Culturalizing enterprise software for the Chinese context: An argument for accommodating guanxi-based business practices

Throughout the current Western literature, issues are raised about the organizational and management changes in Chinese enterprises, which are mandated by adoption of Western information systems. This paper cites factors which support the argument that fundamental changes must be made in Western software as well, in order to enable its successful contribution. A case study methodology is used to establish this argument for cultural aspects that distinguish Chinese business practices and norms from those that underlie Western enterprise systems. The concept of guanxi is used as a focus to instantiate support for the argument. Approaches to the task of engaging in enterprise system adaptation for the support of guanxi-based business practices are suggested and the study's findings are generalized to propose a model for describing culture-dependent characteristics of software products.