ABSTRACT
Markets and business organizations operate within their social and institutional context. In the People’s Republic of China (PRC)2 and the UK these are very different. This chapter examines the interaction of managers as they seek to gain control assurance within their cultural and institutional contexts. Two field studies (Emmanuel et al., 2001; Williamson, 2001) illustrate linkages between control assurance, its context, and the value placed on control assurance within the different cultures. Although these are cross-sectional studies, they provide a backcloth to the development of the PRC business environment. To achieve commercial success there, British businesses need to understand the influence of China’s different culture and institutions.
