The Bound between Corruption and Guanxi in the Chinese Society Coursework

The Bound between Corruption and Guanxi in the Chinese Society - Coursework Example The current state of literature provides an insight into what Guanxi is and how it works. Understanding the meaning of Guanxi is of vital importance for everyone who seeks to look deeper into the significance of corruption in the Chinese business system. Surprisingly or not, different authors provide different meanings of the term Guanxi. However, these differences are natural and even anticipated, given the complexity of the Guanxi concept and the multitude of meanings which it comprises. According to Chatterjee, Pearson, and Nie, the Chinese definition of Guanxi is hard to translate in one phrase – countless meanings are included in it, and it is fairly considered as one of the most impactful phrases in Chinese business contexts. However, it is possible to say that Guanxi can be roughly divided into the three basic groups of meanings: first, Guanxi presupposes the development of a relationship between people with a similar status; second, relevant and continuous connections between people; and third, contacts with people with little or no direct interactions. For the Chinese people, Guanxi exemplifies a type of special relationships in which one person needs something and another person has something to give. Guanxi is a highly dynamic form of relations between business people in China. Furthermore, even if a person who has resources and opportunities to solve a problem enters a Guanxi relationship, he (she) is not obliged to solve such a problem or respond to another individual’s request. Third, Guanxi is not a continuous phenomenon but emerges only the moment a person needs another person to do something important or solve some problem. Finally, Guanxi is almost always a sequence of previously planned activities aimed to resolve a business or personal issue. Here, western managers and people come to view Guanxi as a form of corruption, as long as such activities and relations may range from a simple meal together to giving gifts or doing favors. Â  However, whether Guanxi can be considered as a form of corruption remains a difficult question.