Vitalizing "Guanxi": Governance Strategies of a Chinese County Junior High School Principal

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Abstract

Relationships are important in the governance practices of principals. This study utilized the concept of guanxi, which has Chinese characteristics, to analyze how a county junior high school principal tapped into and used guanxi as a resource to support school development. The study found that there are three dimensions of guanxi: upward guanxi, horizontal guanxi, and downward guanxi, and that the principal plays three roles of the beggar, entrepreneur, as well as exceptional leader with different action strategies constructed. The principal's use of guanxi reflects the role of traditional cultural structures, he needs to give full play to his subjectivity in order to mobilize the mutually supportive guanxi network.

Author

• Tian Li, East China Normal University