276 Int. J. Chinese Culture and Management, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2009 Copyright © 2009 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. Human nature and social complexity: a common challenge for Chinese philosophy and marketing Michael Paton* and Paul Henry Faculty of Economics and Business, The University of Sydney, Merewether Building H04, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia E-mail: m.paton@econ.usyd.edu.au E-mail: p.henry@econ.usyd.edu.au *Corresponding author Abstract: A review of the English language academic literature on East Asian business ethical practices reveals an inordinate focus on Confucian values. This paper argues that present day business value systems in East Asia are rooted in a much more complex array of philosophical stances including Legalism, Mohism, Daoism and Buddhism from a traditional perspective, and Christianity, Marxism and the will to power of Nietzsche as more contemporary influences. The paper then posits that the latter influences made great inroads into Chinese culture in particular because of the environmental history of China, and that such environmental influences have been much neglected in the conception of western business ethics. The paper concludes with discussion of the ubiquitous social embedding of marketing that faces the same human and social complexity explored by various East Asian scholars described in this paper. We note that modern marketers often fail to own up to their macro social responsibilities. Keywords: environmental history of China; Confucianism; scientism; the Dao; fengshui; bifurcation. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Paton, M. and Henry, P. (2009) ‘Human nature and social complexity: a common challenge for Chinese philosophy and marketing’, Int. J. Chinese Culture and Management, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp.276–290. Biographical notes: Michael Paton is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Sydney, Australia. He completed his Bachelor of Science (Education) in Geology at the University of New South Wales and his Bachelor of Arts (honours) and PhD in Chinese Studies at the University of Sydney. His major research interest is in the history and philosophy of science in China especially focusing on dili (the principles of the earth) and fengshui (wind and water). His work and research interests in communication skills deal with their relationship to culture, critical thinking and knowledge production. Paul Henry has written extensively on consumer culture, marketplace inequality, disempowerment, social class and a variety of associated consumption behaviours. His work appears in journals such as the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Sociology, Consumption, Markets and Culture, Marketing Theory, European Journal of Marketing, Psychology and Marketing, Academy of Marketing Science Review and Qualitative Market Research.