Guanxi Meets Western Banking Systems: Trust, Bonding, and Commitment in the Context of Consumer Acculturation

Abstract

A theoretical conceptualisation of commitment has been well established in relationship marketing (Morgan & Hunt, 1994) and previous commitment studies indicate that there are multiple dimensions of this commitment in the service context (Bansal et al, 2004). Recently, it has been posited that there exist three distinct targets of commitment (Jones et al, 2008) in consumer-service provider relationships. These targets correspond to service company relationships, professional relationships, and interpersonal relationships. Jones et al. (2008) suggest that these targets or ‘foci’ of commitment have differential effects on loyalty-related responses, and thus, understanding the impacts of each target of commitment on customer loyalty is crucial. Specifically, our study employs the concept of three targets of commitment in understanding the relationships between Chinese-New Zealanders and their preferred banking service providers. Additionally, we explore the possible impacts of each target of commitment in a model inclusive of consumer acculturation. Thus, we seek to examine if these targets of commitment hold fast in an environment where Western business practices intersect with Eastern interpersonal mores.