The purpose of this article is to investigate the meaning of globalization from the Chinese point of view. Managerial and organizational cognition literature suggests that the decisions of individuals (for example, managers) are the basis for understanding organizational strategy and behaviour. Therefore, the concept of meaning is vital to the understanding of why and how managers, policymakers and policy influencers react to a phenomenon such as globalization. In other words, it might be possible, within reason, to predict managers’, policymakers’ and policy implementers’ decisions and actions by understanding the meaning they attach to globalization rather than explain their decisions or actions afterwards. Our investigation of the meaning of globalization using a sample of Chinese professionals, managers and business people is an attempt to explore this possibility.
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