Relationships compatibility in interactions between Mainland Chinese, Hong Kong Chinese and Western Actors

There exists a paucity of empirical research that focuses on focal business network interactions that take place within the Hong Kong business environment. In an earlier study that included 10 interviews with Hong Kong Chinese traders, compatibility was identified as an important factor for the study of interactions between Mainland Chinese, Hong Kong Chinese and Western actors (Trimarchi, 1997, 2002). In this paper, an Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) approach is utilised to develop a compatibility construct to study triadic business interactions between Hong Kong Chinese intermediaries and Mainland Chinese sellers and buyers from the West. The study utilises a qualitative methodology and includes the analysis of data across 23 in-depth case interviews. Case study respondents included a rich cross section of Hong Kong Chinese, Mainland Chinese and Western actors. The results identify that even when continuity tends to be high in relationships between Hong Kong intermediaries and Mainland sellers, the existence of ongoing distance and competence problems tends to provide for low compatibility, negating the prospects for relationships development. On the other hand, in interactions between buyers from the West and Hong Kong intermediaries, it was found that high compatibility factors provide support for the notion that it may not be difficult for Westerners to develop quality business relationships with the Hong Kong Chinese.