| dc.description.abstract | The aim of this thesis is to investigate perceptions of guanxi by Chinese graduates. Guanxi is a social concept that has received increased interest in Western research, but how is it perceived in China? What advantages does guanxi bring for those seeking to enter the job market? How is guanxi used by young Chinese? Are there any obstacles that guanxi could create? How do these graduates perceive the importance of guanxi in Chinese society? An ethnographic strategy is chosen in order to dive deep into this topic. Four Chinese graduates are interviewed and their perceptions of guanxi is investigated on the background of interview methodology and a literature review. Several debates in the research field on guanxi are discussed in the literature review. How does one define the concept of guanxi? Is guanxi usage increasing or declining in a modernising China? What are guanxi’s origins? How does guanxi relate to corruption? These topics are investigated in the literature, and then the data collected from the interviews is reviewed. The graduates prove valuable perspectives on guanxi and its usage, ranging from job searching experience and promotion opportunities to their perspectives on guanxi and corruption, how they see guanxi compared to personal connections in Norway, as well as the Confucian roots of guanxi. The data is then analysed in relation to the debates in the field in the discussion section. The graduates found that guanxi as a concept exists in other places than China, that connotations and usage are different but the nature of it is the same. They see guanxi as an important concept in Chinese society that is likely to retain its significance rather than decline. None of the graduates found guanxi to be immediately related to Confucianism. Corruption was found to be linked to guanxi, but carries different connotations. The most significant advantage of guanxi in the graduates’ mind was that of locating job opportunities. | eng |