Author Archives: Tracy Crawford

Many companies are of course doing business in China or are contemplating doing so. But how many are approaching the challenge in the optimal manner?

Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius, who opened a school and cultivated many students based on the education method of “encouraging.”

Contrary to expectations, an economic boom occurred after WWII in Japan and Asia’s “Four Little Dragons” (Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore), and then in Southeast Asia and China’s south-eastern coastal areas after Deng Xiao Peng’s “Opening Up” of … Continue reading →

While, with little debate, Confucianism is the dominant guiding philosophy at play in the everyday lives of people across China and Eastern Asia, she has not been without her challengers.

Confucianism has remained a dominant social force in Asian society for over two thousand years, providing a useful construct for explaining modern internal business management in China as well as day-to-day private life.

Guanxi, in very general terms, refers to the “personal network of relationships” between people. Most importantly in the above phrase is the word “personal.”

To form Guanxi is to gain trust in and trust from others, and is the basis for constructive interaction.

The following elements are very important for establishing good guanxi.

During everyday social interaction, we shall avoid any form of haughtiness.

The concept of mianzi (reputation or “saving face”) has long been in the blood of Chinese people, but even so, there are different opinions about its value.