Case Study: Recruitment at China Sunwah Bank: Guanxi versus talent

1. In this case, what evidence is there that non-relationship-based selection criteria and processes are beginning to grow in importance in recruitment processes?

2. When Chun, Li and the HR committee sat down to work their way through the remaining 48 candidates to decide who should be recruited, the names of Zhou Zing's candidate, Shi Winnee's daughter, Qin Yong's nephew, Mike Gan's son and his best friend could not be found on the final list of candidates.

(1) If you were Chun, what action would you take with regard to these five candidates and why? Discuss the options and likely outcome.

(2) If you were part of the recruitment team for a major Western commercial bank, what action would you take with regard to these candidates and why? Discuss the options and likely outcome.

3. Why do you think Zhou called Chun to invite him and his family to meet his family for dinner in an expensive, high standard restaurant in central Dalian when usually they had frequented a noodle restaurant nearer to their home?

4. What should Chun do about the "hong bao" that his former classmate and colleague, Shi, gave him?

5. What is the likelihood that Guanxi will continue to play a significant role in HR selection in Chinese banks as they adapt to the market economy?

6. (1) What are the advantages and disadvantages of granting the Department of Electric Power director's candidate a position?

(2) Chun found that Gan's son and his son's friend had not even submitted applications: how could this complicate Chun's decision?