Examining Rela tional Risk Typologies for Guanxi Boundary Spanners: Applying Social Penetra tion Theory to Guanxi Brokering

Guanxi boundary spanners are important gate-openers and relationship-facilitators for foreign firms doing business in a close-knit Chinese society. However, little is known about the relational risks that guanxi brokers assume in working with both guanxi insiders and outsiders. Using the critical in...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of marketing theory and practice 2014-07, Vol.22 (3), p.271-284
Main Authors: Liu, Annie H., Gao, Hongzhi
Format: Article
Language:English
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Guanxi boundary spanners are important gate-openers and relationship-facilitators for foreign firms doing business in a close-knit Chinese society. However, little is known about the relational risks that guanxi brokers assume in working with both guanxi insiders and outsiders. Using the critical incident technique, this study conducts in-depth interviews with 33 guanxi boundary spanners. The results identify two underlying factors-social norm conflicts and guanxi ties strengths-creating four types of relational risks for guanxi brokering: Unneeded-Middleman, Profit-Exploiter, Information-Trader, and Shameless Foreign-Supporter. Applying social penetration theory to the guanxi-concentric model, we examine these risks and consequences. Managerial implications are discussed.
ISSN:1069-6679
1944-7175
DOI:10.2753/MTP1069-6679220303