Objective

It is widely acknowledged that many lessons from ancient philosophy are important in today’s management. Consistency, self-knowledge, fairness, self-discipline, thrift, responsibility for our actions and their effects on others, and ability to lead by example are values and principles dominant both to ancient Greek and Chinese philosophy, while they also constitute core characteristics that organisations and business leaders should manifest today. In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, these ideas have acquired even greater importance, as significant changes are taking place in the global economy, in the organization of enterprises, in the behaviour of managers, as well as in management education.

Focusing on central management areas, this conference will present developments and innovative approaches to management and leadership inspired by or in any other way enlightened by philosophical considerations both from the Eastern and Western schools of thought. It aims to bring to the surface key ideas of ancient philosophy and history, and identify how these relate to modern management and leadership in a cross-cultural perspective. Managers, policy makers, and educators will significantly benefit from participating in this unique venue that aims at debating how substantial improvements in management practice can be achieved. The conference is jointly organized by two leading Universities in Greece and China, the Athens University of Economics and Business, and the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.