Clientelism and guanxi: Southern European and Chinese public relations in comparative perspective

• There are a number of cultural similarities that shape the public relations field in Southern Europe and China.
• The existence of guanxi and clientelism reveal the importance of personal relationships and the emphasis of government relationships at the expense of other publics.
• Persuasive models of public relations are still the norm in large parts of the world.

This paper compares and analyzes the practice of public relations between Southern European countries (Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain) and China. The author argues Western countries are not a monolithic entity and there are a number of similarities, mainly focused on the importance of personal relationships, that shape the public relations field in Europe and Asia. A review of the concepts of guanxi and clientelism, both based on the asymmetrical character of relationships based on the abdication by the client of any potential autonomous access to the use of resources and to the setting up of public goods and services, revealed the importance of personal relationships and the emphasis of government relationships at the expense of other publics. Despite the consideration of the Anglo-Saxon symmetrical public relations model as a normative ideal among professionals, persuasive models are prevalent in the public relations practice in these societies.