申请成功了的博士方案(phd proposal)资料
PHD Research Proposal Title: The Extent of Guanxi between Chinese Suppliers and Their Western Customers Submitted by: Terry Ji Ruan 1 Table of Contents of this Proposal 1. Introduction 2. Aims and objectives 3. Topics justification/scope and limitations 4. Literature review 5. Methodology and data collection 6. Proposed development Bibliography 2 1. Introduction China started its economic reform since 1979 and now becomes the second biggest economy in the world due to the dramatic rise of Chinese economic development. More and more attentions have been focused on how the Chinese do business and how to cooperate with them through culture. Likewise, as for the Chinese businessmen, they are facing the outside word and need to learn more about other cultures. Therefore, Intercultural business communication becomes a big issue during the rising of the Chinese economic development. Owing to the Chinese culture, Chinese businessmen spend a lot of time and money on establishing personal relationship with the domestic customers, which is called guanxi in China. Guanxi, a phase from Chinese PinYing, can be roughly translated as personal ties, which presents the totality of the relationship between two persons. It is so complicated and quite different from the Western business relationship (So and Walker, 2006). In international business section, do the Chinese people do the same way as they do to their domestic customers? And does guanxi work? Because when we talk about guanxi, it usually refers to the relationship among the Chinese. In China, when a person has a lot of powerful guanxi, it will be easier for him or her to succeed in business. As for the international business section, is it conducive to the sale if the Chinese establish guanxi with their foreign customers by the Chinese ways, like big dinner, valuable gifts and big entertainment? What extent does guanxi exit between them? Most of the researches have focused on guanxi in Chinese society, whereas 3 research on guanxi between the Chinese and the Westerners is scarce. More over, guanxi and cultural dimensions, these two areas of work, have never been brought together before. This paper will focus on the guanxi between the Chinese and the Westerners by the means of analyzing the cultural dimensions and so-called “guanxi dimension”. And a research will be carry on from the cooperation between the Chinese suppliers and their Western customers. 2. Aims and objectives 2.1 Aim(s) of proposed study: Find a better way for the Chinese to build up relationship with their Western customers. Also give some suggestions for Westerners to cooperate with their Chinese suppliers. 2.2 Objectives To find out what extent guanxi exits between Chinese suppliers and their Western customers? Also, establish a new theory named “ guanxi dimension”, which can specify the extent of guanxi between two cultures. 3. Topics justification 3.1Why I chose this topic? I have been working for Chinese companies as a part-time interpreter and 4 translator for more than six years and negotiating and entertaining hundreds of foreign customers who are mainly from the Middle-East, Europe, Korea and America. Therefore I have plenty of experiences related to the topic which I like very much. 3.2 The originality of the research Firstly, the research brings together areas of work that have not been brought together before, that is, guanxi and cultural dimentions. Secondly, this research will try to establish a new theory named “ guanxi dimension” which can specify the extent of guanxi between two cultures. 4. Literature review 4.1 Theory involved This study involves some theory of guanxi and several cultural dimensions form Hall ,Trompenaar and Hofstede , such as ? Trompenaarss culture dimensions, specific and defuse. ? Trompenaarss culture dimensions, universalism and particularism ? Hofstedes culture dimensions Power Distance ? Hofstedes culture dimensions Individualism/Collectivism ? Hofstedes fifth culture dimensions, long- versus, short-term orientation Some relevant business network theory will be analysed in this research in order to compare the business network styles. Last but not least, some philosophies and religions will be deeply discussed to find out primary cause of the culture difference. 5 4.2 Guanxi in Chinese Business 4.2.1. What is guanxi? Guanxi, a phase from Chinese PinYing, can be roughly translated as personal ties ，which presents the totality of the relationship between two persons. It is so complicated and quite different from the Western business relationship (So and Walker, 2006). Guanxi is a central concept in Chinese society. It can include personal relationships, social and business network. 4.2.2. The essentiality of guanxi A survey made by Chu and Ju(1990) in China, found that over 42 per cent of respondents regarded guanxi as very important in social-economic life, while nearly 50 per cent regarded it as important or somewhat important. The Chinese value
