Guanxi in the Western Context - Intra-Firm Group Dynamics and Expatriate Adjustment

Deeply rooted in Chinese culture, the concept of guanxi has been widely researched from historical, cultural and political perspectives. As Chinese multinational corporations (MNCs) expand, expatriates are increasingly carrying guanxi with them to host countries, yet little has been written on how this indigenous construct is employed in the Western world. This book takes a theoretical approach to the examination of this phenomenon and proposes a conceptual framework for the 'guanxi capitalism structure,' illustrating its fundamental role as the invisible hand in China. Providing empirical analysis, the author demonstrates how guanxi affects intra-firm multicultural group dynamics involving Chinese expatriates and host-country natives in Chinese MNCs. With insights for scholars researching Asian business and globalisation, and practitioners working in Chinese MNCs, this book argues that guanxi significantly alters an expatriate's adjustment, and offers practical suggestions for cross-cultural management and the process of  initiating, building, and utilising guanxi in a Western context.

List of contents

1. Introduction.- 2. Conceptualisation of Guanxi.- 3. Guanxi Practices in Intra-Firm Multicultural Groups: The Case of Chinese MNCs.- 4. Developing Guanxi in the West: Chinese Expatriates' Adjustment in Europe.- 5. Cross-Cultural Guanxi Leadership.- 6. Conclusion.

About the author

Barbara Xiaoyu Wang is a Professor of Practice in Leadership and Academic Director (China) for Ashridge Executive Education at Hult International Business School, UK. She has extensive experience in management training and consulting for both Western and Chinese MNCs, and is co-author of Chinese Leadership (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011).

Product details

• Authors: Barbara Xiaoyu Wang
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 16.07.2019
• EAN: 9783030240004
• ISBN: 978-3-0-3024000-4
• No. of pages: 134
• Dimensions: 148 mm x 218 mm x 19 mm
• Weight: 332 g
• Illustrations: XXIII, 134 p. 14 illus.
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Business > International economy; Management, C, Globalization, Cultural Studies, Leadership, Market research, Business and Management, Business Strategy/Leadership, International business, Markets, Emerging Markets/Globalization, business strategy, Cross-Cultural Management, Management science, Management of specific areas, Asian Culture, Ethnology—Asia, Asia—Economic conditions, International business enterprises, Asian Business, International business enterprises—Cross-cultural studies