The Impact of Power on Gift-giving Behavior under Chinese Culture Background: The Moderating Role of Relationship Orientation

Abstract

Abstract:

Previous studies have documented that power could either increase or decrease the tendency of gift-giving behavior. The current research seeks to resolve these conflicting views and examines the impact of power on gift-giving behavior and the moderating mechanism of relationship orientation under Chinese culture background based on Situated Focus Theory. Our findings from two studies demonstrate that under communal orientation condition, individuals with high (vs. low) power are more inclined to exert gift-giving behavior, and under exchange orientation condition, individuals with high (vs. low) power tend to exert less gift-giving behavior. Moreover, these effects are driven by gift-giving perceptions (i.e., pleasure perception and obligation perception) under different relationship orientations. From the perspective of Situated Focus Theory, we make significant theoretical contributions by clarifying the boundary condition of the effect of power on gift-giving behavior, and integrating the opposing viewpoints from different literature. Meanwhile, our study can provide practical implications for the marketing publicity and advertisement designing of gift consumption in the context of Chinese culture.

Key words: power, gift-giving behavior, relationship orientation, pleasure perception, obligation perception

Jiang Hongyan, Xu Mengmeng, Chen Hong, Sun Peizhen. The Impact of Power on Gift-giving Behavior under Chinese Culture Background: The Moderating Role of Relationship Orientation[J]. , 2019, 31(3): 166-177.

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