We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 July 2009
THE SOCIAL NETWORK APPROACH
From metaphor to toolkit
The end of every journey is the beginning of the next adventure. As my tired eyes rest from reading the chapters in this book and my exhilarated soul reflects, I [Contributor Wellman] think back on the wonders I have encountered and think ahead about what to do next. As I basked in the pleasure of learning about guanxi, I started thinking about how some of the tools of my trade – social network analysis – might help me and others to delve deeper into its mysteries.
Yet there is a danger sign along the road, a bit old fashioned but still worth pondering: The Economist (2000, p. 7) warns that outsiders may find guanxi an unfathomable “mystical concept.” With the ironic tone of a jaded old China hand, the magazine asserts: “If you don't have the patience to learn about guanxi old boy, you might as well pack your bags and go home.” Thrilled by what I've learned about guanxi, the last thing I want to do is to go home, warned off by a claim that newbies can neither understand guanxi nor provide useful advice about studying it. Reading this book has been a wonderful journey, and I do not want to pack my intellectual bags just yet.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
