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People's Mobility and Guanxi Networks: A Case Study

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  • Biliang Hu

Abstract

The increase in the movement of people from rural to urban areas since the mid‐1980s represents the largest labor migration ever experienced in China. Because migration is a process of selection, it is imperative that the major dynamics determining the selection are studied. What are the critical characteristics of migrants that help them to realize their mobility from rural areas to urban areas? While educational attainment, gender, age, marital status and personal skills are important variables in the selection process, the present paper examines how social networks (guanxi connections) play a significant role in the process of migration selection in China. A case study from one of the northern villages in rural China is used to explore how social networks have shaped and given meaning to migration. The present paper elaborates on how people's social mobility has coincided with and been reinforced by people's physical mobility.

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  • Biliang Hu, 2008. "People's Mobility and Guanxi Networks: A Case Study," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 16(5), pages 103-117, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:chinae:v:16:y:2008:i:5:p:103-117
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-124X.2008.00132.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Cécile BATISSE & Nong ZHU, 2011. "Migrations et discriminations professionnelles dans la province du Guangdong," Working Papers 201107, CERDI.
    2. Cécile Batisse & Nong Zhu, 2011. "Migrations et discriminations professionnelles dans la province du Guangdong," CERDI Working papers halshs-00578075, HAL.
    3. Cécile Batisse & Nong Zhu, 2011. "Migrations et discriminations professionnelles dans la province du Guangdong," Working Papers halshs-00578075, HAL.
    4. Ruochen Dai & Dilip Mookherjee & Kaivan Munshi & Xiaobo Zhang, 2019. "The Community Origins of Private Enterprise in China," Boston University - Department of Economics - The Institute for Economic Development Working Papers Series dp-320, Boston University - Department of Economics.
    5. Liqiu Zhao & Shouying Liu & Wei Zhang, 2018. "New Trends in Internal Migration in China: Profiles of the New†generation Migrants," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 26(1), pages 18-41, January.
    6. Luo,Xubei & Zhu,Nong, 2015. "Hub-periphery development pattern and inclusive growth : case study of Guangdong province," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7509, The World Bank.
    7. Suying Yang & Yanhui Mao & Tao Liu & Conrad Baldner & Scott Roberts & Shaokai Lu, 2023. "Achieving ambidextrous learning in construction engineering project partnerships: the roles of formal control and Chinese guanxi," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(1), pages 431-462, February.
    8. Xubei Luo & Nong Zhu, 2020. "Hub-Periphery Development Pattern and Inclusive Growth: Case Study of Guangdong Province," CIRANO Working Papers 2019s-39, CIRANO.
    9. Johan Graafland & Hugo Smid, 2014. "Does Corporate Social Responsibility Really Make a Difference? An Explorative Analysis for Chinese Companies," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 22(2), pages 102-124, March.
    10. Dai, R. & Mookherjee, D. & Munshi, K. & Zhang, X., 2018. "Community Networks and the Growth of Private Enterprise in China," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1850, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    11. Nong Zhu & Cecile Batisse, 2014. "Migrations, emplois et discriminations : le cas des “paysans-ouvriers” de la province du Guangdong," CIRANO Working Papers 2014s-07, CIRANO.

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