The perceived need for guanxi: organizational, interpersonal, and individual antecedents

Guanxi is a symbolic means of social connection, or networking, that has existed in Chinese society for centuries. Although guanxi fosters trust and social capital, it can also increase the likelihood of favoritism and corruption. Despite deliberate measures that have been employed to establish a modern meritocratic public service system in China, many public servants today still perceive a need to use guanxi for career success. Utilizing data from public employees working in Sichuan, China, this study explores reasons that motivate the perceived need to cultivate guanxi in the public sector. The results from partial proportional odds models show that public employees' perceived need for guanxi is shaped by a combination of organizational, interpersonal, and individual factors, in particular a sense of collective efficacy, limited job alternatives, and public service motivation. We posit several theoretical and practical implications based on these empirical findings.