مقاله سال ۲۰۱۶

 مجله تحقیقات بازاریابی – Journal of Business Research

In an increasingly global economy, some western firms are aggressively expanding overseas. The fast-growing Chinese market has been a source of considerable opportunities for businesses (Ling, Yi, & Chuanlong, 2014). The Chinese business environment is very different from the western one due to myriad political, cultural, economic, technological and historical conditions, so securing business-tobusiness (B2B) customer relationships in the transitional economy of China for new entrant foreign firms is often challenging and time consuming (Fang, Olsson, & Sporrong, 2004; Salmi, 2006). This is due to myriad political, cultural, economic, technological and historical differences which exist between China and the ‘West’. While relationship marketing in general, as well as specific research into business relationships in China has garnered considerable attention, the dynamics and strategies for actual initiation of B2B customer relationships for new entrant firms in China are still under-researched (Murray, Masaki, & Zhou, 2005; Yen & Barnes, 2011).

One particularly challenging relational phenomenon firms must come to terms with is the tradition of guanxi. This venerated concept represents specific forms of interpersonal connections and social ties, which are indigenous to China and still prevalent in the Chinese economy (Herndon, 2008; Tang, 2009). Exactly what guanxi is and how it affects business relationships is often disputed. Some ‘Western’ authors describe guanxi as a Chinese form of relationship marketing, whereas some Chinese authors cite important differences between the two concepts. For business practitioners working within and between cultures, developing knowledge and understanding of how the two approaches to business, along with other conditions, can be harnessed for mutual benefit is critical (Shaalan, Reast, Johnson, & Tourky, 2013).

In addition to a need for further studies on business relationship initiation (Shaalan et al., 2013), there is also a lack of research on small and medium sized enterprise (SME) engagements with China (Ndubisi & Matanda, 2011). SMEs often possess limited resources and experience in comparison to large firms, which are factors that require further consideration in international business research (Fang et al., 2004). China’s services sector accounts for 46.9% of the nation’s GDP and its further development is a priority item for the PRC government (Rutkowski, 2015). Still a majority of studies on export success have focused on products (Sichtmann & Selasinsky, 2010). While business sentiment for the future of the crucial China’s trade with the West remains positive, Western companies still grapple with the many challenges in fostering profitable long term relationships in China (LaPlaca, 2011; Lin, Lu, Li, & Liu, 2015). The crucial question is how to perform well when operating businesses in China. To explore this, the present study uses a sample of 72 Australian firms and analyzes each of them on firm management demographics, survey respondents, operating in China, and business performance. The study examines the respective influence of firm management demographics and survey respondents on operating in China, and the respective influence of firm management demographics and operating in China on business success. High market share and sales targets are two criteria for business success.