Chapter 2: Phenotype for Enhancing Multinational Network Leadership

Taking China and the United States as our target nations, we propose to explore the differences in national experience regarding sharing network leadership between the 2 countries. We consider postmodern China compared to the United States in terms of several deep-level differences in past history and current circumstance. The underlying process (genotype) of sharing network leadership appears similar for postmodern China and America; however, the particular behavior involved in this processes (phenotype) is learned and hence influenced by socialization and learning. American managers in China should take the time to learn about their true Chinese coworker. This chapter is a brief introduction to “true cultural bonding” (TCB) through cooperative conflict resolution research on American managers and their Chinese business associates in mainland China.