IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/asiapa/v36y2019i2d10.1007_s10490-018-9602-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Two not of a kind: Social network theory and informal social networks in East Asia

Author

Listed:
  • Sven Horak

    (St. John’s University)

  • Markus Taube

    (University of Duisburg-Essen
    Nankai University)

  • Inju Yang

    (EDC Paris Business School)

  • Katja Restel

    (University of Duisburg-Essen)

Abstract

In this study, we analyze the core assumptions and ideals of social network characteristics in East Asia and the West. By using an analytical frame derived from the literature and consisting of key antecedents of social networks, we find differences between the conventional assumptions of social network characteristics when comparing them with those found in East Asia. Moreover, we find remarkable intra-regional differences. Among these, and contrary to common beliefs about social networks, we find weak ties are neither hardly effective nor preferably used in East Asia, where strong ties are both more preferred and more powerful. Further, social ties tend to be rather consummatory and networks rather closed. Also, depending on the nature of the network, bridging either does not work or is not intended. We recommend further studies explicitly taking local context into account in order to refine or reframe extant knowledge on social networks.

Suggested Citation

  • Sven Horak & Markus Taube & Inju Yang & Katja Restel, 2019. "Two not of a kind: Social network theory and informal social networks in East Asia," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 349-372, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:asiapa:v:36:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s10490-018-9602-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10490-018-9602-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10490-018-9602-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10490-018-9602-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alena Ledeneva, 2003. "Informal Practices in Changing Societies: Comparing Chinese Guanxi and Russian Blat," UCL SSEES Economics and Business working paper series 45, UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES).
    2. Jar-Der Luo, 2011. "Guanxi Revisited: An Exploratory Study of Familiar Ties in a Chinese Workplace," Management and Organization Review, The International Association for Chinese Management Research, vol. 7(2), pages 329-351, July.
    3. Fan, Ying, 2002. "Questioning guanxi: definition, classification and implications," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(5), pages 543-561, October.
    4. Williamson, Oliver E, 1979. "Transaction-Cost Economics: The Governance of Contractural Relations," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 22(2), pages 233-261, October.
    5. Masahiko Aoki, 2013. "Endogenizing institutions and institutional changes," Chapters, in: Comparative Institutional Analysis, chapter 16, pages 267-297, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. Burt, Ronald S. & Burzynska, Katarzyna, 2017. "Chinese Entrepreneurs, Social Networks, and Guanxi," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(2), pages 221-260, June.
    7. Parayitam, Satyanarayana & Dooley, Robert S., 2009. "The interplay between cognitive- and affective conflict and cognition- and affect-based trust in influencing decision outcomes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(8), pages 789-796, August.
    8. Seung Ho Park & Yadong Luo, 2001. "Guanxi and organizational dynamics: organizational networking in Chinese firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(5), pages 455-477, May.
    9. Peter Li, 2012. "Toward an integrative framework of indigenous research: The geocentric implications of Yin-Yang Balance," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 849-872, December.
    10. Chao C. Chen & Xiao-Ping Chen & Shengsheng Huang, 2013. "Chinese Guanxi: An Integrative Review and New Directions for Future Research. 中国人的关系: 综合文献回顾及未来研究方向," Management and Organization Review, The International Association for Chinese Management Research, vol. 9(1), pages 167-207, March.
    11. Edward L. Glaeser & David Laibson & Bruce Sacerdote, 2002. "An Economic Approach to Social Capital," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(483), pages 437-458, November.
    12. Horak, Sven & Yang, Inju, 2016. "Affective networks, informal ties, and the limits of expatriate effectiveness," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 1030-1042.
    13. Annen, Kurt, 2003. "Social capital, inclusive networks, and economic performance," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 449-463, April.
    14. Williamson, Oliver E, 1993. "Calculativeness, Trust, and Economic Organization," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 36(1), pages 453-486, April.
    15. Chen, Chao C. & Chen, Xiao-Ping & Huang, Shengsheng, 2013. "Chinese Guanxi: An Integrative Review and New Directions for Future Research," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(1), pages 167-207, March.
    16. Dan Lee & Kap-Young Jeong & Sean Chae, 2011. "Measuring Social Capital in East Asia and Other World Regions: Index of Social Capital for 72 Countries," Global Economic Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(4), pages 385-407, December.
    17. Todd Sandler & John Tschirhart, 1997. "Club theory: Thirty years later," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 93(3), pages 335-355, December.
    18. Sven Horak, 2014. "Antecedents and characteristics of informal relation-based networks in Korea: Yongo , Yonjul and Inmaek," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(1), pages 78-108, January.
    19. Leung, Kwok, 2008. "Chinese culture, modernization, and international business," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 184-187, April.
    20. Steve Lovett & Lee C Simmons & Raja Kali, 1999. "Guanxi Versus the Market: Ethics and Efficiency," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(2), pages 231-247, June.
    21. Anne S. Tsui & Claudia Bird Schoonhoven & Marshall W. Meyer & Chung-Ming Lau & George T. Milkovich, 2004. "Organization and Management in the Midst of Societal Transformation: The People's Republic of China," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(2), pages 133-144, April.
    22. Ikujiro Nonaka & Ryoko Toyama, 2002. "A firm as a dialectical being: towards a dynamic theory of a firm," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 11(5), pages 995-1009, November.
    23. Luo, Jar-Der, 2011. "Guanxi Revisited: An Exploratory Study of Familiar Ties in a Chinese Workplace," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 7(2), pages 329-351, July.
    24. Sven Horak & Markus Taube, 2016. "Same but different? Similarities and fundamental differences of informal social networks in China (guanxi) and Korea (yongo)," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 595-616, September.
    25. Rost, Katja, 2011. "The strength of strong ties in the creation of innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 588-604, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Peter Ping Li & En Xie, 2019. "The unique research on the informal ties and social networks in East Asia: Diverse perspectives and new research agenda," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 305-319, June.
    2. Tiezhong Liu & Huyuan Zhang & Hubo Zhang, 2020. "The Impact of Social Media on Risk Communication of Disasters—A Comparative Study Based on Sina Weibo Blogs Related to Tianjin Explosion and Typhoon Pigeon," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-17, January.
    3. Sven Horak & Yuliani Suseno, 2023. "Informal Networks, Informal Institutions, and Social Exclusion in the Workplace: Insights from Subsidiaries of Multinational Corporations in Korea," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 186(3), pages 633-655, September.
    4. Lee, Jong Min & Paik, Yongsun & Horak, Sven & Yang, Inju, 2022. "Turning a liability into an asset of foreignness: Managing informal networks in Korea," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 351-364.
    5. Han, Wei & Luo, Yong (Eddie) & Huang, Qihai & Yang, Jun, 2022. "The role of opportunity feasibility beliefs and bribery on resource acquisition speed and new venture emergence," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 518-527.
    6. Wenbin Wang & Yang Cao, 2022. "Network Diversity and Health Change among International Migrants in China: Evidence from Foreigners in Changchun," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-16, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sven Horak & Markus Taube, 2016. "Same but different? Similarities and fundamental differences of informal social networks in China (guanxi) and Korea (yongo)," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 595-616, September.
    2. Hongjuan Zhang & Rong Han & Liang Wang & Runhui Lin, 2021. "Social capital in China: a systematic literature review," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 20(1), pages 32-77, February.
    3. Hongjuan Zhang & Rong Han & Liang Wang & Runhui Lin, 0. "Social capital in China: a systematic literature review," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 0, pages 1-46.
    4. Sven Horak & Yuliani Suseno, 2023. "Informal Networks, Informal Institutions, and Social Exclusion in the Workplace: Insights from Subsidiaries of Multinational Corporations in Korea," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 186(3), pages 633-655, September.
    5. Shijun Chai & Yang Chen & Bihong Huang & Dezhu Ye, 2019. "Social networks and informal financial inclusion in China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 529-563, June.
    6. Sven Horak, 2018. "Join In or Opt Out? A Normative–Ethical Analysis of Affective Ties and Networks in South Korea," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(1), pages 207-220, April.
    7. Lee, Liane W.Y. & Sharma, Piyush & Barnes, Bradley R., 2022. "Adopting big data to create an “outside-in” global perspective of guanxi," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 614-628.
    8. Chu, Zhaofang & Feng, Bo & Lai, Fujun, 2018. "Logistics service innovation by third party logistics providers in China: Aligning guanxi and organizational structure," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 291-307.
    9. Isidoro Romero & Zhikun Yu, 2015. "Analyzing the influence of social capital on self-employment: a study of Chinese immigrants," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 54(3), pages 877-899, May.
    10. Huihua Chen & Cong Chen & Hujun Li & Jianshe Zhang & Zengke Yang, 2022. "A Simulation Study on the Processes of Intra-Group Informal Interaction Affecting Workers’ Safety Behaviors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-17, August.
    11. Bat Batjargal & Michael Hitt & Anne Tsui & Jean-Luc Arregle & Justin Webb & Toyah Miller, 2013. "Institutional Polycentrism, Entrepreneurs' Social Networks, and New Venture Growth," Post-Print hal-02276709, HAL.
    12. Dejin Su & Qixia Du & Dongwon Sohn & Libo Xu, 2017. "Can High-Tech Ventures Benefit from Government Guanxi and Business Guanxi ? The Moderating Effects of Environmental Turbulence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-17, January.
    13. Sadia Nadeem & Neelab Kayani, 2019. "Sifarish: Understanding the Ethical Versus Unethical Use of Network-Based Hiring in Pakistan," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(4), pages 969-982, September.
    14. Chu, Zhaofang & Wang, Qiang & Lai, Fujun & Collins, Brian J., 2019. "Managing interdependence: Using Guanxi to cope with supply chain dependency," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 620-631.
    15. Zhang, Man & Hartley, Janet L. & AL-Husan, Faten Baddar & ALHussan, Fawaz Baddar, 2021. "Informal interorganizational business relationships and customer loyalty: Comparing Guanxi, Yongo, and Wasta," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(3).
    16. Mukhtar, Arshia & Zhu, Ying & Lee, You-il & Bambacas, Mary & Cavusgil, S. Tamer, 2022. "Challenges confronting the ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative: Social networks and cross-cultural adjustment in CPEC projects," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(1).
    17. Guo, Ying & Rammal, Hussain G. & Benson, John & Zhu, Ying & Dowling, Peter J., 2018. "Interpersonal relations in China: Expatriates’ perspective on the development and use of guanxi," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 455-464.
    18. Han, Shaojie & Su, Jingqin & Lyu, Yibo & Liu, Qing, 2022. "How do business incubators govern incubation relationships with different new ventures?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    19. Jie Ren & Jar-Der Luo & Ke Rong, 2020. "How Do Venture Capitals Build Up Syndication Ecosystems for Sustainable Development?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-14, May.
    20. Lee, Liane W.Y. & Tang, Yiming & Yip, Leslie S.C. & Sharma, Piyush, 2018. "Managing customer relationships in the emerging markets – guanxi as a driver of Chinese customer loyalty," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 356-365.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:asiapa:v:36:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s10490-018-9602-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.