Governance of Private Enterprises in Modern China

Domestic private enterprises have dramatically re-emerged in China’s unique transition from a planned to a market-oriented economy, where the private sector plays an increasingly important role. The development of Chinese private enterprises differs from what standard property rights theory describes, particularly in the early stages of development. This gives rise to a concern that standard property rights theory may not be sufficient to explain the success of Chinese private enterprises. The core argument of this book is that family businesses, which are now the major form of corporate governance among Chinese private enterprises, have become dominant not only due to an improvement in the economic environment, but also because of the tendency for family trust to replace government trust.