Navigating guanxi and Khwam Samphan: a comparative study of Chinese and Thai workplace relationships

This study examines whether guanxi human resource management practices from China can be effectively applied in Southeast Asian countries. We selected Thailand as a representative country to examine whether a theoretical model based on the Chinese guanxi context is applicable. Grounded in the theory of guanxi stakeholders, we collected data from two countries: 294 employees from China and 309 employees from Thailand. The findings from the Chinese sample indicate that guanxi HRM is positively associated with employees’ negative gossip about their leaders, which subsequently prompts leaders to exhibit supportive behaviors towards employees. Moreover, leaders’ holistic thinking enhances the mediating effect of negative gossip about the leader on the relationship between guanxi HRM and leaders’ supportive behaviors. However, the results from the Thai sample did not replicate those from the Chinese sample. Specifically, the Thai sample replicated only the relationship between negative gossip about the leader and leader supportive behavior found in the Chinese sample, while the other hypothesized relationships were not supported. The theoretical contributions, practical implications, and research limitations are discussed in detail.