Cultural identities of Chinese business: networks of the shark-fin business in Hong Kong

Abstract

From a global standard, shark-fin consumption certainly violates international norms on bio-diversity and endangers the existence of the shark species. Furthermore, the commercial shark-fin industry generates additional adverse environmental impacts. Nevertheless, shark-fin consumption has served an important role in the cultural aspect of Chinese ‘foodway’. More importantly, the business relations and networks behind this industry have never been comprehensively studied. In so doing, this paper employs first hand interviews with the traders and processors, as well as official statistics from the government of Hong Kong, to come up with one of the most comprehensive and in-depth pieces of research on the business relations and the cultural aspects of shark-fin business in Hong Kong. In addition, we will explore the theoretical as well as the cultural dimensions of shark-fin business in trying to question the meaning of Chinese business networks. One of the key findings of this piece of research is that the collective activities of shark-fin consumption, business relations and networks are embedded along the historically, socially and culturally constructed Chinese identity. The implication is that such orchestration between culture and business can have far-reaching consequences to other Chinese businesses.