THE INTERPRETATION OF GUANXI

Xiaozheng Zhang
Additional contact information
Xiaozheng Zhang: Nottingham Trent University, UK

in ABEM Conference Proceedings from Academy of Business and Emerging Markets (ABEM), Canada, currently edited by Satyendra Singh

Abstract: The purpose of this research was to explore the influence of both Chinese and Western cultures within internationalised academic working environment, and examine how Chinese and Western academic members adapt values and perceptions in order to fit into multicultural working environment. The key focus of the study was on the cultural differences between Western and Chinese academics, with a particular emphasis on one of the main Chinese culture concepts, Guanxi. This research looks into how Guanxi is understood and adapted by both Chinese and Western academics, and how it influences their attitudes at work. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions are applied and critiqued as the main Western culture theory to examine the interaction between Western culture and Chinese Confucianism concepts. The key cultural theories are discussed, including national culture, Confucianism, and Guanxi. Taking an interpretivist approach, this research was conducted in four different organisational contexts of internationalised higher education institutions in China and the UK. Participants were interviewed in four institutions. Key findings are Guanxi is closely related to four of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, and is more important for academics working in the Chinese context, particularly in terms of research related issues.

Keywords: INTERPRETATION; GUANXI (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.abem.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/abe ... ence-proceedings.pdf

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ris:abemcp:023380

Access Statistics for this book

More books in ABEM Conference Proceedings from Academy of Business and Emerging Markets (ABEM), Canada Edinburgh House, 708-99 Wellington Crescent, Winnipeg, R3M0A2, Canada.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Satyendra Singh ().