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Guanxi, Networks and Economic Development: The Impact of Cultural Connections

TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the mechanics of guanxi in an organizational setting, focusing on the use of interpersonal relationships within Chinese firms to discover how firms initiate, build and use Guanxi networks.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to explore the mechanics of guanxi in an organizational setting, focusing on the use of interpersonal relationships within Chinese firms to discover how firms initiate, build and use guanxi networks. Two richly detailed case studies document changes that take place over time in two distinct networks with respect to key actors and their contacts. This research also investigates patterns of social structure that emerge over time in these two distinct cases looking at brokerage relationships, network density, and dyadic redundancy in three waves at six month intervals. The cases are dissimilar in all aspects except absolute size demonstrating the universal use of guanxi across time, geographic location, specific industries, and firm experience. Dynamic network visualization is used to highlight the sequence and rate of activity in each network to identify salient changes. The findings show that firms seek to improve their organizational guanxi by improving existing employees’ guanxi quality within the firm and by recruiting new actors from outside the firm. Additionally, firms use organizational guanxi to expand their networks by forming cooperative partnerships with complementary organizations that enhance the attributes or potential of both organizations. And finally, firms initially exploit brokerage in organizational guanxi, then attempt to stabilize the network by fostering new ties to exclusive contacts.
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors explored the history of early-modern and modern China, from the seventeenth century to the present, examining the rise and fall of China's last empire, the emergence of a modern nation-state, the sources and development of revolution, and the implications of complex social, political, cultural, and economic transformations in the People's Republic of China.
Abstract: This course explores the history of early-modern and modern China, from the seventeenth century to the present. We will examine the rise and fall of China’s last empire, the emergence of a modern nation-state, the sources and development of revolution, and the implications of complex social, political, cultural, and economic transformations in the People’s Republic of China. Course materials include scholarly monographs, a memoir, primary sources, and visual and material artifacts that offer diverse perspectives. We will meet twice a week for a combination of lectures, discussion, and viewing of visual texts.

339 citations

Book
01 Jan 1982
TL;DR: This paper analyzed Chinese commercial negotiating practices for two reasons: the first is to minimize future misunderstandings in such activities, and the second is to provide guidance for government-to-government negotiations.
Abstract: Abstract : This study analyzes Chinese commercial negotiating practices for two reasons. The first is to minimize future misunderstandings in such activities, and the second is to provide guidance for government-to-government negotiations. The research procedure used involved interviews with American businessmen and bankers with extensive experience in the China trade, and--in order to control for American cultural factors--interviews with comparable Japanese bankers and businessmen. What was learned from the experiences of businessmen is to value in government-to-government negotiations, even though there are substantial differences between commercial and diplomatic relationships. At present both Beijing and Washington seek a more cooperative and complementary relationship. (Author)

213 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The rational choice approach to social behaviour rationality, egoism and social atomism models of the actor rationality, action and deliberation individualism, and social structure was proposed in this article.
Abstract: The rational choice approach to social behaviour rationality, egoism and social atomism models of the actor rationality, action and deliberation individualism and social structure.

154 citations

Book ChapterDOI
31 Jan 1930

51 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A comprehensive critical examination of China's folk architectural forms is presented in this article, where the authors provide a study of the environmental, historical and social factors that influence housing forms for nearly a quarter of the world's population.
Abstract: A comprehensive critical examination of China's folk architectural forms. Together with its companion volume, \"China's Living Houses: Folk Beliefs, Symbols, and Household Ornamentation\", it provides a study of the environmental, historical and social factors that influence housing forms for nearly a quarter of the world's population. Both books draw on the author's 30 years of fieldwork and travel in China, as well as on published and unpublished material in many languages. The work begins by tracing the interest in Chinese vernacular buildings in the 20th century. Early chapters detail common and distinctive spatial components, including the interior and exterior modular spaces that are axiomatic components of most Chinese dwellings as well as conventional structural components and building materials that are common in Chinese construction. Later chapters examine representative housing types in the three broad cultural realms - northern, southern and western - into which China has been divided. Knapp completes his survey with an exploration of China's old dwellings in the context of the rapid economic and social changes that are destroying so many of them.

50 citations

References
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the Chinese network from a broad perspective of the Asian integration and argued that the Chinese business network is a major mode of economic integration in East Asia and that it is built upon ethnic ties and establishes strong business connections across national boundaries.
Abstract: Studies of Asian politics and economy have been mostly focused on states and formal institutions. The reality of Asian development, however, goes beyond national boundaries. Private, as well as informal actors are also increasingly important. The ethnic Chinese business network (ECBN) is an outstanding example of such development. This paper examines the Chinese network from a broad perspective of the Asian integration. It argues that ECBN is a major mode of economic integration in East Asia. It is built upon ethnic ties and it establishes strong business connections across national boundaries. As a type of informal integration, the ECBN is more effective than formal integrative institution since it can turn the great diversity of the region from a barrier to a major source of integration. Together with production networks and subregional economic zones, the ECBN promotes regional integration in the absence of a free trade arrangement. The powerful networks also explain why the Chinese economies performed better than other Asian economies during the Asian financial crisis. The Chinese networks will play a more important role in the new millennium and the study of those networks warrants special attention.

45 citations

Book
01 Jan 1980
TL;DR: A concise, illustrated survey of Chinese religion, philosophy, art, dynastic courts, militarism, and agriculture from ancient times to the present also considers those aspects of Chinese culture transformed by the Revolution of 1949 as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: A concise, illustrated survey of Chinese religion, philosophy, art, dynastic courts, militarism, and agriculture from ancient times to the present also considers those aspects of Chinese culture transformed by the Revolution of 1949.

45 citations

Book
01 Jan 2001
TL;DR: The development of modern urban housing in China over the past 160 years is examined in this paper, from the beginnings of China's modernization after the Opium Wars to the latest trends adopted after the market reforms of the 1980s.
Abstract: The development of modern urban housing in China over the past 160 years is examined in this volume. From the beginnings of China's modernization after the Opium Wars to the latest trends adopted after the market reforms of the 1980s, this publication offers a broad overview of the developments in buildign construction and design. Urban housing in China is one of the most important components of China's modernization, industrialization and urbanization. The period from 1840 to 2000 saw great changes in Chinese policy and society and is discussed here in three stages: the modernization of China's semi-feudal, semi-colonial society, the rise of publicly owned housing under socialism in the People's Republic of China, and the rapid growth of a new market economy under Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s. When examing changes in urban housing types, the authors take into account not only conventional architectural history, but also underlying political, economic, social, technological, and cultural forces.

43 citations