Culture: Option One. 'A Tale Of Two Countries' Chinese culture

Culture: Option One
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Culture: Option One
The Chinese culture is centered on relationship building, whether in the family or business context. One of the widely used practices in China is gift-giving, which plays an important role in building relationships. Chinese businesses give gifts not only to potential and existing clients and business partners but also to government officials as a way of gaining influence and expediting the closure of business deals (Guo et al. 2018, 5). Understanding the Chinese culture and, specifically, the practice of gift-giving is paramount for any businesses that want to establish their operations in China. This paper focuses on the cultural factors that enhance the gift-giving practice among Chinese businesses as well as the ethical considerations involved in this practice.
Gift-giving is highly driven by the cultural protocols of the Chinese people as it gives them both social and transactional benefits (Yang & Paladino 2015, 335). This is in terms of establishing a position within the social circles as well as building relationships and connections that reap financial benefits. Several factors contribute to this continued behavior of gift-giving among Chinese businesses. First, as revealed by Yang and Paladino (2015, 338), gift-giving is regarded as a social obligation and as such, it is a norm within the Chinese culture. Chinese businesses are still motivated by this norm because failure to observe the norm can result in the loss of important connections and relationships. Second, gift-giving is the most common approach to relationship building because it enhances unity and strengthens social ties (Beichen & Murshed 2015, 77). Among the Chinese, the best people to do business with are people who have become trusted allies. This trust is only earned when a strong relationship exists and as posited by Szto (2016, 611), gift-giving creates familial ties that are essential in fostering trust. The Chinese believe that doing business with trusted allies minimizes risks. Thus, this is a motivation that has enhanced the gift-giving practice. Third, gift-giving is a sign of respect for the persons involved. In traditional China, gifts were given to elders to show them respect and commitment. Chinese businesses still operate on the premise of respect and commitment to clients and business partners and as indicated by Tsetsura (2015, 10), this practice of giving enhances reciprocation of the same. Thus, gift-giving is a way of showing respect and expecting the same in business dealings.
One might wonder whether gift-giving is the same as bribery, especially given the nature in which gift-giving is practiced. As stated earlier, gift-giving is seen as an obligation and it also enhances reciprocation. In the literal sense, gift-giving can be viewed as bribery because it is a form of social exchange between two parties who expect a favor in return. However, gift-giving is not the same as bribery because the emotions involved are different. According to Barbalet (2017, 4), it is important to consider the emotions involved in both practices as well as the power differences. In bribery, the emotions involved are those that are meant to c...