How do social relations, or guanxi, matter in China today and how can this distinctive form of personal connection be better understood? In Guanxi: How China Works, Yanjie Bian analyzes the forms, dynamics, and impacts of guanxi relations in reform-era China, and shows them to be a crucial part of the puzzle of how Chinese society operates.
Rich in original studies and insightful analyses, this concise book offers a critical synthesis of guanxi research, including its empirical controversies and theoretical debates. Bian skillfully illustrates the growing importance of guanxi in diverse areas such as personal network building, employment and labor markets, informal business relationships, and the broader political sphere, highlighting guanxi’s central value in China's contemporary social structure.
A definitive statement on the topic from a top authority on the sociology of guanxi, this book is an excellent classroom introduction for courses on China, a useful reference for guanxi researchers, and ideal reading for anyone interested in Chinese culture and society.
Table of Contents
Map x
Chronology xi
Preface xiv
1 What is Guanxi? 1
Guanxi in Everyday Chinese Life 2
Guanxi as Local Knowledge 7
Theoretical Models of Guanxi in the Social Sciences 12
A SNA Approach toward Guanxi 19
Guanxi as Resource Mobilizer: A Concluding Note 25
2 Guanxi and Network Building 28
Guanxi Interaction as an Everyday Phenomenon 28
Guanxi Cultivation and Expansion through Banquets 38
Guanxi Exchanges at Events of Cultural Significance 47
Guanxi Networks and Social Class 54
A Concluding Note: Rural-Urban Differences 62
3 Guanxi and Jobs 66
The Maoist Era 67
The Post-Mao Era 72
The Dynamics of Guanxi 77
Empirical Evidence from Large-Scale Social Surveys 82
Summary 99
4 Guanxi and Business Founding 102
China's Business World: An Overview 102
Guanxi as Mechanisms of Self-Employment 107
Guanxi as Mechanisms of Business Founding 115
Entrepreneur Networks in Business Founding and Later Success 121
5 Guanxi and Organizational Development 128
Theoretical Perspectives on Guanxi-Organization Relations 128
Guanxi as Mechanisms of Organizational Governance 141
Guanxi as Mechanisms of Organizational Performance 154
Foreign Organizations in Guanxi Culture 161
6 Guanxi and Politics 168
Nepotism and Guanxi Networks in a Local Government 168
Guanxi Favoritism and the Politics of Promotion 176
Guanxi Favoritism in the Politicized Legal System 191
7 Guanxi and Social Structure 202
The Internal and External Logics of Guanxi 202
Guanxi Networks and Social Structure 207
Guanxi Networks as Social Structure 212
A Research Agenda 218
Bibliography 223
Chinese-Language References 242
Index 246
