When Eastern organisational cultures meet Western economies: some potential impacts

Eastern organisational relationships and networks have been well documented and researched extensively by numerous organisational theorists. This paper reviews the existing literature on the concepts of 'guanxi' and 'wasta' and considers the potential economic impact to a Western economy. Similarities and difference between guanxi and wasta are explored in order to determine what the potential level of influence may be to the Canadian economy. It concludes that neither guanxi nor wasta have a significant impact on the Canadian economy based on Canadian inward foreign direct investment.