As it shows from Figure 2, reciprocity likelihood was effect from both Western relationship investment skill (H1,H3, and H12 are supported, refer to the bold line depicted in the figure 2) and Eastern culture and relationships that (H4, H7, H9, H10, H11, H13, and H14 are supported), refer to the thread line depicted in the figure 2. At the same time, through mediating influence of mianzi, generate connection between western investment relationship investment method and eastern cultural variables which interact with each other. This shows, at least in Taiwan, managers can simultaneously through the Eastern and Western skills to enhance relationship investment and reciprocity likelihood. But unexpectedly, mainzi impact perceived relationship investment is negative (H5 is rejected, refer to the thread and imaginary line depicted in the figure 2), which is contradictory to our hypothesis. This reflect that more mianzi the purchasing executive obtain, they will perceived less relationship investment.
Moreover, the finding noted that ganqing impact reciprocity likelihood more than relationship investment, which shows that even Taiwan is under Western management, but the traditional Chinese culture is still deeply affect people’s decisions and behavior.
Figure 2 Results of hypotheses
The results of hypotheses testing shown above reveal that most of proposed research hypotheses are supported. In business-to-business contexts, relationship marketing efforts have positive effect to perceived relationship investment. The test on first hypothesis (H1) reveals that the hypothesis is supported. The empirical finding confirms other relationship investment research findings (De Wulf et al., 2001; De Wulf et al., 2003) which explains that the more interpersonal communication conducted by a sales representative results in higher level perceived relationship investment by a purchasing executive. It shows the crucial role of sales representatives who are in direct contact with purchasing executives. Sales representatives show warm and personal feelings toward purchasing executives can get the resulting benefits in terms of enhanced perceptions of relationship investment.
The test on third hypothesis (H3) reveals that the hypothesis is supported. This finding is contradictory to previous relationship investment research findings (De Wulf
H14
Perceived gift manipulation
Gift type
is caused by the different research setting. De Wulf et al. (2001) and De Wulf et al. (2003) researches chose retailer industry which involved respondents from three different countries such as the United States, Nerthland, and Belgium; meanwhile, Yoon et al.
(2008) took e-retailer industry in the United States. Our research sample were focus on eastern purchasing executives which are influence by Chinese culture deeply. According to reciprocity theory, when one party offered the other party preference treatment, the recipient one will feel guilty if they don't repay it. Thus, the finding explained a sales representative give more treatment toward a purchasing executive can reap profits in the terms of enhanced perceptions of relationship investment.
The result on fourth hypothesis (H4) reveals that the hypothesis is supported. It shows that empirically, preferential treatment affects mianzi. Mianzi is regarded as the power of social status. Preferential treatment impact mainzi because that shows how deep did the giver knows the recipients. If they can provide the treatment that reach the recipients' satisfaction, they feel obtain the respect and have mianzi.
According to Leung et al.'s (2011) finding that appropriate gift-giving activity positively enhances mianzi. The previous research is insufficient, in the context of different variable will cause different outcome. According to the past research of gift we investigate what kind of gift can make the recipient feels gain mianzi.
The test on seventh hypothesis (H7) reveals that the hypothesis is supported. Base on Leung et al. (2011) and the empirical finding confirms other gift evaluation research findings (Robben & Verhallen, 1994) which explains that in receiving a gift the evaluation is affected by the recipient's perception of costs incurred. Gift recipients feel obtain mianzi if they evaluate gift is relevant such as they think the gift is for appreciate
others' views. They also agree that give others mianzi in public or in appropriate timing is important, and they think mianzi is a kind of public image.
The results show that there is a significant positive correlation between gift type and mianzi (H9). This finding is contradictory to previous gift-giving research findings Leung, Heung, Vincent, and Wong, (2008) which found that a customizing gift with a level of courtesy appropriate to the context can give mianzi to the recipient. The personalized gift shows the intimate relation between givers and recipients. The giver knows the recipients' preference and give them the gifts that was different with others.
At this point, more positive evaluation result of the recipient on a personalized gift results in stronger the recipient's mianzi.
The test on tenth hypothesis (H10) reveals that the hypothesis is supported. The empirical finding confirms other Chinese cultural value research findings (Hwang, 1987;
Leung et al., 2011) which explains people will build up ganqing with others by obtain mianzi from them. The empirical finding we can know that when purchasing executives perceived more mianzi, they will build up ganqing with sales representatives. As having mainzi can help people improve their status in social relations. In case of this helping, surely it will improve ganqing between each other.
The test on eleventh hypothesis (H11) reveals that the hypothesis is supported.
This finding is relevant with previous research conducted by (Leung et al, 2011). This relationship confirms the interdependent relationship of mianzi and renqing (Leung et al, 2011). In business context, a sales representative needs to concurrently giving mianzi for purchasing executives and generates renqing with them.
empirical finding confirms other relationship investment research findings (De Wulf et al., 2001; De Wulf et al., 2003; Yoon et al., 2008) which explains that consumers feel obligated to reciprocate a retailer's investments by increasing their loyalty to this retailer.
This finding implies that it pays off for the sales representative to invest, because it results in increased reciprocity likelihood.
The test on thirteenth hypothesis (H13) reveals that the hypothesis is supported.
The empirical finding confirms other ganqing research finding (Barnes et al., 2011) which a purchasing executive perceives a higher level of ganqing, then there is greater cooperation between each other. In other words, if ganqing existed between purchasing executive and sale representative, the purchasing executive tends to doing business with the sales representative.
The test on fourteenth hypothesis (H14) reveals that the hypothesis is supported.
The empirical finding confirms other renqing research finding (Barnes et al., 2011) which explains higher levels of renqing between sales representative and purchasing executive will lead to better coordination. Similarly, as purchasing executives feel own a sales representative favor (renqing), they will tend to have more cooperation with the sales representative in the future.
However, there are part of the hypothesis cannot be supported.
The test on second hypothesis (H2) reveals that the hypothesis is rejected. The test found that there is a significant positive correlation between perceived gift manipulation and perceived relationship investment. However, this study assumed that they are correlated negatively. The results could be interpreted to say that the main purpose of gift-giving in business context is still to manipulate the receiver's decision, so
purchasing executives may think that, even though the gift is given with some purposes, this phenomenon is quite normal and the sales representatives is yet trying hard to invest in their relationship. This perception may offset the negative effects of perceived manipulation intent on the relationship investment.
This study had inferred that, in Chinese cultural context, gift-giving can make people feel having mianzi, but if the gift does not match recipient's social status, it will instead become a pressure to the gift recipient, and make him/ her feel inappropriate. The result of the hypothesis fifth (H5) found that there is a significant negative correlation between mianzi and perceived relationship investment, which is inconsistent with the original argument. It is noteworthy that most of the samples are junior staffs. Hence, this counter intuition results could be interpreted to say that the gifts received may be too valuable which is inappropriate comparing to these samples’ social statuses. It may send out a signal that the gift is given for specific favor or benefit, but not for the investment in the relationships. Thus, a higher level of mianzi will lead to less degree of perceived relationship investment.
The sixth proposed hypotheses (H6) of this research are not supported statistically.
It means gift economic value does not have an impact on mianzi, which is counter to the Dorsch and Kelley's (1994) findings. As the use of gifts as a relationship investment tool may provide mianzi to recipients that are more important than the economic value of the gift. However, most samples are junior staff, it might be not suitable for identity if the gift is too expensive. Or even worse, reverse other suspicious like bribe, so it might not increase mainzi.
The eighth proposed hypothesis (H8) of this research are not supported
hypothesis eighth (H8). The gift can make people feel having mianzi, that gift must be valuable to the recipient. However, the gift too valuable might generate other suspicious such as bribe. Moreover, most of people would like to have a better image especially in business environment. If they cooperate with the sales representative who gifting to them, they will worry about what others think about them.
Base on above results, Taiwanese purchasing executives' reciprocity likelihood are affected by both western and eastern variables; yet, western and Chinese relationship investment techniques affect almost independently on reciprocity likelihood, but only rely on mianzi to create a indirect relationship and intermediate the effects of these two types of relationship investment skills. It means mianzi plays a key role in Taiwan.
Therefore, if western enterprises want to do business with Taiwanese enterprises, western enterprises need to utilize both western and eastern ways to improve relationship with each others. Meanwhile, western enterprises should be careful not losing someone else mianzi and give mianzi appropriate.
5.2 Research Limitation and Direction for Further Research
The use of convenience sampling which is rooted from the reason that the sampling frame is hard to obtain may result in weak finding to generalize; therefore, it is suggested for further research to utilize probability sampling technique to achieve stronger generalization level.
Most research objects are small and medium enterprises' employees as the research subject that possibly produced limited finding. Therefore, further research can try to collect large enterprises.
This study focused only on the context that sales representatives give gifts to purchasing executives. However, in Chinese society, sometimes purchasing executives will send gifts back to their suppliers. Further research can explore how do sales representatives perceive the gifts from counterparts, and further investigate the influence of such perceptions on each other's forthcoming cooperative opportunities.
Moreover, Taiwanese senior executives do not always actively supported academic surveys, if this research can collect more samples about higher executives, test results of these hypotheses might be different. And this is the effort should be focus in the future.