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Guanxi and Wasta : A comparison
Author(s) -
Hutchings Kate,
Weir David
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
thunderbird international business review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.553
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1520-6874
pISSN - 1096-4762
DOI - 10.1002/tie.20090
Subject(s) - guanxi , china , relevance (law) , business , underpinning , interpersonal communication , public relations , political science , sociology , engineering , social science , law , civil engineering
China has a business culture based on strong family connections secured in guanxi networks, while the Arab World's is based on strong family connections secured in wasta networks. This article compares guanxi, wasta, and the role of trust, family, and favors in underpinning these traditional modes of interpersonal connections and networks and considers the continued relevance of these practices as these regions of the world internationalize and modernize. The article provides insights for Western managers in their subsidiary operations in China and the Arab World. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.