methodology) to evaluate research on the role of Zhong-Yong thinking in business and management. It also distinguishes between studies using Zhong-Yong thinking as a moderating variable and as an independent variable. The study develops two conceptual frameworks as the basis for future research to explore Zhong-Yong thinking and ten related themes.