Measuring guanxi in Sino‐Franco buyer and supplier relationships

An understanding of guanxi—a network of relationships based on reputation, personal connections, and mutual support—is crucial in doing business with Chinese companies. Although the rapid growth of Chinese investment in France has created a need for a suitable Sino‐Franco guanxi measurement scale, the complexity of guanxi has hampered the development of a comprehensive and relevant instrument. Focusing on the Chinese perspective of the two most widely accepted dimensions of guanxi, emotional ties and reciprocity, this study develops and validates such a scale, and offers practical guidance for Western suppliers on how to handle social and workplace interactions, avoid conflict, and enhance the likelihood of success with their Chinese business partners.