Abstract—Leadership is one of the key factors for business success, which not only affects the growth prospects of the organization and the employee performance, but also determines whether a business can survive in a competitive market. However, leadership is not a static trait; it can be improved through nurturing and development. Most of the current research does not integrate leadership development with business management, which is in fact a microcosm of the leader’s decision-making. Therefore, this study explores business leadership in conjunction with Chinese management philosophy. This study analyses business leadership through the ‘5 Levels of Leadership’ model, followed by recommendations for next steps on how leadership can lead corporate change, using Chinese enterprises as examples. Based on Chinese management philosophies, this study analyses how leaders should develop strategies for corporate reform and how to address the challenges in the process of corporate reform. The scope of this study is Chinese enterprises, but the concept of Chinese management philosophy is also applicable to enterprises in other parts of the world.

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