Role of GuanXi in buyer-seller relationships in China : an empirical examination.

• Main Author: Li, Jenny Feng.
• Other Authors: Nanyang Business School
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Business::General::Social aspects
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/42489
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

"Guanxi" is a set of personal connections which an individual can raw upon to secure resources or advantage when doing business or in the course of social life" ( Davies, 1995). In order to provide an insightful understanding of the nature of "Guanxi" and its importance in the buyer-seller relationships, this research develops a model of "Guanxi" and empirically tests it in the context of Mainland China. The study also attempts to understand the role of "Guanxi" and some relationship norms which are salient to developing Chinese business relationships. Using relationship marketing and Chinese cultural characteristics as the backdrop, the associations between "Guanxi" and various relationship norms namely, social bonds, social identity, cooperation, equity, face, time orientation, trust and commitment will be examined. Since the trust-commitment theory constitutes the theoretical base of the model employed here, these two key concepts will be componentiated into several dimensions. "Guanxi" will be linked with these dimensions to further distill the essence of Chinese business relationships. In addition, the moderating influence of company type and size on "Guanxi"-trust-commitment relationship is examined. Moreover, the research will attempt to identify the conditions conducive to the initiation and cultivation of "Guanxi" in buyer-seller relationship.