No description available.

This thesis will examine the experiences of China's urban private businesspeople over the reform-era (1978--present). I will show that this socioeconomic group has experienced colossal improvements in the political, economic and social environment in which they operate their businesses. In contrast to the early reform years, in the 1990s businesspeople have, in the words of a businesswoman I interviewed, been "given the green light." The business climate is so favourable that successful private economic actors have become an elite and privileged group. However, no analysis of China's private businesspeople is complete without attention to the issue of gender. Persistent gender bias and discrimination against women in Chinese society has a negative impact on the ability of businesswomen to take advantage of the friendly new business environment and its attendant opportunities. / The overall trend toward a basically positive business climate and the gender specific challenges experienced by businesswomen will be examined primarily by presenting personal portraits of four private businesspeople selected out of forty formal interviews conducted by the author in the spring and summer of 1998 in Tianjin city, northeastern China.