Questioning the Appropriateness of Examining Guanxi in a Wasta Environment: Why Context Should Be Front and Center in Informal Network Research – A Commentary on ‘De-Linking From Western Epistemologies: Using Guanxi-Type Relationships to Attract and Retain Hotel Guests in the Middle East’

Sven Horak; Ibrahim Abosag; Kate Hutchings; Fadi Alsarhan; Sa'ad Ali; Arwa Al-Twal; David Weir; Fawaz baddar Alhussan; Faten baddar Al-Husan

doi:10.1017/mor.2023.26

Questioning the Appropriateness of Examining Guanxi in a Wasta Environment: Why Context Should Be Front and Center in Informal Network Research – A Commentary on ‘De-Linking From Western Epistemologies: Using Guanxi-Type Relationships to Attract and Retain Hotel Guests in the Middle East’

Sven Horak^*, Ibrahim Abosag, Kate Hutchings, Fadi Alsarhan, Sa'ad Ali, Arwa Al-Twal, David Weir, Fawaz baddar Alhussan, Faten baddar Al-Husan

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

13 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In this commentary we reflect on Shaalan, Eid, and Tourky's (2022) article in which they investigated the Chinese concept and practice of guanxi in the Middle East,1 a region in which wasta represents the common way of informal networking.2 While we encourage and welcome research into informal networks, we have serious concerns about the conceptual and methodological approaches taken by Shaalan et al. (2022) in investigating informal networks in the Middle East and explain herein why we do not believe guanxi should have been used in place of wasta.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1040-1045
Number of pages	6
Journal	Management and Organization Review
Volume	19
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/mor.2023.26
Publication status	Published - 1 Oct 2023
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

commentary
guanxi
informal networks
methodology
wasta

Access to Document

10.1017/mor.2023.26Licence: CC BY

Advance online versionFinal published version, 79.5 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Horak, S., Abosag, I., Hutchings, K., Alsarhan, F., Ali, S., Al-Twal, A., Weir, D., Alhussan, F. B., & Al-Husan, F. B. (2023). Questioning the Appropriateness of Examining Guanxi in a Wasta Environment: Why Context Should Be Front and Center in Informal Network Research – A Commentary on ‘De-Linking From Western Epistemologies: Using Guanxi-Type Relationships to Attract and Retain Hotel Guests in the Middle East’. Management and Organization Review, 19(5), 1040-1045. https://doi.org/10.1017/mor.2023.26

Horak, Sven ; Abosag, Ibrahim ; Hutchings, Kate et al. / Questioning the Appropriateness of Examining Guanxi in a Wasta Environment : Why Context Should Be Front and Center in Informal Network Research – A Commentary on ‘De-Linking From Western Epistemologies: Using Guanxi-Type Relationships to Attract and Retain Hotel Guests in the Middle East’. In: Management and Organization Review. 2023 ; Vol. 19, No. 5. pp. 1040-1045.

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abstract = "In this commentary we reflect on Shaalan, Eid, and Tourky's (2022) article in which they investigated the Chinese concept and practice of guanxi in the Middle East,1 a region in which wasta represents the common way of informal networking.2 While we encourage and welcome research into informal networks, we have serious concerns about the conceptual and methodological approaches taken by Shaalan et al. (2022) in investigating informal networks in the Middle East and explain herein why we do not believe guanxi should have been used in place of wasta.",

keywords = "commentary, guanxi, informal networks, methodology, wasta",

author = "Sven Horak and Ibrahim Abosag and Kate Hutchings and Fadi Alsarhan and Sa'ad Ali and Arwa Al-Twal and David Weir and Alhussan, {Fawaz baddar} and Al-Husan, {Faten baddar}",

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Horak, S, Abosag, I, Hutchings, K, Alsarhan, F, Ali, S, Al-Twal, A, Weir, D, Alhussan, FB & Al-Husan, FB 2023, 'Questioning the Appropriateness of Examining Guanxi in a Wasta Environment: Why Context Should Be Front and Center in Informal Network Research – A Commentary on ‘De-Linking From Western Epistemologies: Using Guanxi-Type Relationships to Attract and Retain Hotel Guests in the Middle East’', Management and Organization Review, vol. 19, no. 5, pp. 1040-1045. https://doi.org/10.1017/mor.2023.26

Questioning the Appropriateness of Examining Guanxi in a Wasta Environment: Why Context Should Be Front and Center in Informal Network Research – A Commentary on ‘De-Linking From Western Epistemologies: Using Guanxi-Type Relationships to Attract and Retain Hotel Guests in the Middle East’. / Horak, Sven; Abosag, Ibrahim; Hutchings, Kate et al.
In: Management and Organization Review, Vol. 19, No. 5, 01.10.2023, p. 1040-1045.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

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AU - Abosag, Ibrahim

AU - Hutchings, Kate

AU - Alsarhan, Fadi

AU - Ali, Sa'ad

AU - Al-Twal, Arwa

AU - Weir, David

AU - Alhussan, Fawaz baddar

AU - Al-Husan, Faten baddar

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AB - In this commentary we reflect on Shaalan, Eid, and Tourky's (2022) article in which they investigated the Chinese concept and practice of guanxi in the Middle East,1 a region in which wasta represents the common way of informal networking.2 While we encourage and welcome research into informal networks, we have serious concerns about the conceptual and methodological approaches taken by Shaalan et al. (2022) in investigating informal networks in the Middle East and explain herein why we do not believe guanxi should have been used in place of wasta.

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Horak S, Abosag I, Hutchings K, Alsarhan F, Ali S, Al-Twal A et al. Questioning the Appropriateness of Examining Guanxi in a Wasta Environment: Why Context Should Be Front and Center in Informal Network Research – A Commentary on ‘De-Linking From Western Epistemologies: Using Guanxi-Type Relationships to Attract and Retain Hotel Guests in the Middle East’. Management and Organization Review. 2023 Oct 1;19(5):1040-1045. doi: 10.1017/mor.2023.26