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This paper aims to reframe and enhance the relationship marketing literature through advocating an emphasis on process and a renewed commitment to social and informational exchanges.

The paper is conceptual. It takes as its starting‐point the recognition that customers exist in complex dynamic systems in which they enact multiple roles. However, current implementations of customer relationship management (CRM) typically only view customers through a single lens (as customers) that denies firms a holistic view of those with whom they interact. Moreover, CRM systems typically embed and script actions (i.e. call centre options, offers driven by cross‐selling and segmentation) rather than enabling rich communication and facilitating appropriate responses that emerge from that communication. It is argued here that, as a consequence, both parties to a relationship need to negotiate the nature of systems that connect them, because those systems, in part, determine the content of relationship exchanges.

Understanding of the central argument will contribute to better organisational‐customer interactions and more informed relationship management techniques.

The paper argues for a renewed emphasis on processes and on social/informational exchanges within those relationships. This initiates a process of frame restructuring that will benefit RM.

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the barriers to innovation in Chinese small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Interviews with 39 SME owner‐managers, industry bodies and relevant government authorities were gathered and analysed.

The key finding is that Chinese SMEs may be at risk of being stuck in a high‐level equilibrium trap and that the improving macro‐environment might not change embedded innovation constraining hierarchical management and guanxi networking.

Key contribution is the characterisation of Chinese SMEs as stuck in an equilibrium trap along with a description of the conditions that cause it. Importantly, this paper explores these issues by juxtaposing macro‐environment conditions with the rational firm‐level behaviours that they prompt.

This introduction aims to set the scene for this special issue on innovation in Chinese firms.

There is no research design and methodology for data collection and analysis as such.

This introduction sets the special issue in the context of the European Academy of Management (EURAM) track with the same theme. It also provides an outline for the special issue highlighting the main topics in terms of technology and innovation management in large and small firms in China; as well as lessons drawn from academic institutions involved in provision of management education both at research and taught – MBA‐level degree programs.

This special issue is limited in the number of contributions that they are submitted to the EURAM Conference and track on “innovation in Chinese firms” in 2008 and 2009. The research implications for firm strategy and government policy draw on limited empirical evidence mainly from case studies and interviews with selected experts.

The originality of this special issue is that it brings together empirical findings from a broad range of large state owned companies, small and medium enterprises, and Chinese and foreign universities and business schools interested in management education in China.