Guanxi and conflict management for effective partnering with competitors in China

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

British Journal of Management

Publication Date

9-1-2010

Volume

21

Issue

3

First Page

772

Last Page

788

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Abstract

Competitors are increasingly forming partnerships to improve their capabilities to respond to customers and solve problems. This study uses research on guanxi and conflict management to identify critical conditions that facilitate effective collaboration between competitors. It theorizes that a high level of guanxi promotes cooperative and reduces competitive approaches to conflict that in turn facilitate partnership effectiveness. Data were collected from 100 paired competitors, operating in many industries in Shanghai, China. Results from the structural equation analysis indicated that a high level of guanxi reduces a competitive approach to conflict that in turn results in partnership effectiveness. These findings were interpreted as providing support that a high level of guanxi and a reduced level of the competitive approach to conflict are foundations for effective collaboration between competitors in China and perhaps in other countries as well.

DOI

10.1111/j.1467-8551.2010.00690.x

Print ISSN

10453172

E-ISSN

14678551

Publisher Statement

Copyright © 2010 British Academy of Management

Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Wong, A., & Tjosvold, D. (2010). Guanxi and conflict management for effective partnering with competitors in China. British Journal of Management, 21(3), 772-788. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8551.2010.00690.x

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