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Trustworthiness and ethical considerations: a review of personal connections in China

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  • Kai-Ping Huang

Abstract

This study is to assess the significance of guanxi or personal connections in Chinese management, its contribution to trust in business dealings, and its relation to ethical judgement in Chinese management. The paper begins with a background to the term Guanxi where it argues that personal connections would be an adequate and preferable term for guanxi, since although the phenomenon in practice is specific to China it is not unique to China. Guanxi or personal connections in China should be seen as part of China’s traditional culture, but without attaching a mystical value to the concept. Understanding of the phenomenon and awareness of how to deal with Chinese business is fundamental to trust both domestically and in foreign business dealings. However it is through a grasp of ethical considerations and a deeper awareness of morality that personal connections can be soundly based and goes beyond the rule of law to meet China’s potential for socio-economic success. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Kai-Ping Huang, 2013. "Trustworthiness and ethical considerations: a review of personal connections in China," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 47(5), pages 2723-2727, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:47:y:2013:i:5:p:2723-2727
    DOI: 10.1007/s11135-012-9682-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Millissa Cheung & Wei-Ping Wu & Allan Chan & May Wong, 2009. "Supervisor–Subordinate Guanxi and Employee Work Outcomes: The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(1), pages 77-89, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Elaine Aparecida Regiani Campos & Luis Mauricio Resende & Joseane Pontes, 2019. "Barriers, external aspects and trust factors in horizontal networks of companies: a theoretical proposal for the construction of a model for evaluation of trust," Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, Springer, vol. 30(4), pages 1547-1562, April.

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