Compare Leadership Characteristics of CEOs in Chinese Hospitality Industry: A Case Study of Zhang Yong and Sun Jian

In recent years, the influence of the leadership style and characteristics under the local cultural background on employees’ attitudes and behaviors has attracted the attention of scholars at home and abroad. With rapid development, China’s catering and hotel industry has produced a number of well-known and influential leaders, such as Zhang Yong and Sun Jian. In this study, Zhang and Sun are selected as the research objects to explore the unique leadership styles and characteristics of entrepreneurs who grew up under the local cultural background. Based on grounded theory, this qualitative study compares and analyzes the characteristics of the two leaders. It conclude that Zhang has a paternalistic leadership style and Sun has a transformational leadership style with Chinese characteristics.