Cultural profile : china and france
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Cultural profile : China and FrancePart 1: the cultural profile of China
China is emerging today as one of the major global economies thanks to its dynamic business activity and a large working population. China is known in the world for its various ceremonies and etiquette dating from the first emperors. It is necessary to understand the basic Chinese cultural, ethical and business values in order to conduct business successfully in this country. To understand the cultural profile of China we must analyse the key concepts and values of this culture, based on Confucianism, referred to as Guanxi, Mianxi, and Keqi by linking them to the dimensions of Geert Hofstede, Fons Trompenaars and Edward Hall.
The guanxi
Guanxi is a central concept in the Chinese culture meaning ‘relationship’ or ‘connexions’. It describes a personal connection between two people of equal social status in which each one is able to prevail on the other to perform a favour or a service. Guanxi also describes a global network of relationship which key values are trust, sincerity, mutual respect and co-operation. The relationships formed by Guanxi are personal and not transferable. It is a concept that has existed for centuries but which has become especially significant in the last fifty years: it provides a structured set of relationships and replaces the social network of family and clan which have become difficult to maintain in the face of mass urbanization. In the world of business, you must have the right Guanxi to avoid difficulties that can be encountered. The concept of Guanxi helps us to define specific orientations of the Chinese culture, based on Hofstede, Trompenaars and Hall theories:
✓ A long-term orientation : (with a rank of 118). Long-term orientation indicates a society’s time perspective and an attitude of persevering that is overcoming obstacles with will and strength. Guanxi is built over time, and through different generations of a family or a business