Authors: Chen Shu
As the marketing concept evolved over the past few decades, the dominanttransactional marketing paradigm has given way to relationship marketing. An Asianperspective on relationship, especially, guanxi in China, enriches the concept developed in thewestern context. An exploratory study was undertaken to investigate the interaction oftransaction, relationship and guanxi factors in Chinese firms by interviewing managers in thegreater Shanghai and Beijing area. This study suggests that, during the transition from aplanned economy to a market economy, these three paradigms (transaction, relationship andguanxi-based) may coexist in one firm, depending on market structure and dynamics, industrycharacteristics, and strategic choice, and can be employed as complementary strategies to winin the market. Suggestions as to future research are made. Managerial implications areprovided.
Journal: ( – )
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Publish Year: 2004
Conference: Copenhagen, Denmark (2004)