关系网效力的边界:来自新兴劳动力市场的实证分析

社会网络是影响社会经济行动及其结果的重要因素。作为社会网络的一种类型，关系网植根于中国文化并广泛渗透于经济和社会生活的各个领域。根据对城市求职者所作的深度访谈，本文着重探讨在劳动力市场改革的制度背景下，求职者使用关系网对其就业过程产生的效力，并分析该效力的影响边界及其理论含义。研究发现，随着市场改革的深入，关系网在就业过程中仍然发挥着显著作用，但是，其效力受到工作单位的所有制性质、劳动力市场的竞争程度，以及岗位的技能要求等因素的影响；关系网的效力边界与转型社会的制度安排密不可分；中国社会的“关系网”概念比西方学界研究的“社会网”概念具有更丰富的内涵。

Boundaries of Guanxi Networks:Empirical Evidence from the Emerging Labor Market in China

Social networks are an important factor affecting socioeconomic behaviors and outcomes. Guanxi， a form of social networks， is deeply rooted in the Chinese culture and it permeates every aspect in the economy and social life. Based on the in depth interviews of the urban employment seekers， this paper analyses the effectiveness of job seekers’ utilization of their guanxi in the process of obtaining employment and the boundaries of its impact， and its theoretical significance in the institutional context of the labor market reform as well. The results indicate that， with the ongoing of the market reform， guanxi networks are still playing a significant role in the process of obtaining employment but its impact is a function of the ownership type of the work unit， the competition intensity in the labor market， and the skill requirements of the position. The impact boundaries of guanxi networks are closely tied to the institutions in a society in transformation. The concept of “guanxi networks” in Chinese society cherishes much richer meanings than the concept of “social networks” in the Western academia.