Guanxi in Chinese, Blat in Russian, Wasta in MidEasten-Business Networking Community

[Katiedot]

Dunno about Guanxi, but wasta most definitely implies using influence to achieve an (unfair) edge over the competition. For example, to get your child into the best school, it helps to have wasta with whoever makes the decision.

Nothing wrong with networking as such, but nepotism and bribery aren't good.

[bookblogger]

How about starting a Baksheesh Club?

[BenderBends]

Guanxi is normally a way to make yourself more powerful, usually achieved through bribery, gifts, copius amounts of alcohol and virgin schoolgirls. It puts certain people above the law in some cases. End of the day it's all about money.

this is the guanxi i know......
but i guess one mans water is another mans manure.

[jimbo]

I've been offered the bribes, received the gifts, been given stupid amounts of alchohol. I seem to be missing one thing off that list.

You won't find any well not at least in the international school community judging by their antics in LKF on a weekend.

[Skyhook]

Without any sugar coating....

From my observations, Guanxi is a bit of a closed shop to sai yan, ie to foreigners, unless, you are one of the established Hongs of Hong Kong, otherwise, you need to be proven, that your business idea, matches your ability to pay/supply.

It will also take, many years for you to be even considered under the terms of Guanxi, which doesnt take kindly to unknowns, or weizu, outsiders etc... You need to be properly introduced via somebody else,who is trusted, based on them knowing you for many years.

If you are planning on building anything, here, you need to have a name/rep/guanxi/influence, the building community here is pretty incestuous, everybody, knows everybody...They'll laugh at you if A/ you are nobody or B/ have no access to the capital to pay for a job, not to mention the tricky nature of securing land, to build on...

The locals here don't have a problem raising capital, and they expect you to be able to do the same, if not, bye bye. Very big money, talks in this town....