Abstract: The core and subject of the independent knowledge system in Chinese management is Chinese management itself—it is not a dependent situational management, but an autonomous paradigm that is not fully compatible with Western management. This incomplete universality is rooted in the structural differences between the two in fundamental value assumptions, problem awareness, and evaluation criteria. The incomplete universality not only ensures the autonomy of Chinese management studies, but also does not deny the possibility of communication, comparison, and reference between each other. The primary prerequisite for building an independent knowledge system of Chinese management is the conscious recognition and common pursuit of the subjectivity of Chinese management by the Chinese management academic community; and its solid foundation lies in forming a Chinese management academic community with a common mission and a conscious drive for theoretical innovation. To construct the independent knowledge system of Chinese management science, we must break through the dependence on the western mainstream concepts accumulated from the middle theory, return to the grand theoretical field, and refine our own core assumptions, meta theory and overall analytical framework from the excellent traditional Chinese culture and the practice of Chinese path to modernization. The proposal and practice of the Chinese management school provide a key breakthrough for the transformation of paradigms, methodologies, and academic communities: It presents a grand autonomous system with tangible results, making the transformation of the community concrete as a gradual process of learning, criticism, dialogue, and recreation around each school.

Key words: independent knowledge system of Chinese management studies, Chinese management studies, Chinese management academic community, Chinese management schools, grand theory