Looking for a few more titles to round out your summer reading list this year? Perhaps you’re hoping to find some inspiration while relaxing by the pool on your next resort getaway? Or maybe just looking to escape into the pages of a fantasy adventure from the comfort of your upcoming staycation? Whatever your reading interests, CEIBS faculty have got you covered (get it?)! Check out these recommended books from our professors below.

Keeping at It

by

Paul A. Volcker

“I always recommend reading autobiographies to my classes. I think one of the most effective ways to understand any era is through its most important decision makers! Paul Volcker’s Keeping at It is especially good, as he wrote the book right before he passed away in 2019. Volcker served as Fed chairman from 1979-1987 and was famous for bringing an end to the high inflation period brought on by the oil shock. A nice read to understand the workings of the Fed, monetary policy, and the US economy.”

CEIBS Assistant Professor of Economics Howei Wu

Spinning Silver

by

Naomi Novik

“I’m a big fan of fantasy books! I’m reading Naomi Novik’s Spinning Silver right now and recently finished her earlier book, Uprooted. Both are stand-alone books. These books take classic folklore (e.g., Rumpelstiltskin) as their inspiration for spinning an interesting ‘new’ story. The books are well-written with strong story arcs and good character development. Nice books to enjoy after having to read a tonne of academic research papers!”

CEIBS Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship Daniel Han Ming Chng

Personality isn’t Permanent

by

Benjamin Hardy

“I’m now reading Personality isn’t Permanent by Benjamin Hardy. The book is filled with strategies for reframing your past and designing your future. It’s a guide to breaking free from the past and becoming the person you want to be.”

CEIBS Professor of Leadership Juan Antonio Fernandez

Creativity, Inc.

by

Ed Catmull

“Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull is one of the best books written on how to build a creative organisation. Catmull shows how Pixar has made films that make them feel proud and has developed specific management practices to enhance creativity and performance. This is also one of the most interesting books I have read in the past ten years.”

CEIBS Philips Chair in Management Kim Tae-Yeol

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

by

Stephen R. Covey

“The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey is a perennial favourite amongst business faculty to assign as pre- and post-course reading. Cultivating good habits at work and in daily life is becoming much more important in the digital age. This book begs us to examine our behaviour in-depth and provides a mirror for reflecting our true inner self. I read it at least once a year.”

CEIBS Associate Professor of Strategy and International Business Terence Tsai

Inclusify: the Power of Uniqueness and Belonging to Build Innovative Teams

by

Stefanie K. Johnson

“Anyone who has taken one of my classes knows my passion for having candid conversations about how to manage diversity and build inclusive climates. Inclusify: the Power of Uniqueness and Belonging to Build Innovative Teams by Stefanie K. Johnson is the first book that I’ve read in some time that gave me unique insights into the topic while also providing truly practical and tailored recommendations for different types of leaders who are trying to do better in this space. Now, perhaps more than ever, I think we all need more tools in our toolbox to bridge the things that divide us.”

CEIBS Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour Emily David

The Practice: Shipping Creative Work

by

Seth Godin

“The Practice: Shipping Creative Work is a really nice book for anyone who wants to take on creative work or a leadership role. It helps you get unstuck and find the courage to create something new. Seth Godin teaches you how to turn your passion into a process with structure, and how to deliver quality work on a consistent basis.”

CEIBS Professor of Finance Frank Yu

Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy

by

Sheryl Sandberg & Adam Grant

“We tend to think resilience is all about bouncing back. In fact, resilience is also about bouncing forward to grow and reinvent ourselves. Option B is a powerful, inspiring, and practical book about building resilience and moving forward after life’s inevitable setbacks. It illuminates how to help people in crisis, develop compassion for ourselves, raise strong children, and create resilient families, communities, and workplaces.”

CEIBS Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour Michelle Zheng

July 16, 2021. Shanghai – A donation ceremony was held at CEIBS Shanghai campus today to recognise the establishment of a new Hengdian Group Chair.

As part of the arrangement, Hengdian Group has donated 15 million RMB to the CEIBS Education Foundation to support the school’s development. This is the third time Hengdian Group Chairman and President and CEIBS Education Foundation founding member Xu Yongan (CEIBS EMBA 2003) has made a donation to the school.

Chaired professorships are an important form of support for higher education institutions. They are both a high academic honour and an important recognition of the teaching and research ability of faculty. As such, they can help attract and retain top professors and thereby aid in the development of schools.

As decided by the CEIBS Management Committee, CEIBS President and CEIBS Education Foundation Chairman Wang Hong has been appointed as the Hengdian Group Chair in Management.

During the ceremony, Prof. Wang expressed her gratitude to Mr. Xu and Hengdian Group for their support and trust in CEIBS and said she was honoured to be able to help deepen teaching and research about Chinese enterprises.

Perhaps most well-known for its Hengdian World Studios film property, Hengdian Group is playing an important role in China’s reform and opening up. Since 1975, the company has formed a rich industrial cluster and industrial chain and has made numerous major contributions to the development of Zhejiang Province. With a strong focus on electronics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and entertainment, it is often cited as a benchmark for industry-region integration and a model for economic development in China.

Prof. Wang stated that she hoped Hengdian Group’s gift would inspire more CEIBS alumni and alumni companies to support the school’s development.

Speaking during the event, Mr. Xu said that the measure of value of a company rests not only in its profitability, but also its sense of social responsibility.

At each stage of its development, Hengdian Group has embraced the belief that enterprises that take from society should give back to society. As such, he said, Hengdian’s values are closely aligned with CEIBS’ mission to educate responsible leaders versed in “China Depth, Global Breadth.”

In conclusion, Mr. Xu said he hoped the company’s gift will help strengthen the school’s research efforts and inspire CEIBS students and alumni in their spirit and thinking.

Lastly, CEIBS Management Committee member Ma Lei recalled that throughout CEIBS’ development, Hengdian Group has been there to provide the school with support.

He further noted that advocating for and practicing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development are important to China’s development. Moreover, Mr. Ma said he hopes that Hengdian Group’s example will encourage those in the CEIBS community to seek a win-win situation for both business and society.

Today’s event was also attended by CEIBS Associate Dean (Executive Education) and Professor of Marketing Wang Gao, Associate Dean (Europe) and Professor of Management Katherine Xin, CEIBS Assistant President and CEIBS Education Foundation Co-Secretary-General Hobbs Liu, CEIBS Assistant President and CEIBS Education Foundation Chief Supervisor Helen Xu, CEIBS Assistant President and CEIBS Education Foundation Council Member Yvonne Li as well as CEIBS Alumni Association Zhejiang Chapter Vice President and Secretary-General Wang Hao, together with numerous CEIBS department heads, alumni and students, and other Hengdian Group representatives.

July 8, 2021. Zurich – Understanding and the ability make quick decisions are needed for successful Sino-Swiss business dealings, an audience at CEIBS Zurich Campus heard today.

These and other insights were shared as part of an exclusive panel discussion organised together with the CEIBS Alumni Switzerland Association on the theme of “Opportunities and Trends for Sino-Swiss Investment.”

During the event – the first to be hosted at CEIBS Zurich Campus since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic – Greater Zurich Area Deputy Managing Director Lukas Huber pointed out that, when it comes to Chinese customers, you need speed and patience all at once to close a deal.

Decisions can sometimes happen unexpectedly fast, he added, but can also be cancelled overnight.

Mr. Huber said he has also experienced cases, for example, where deals have been cancelled unexpectedly, but where Chinese business people have returned later with another opportunity.

Highlighting the growing interest in biotech and other tech industries, he concluded that Swiss business people should look for a good match in terms of know-how and personality when deciding whether to invest in a particular relationship.

Border & Cie Managing Director and Head of Asia Victoria Wu told the audience that Chinese customers appreciate the stable, discrete and predictable environment of Swiss private banking.

At the same time, she added, it is sometimes difficult for them to understand that banks and stores are closed in Switzerland on weekends.

In the past, Ms. Wu explained, many Chinese invested in hotels. This is changing, however, due to new areas of interests (such as cosmetics) and a younger average age of investors (now around 40).

Ms. Wu continued that decisions must sometimes be taken quickly, otherwise Chinese customers – who are used to the fast-paced environment in China – might change their mind.

The panel was moderated by SSM Schärer Schweiter Mettler Senior Project Manager Ariuscha Davatz.

Today’s event concluded with an apéro, during which CEIBS alumni, advisory board members and valued partners were able to enjoy face-to-face networking after many months of virtual activity.

Dear CEIBS Alumni and Friends,

I hope that you and your family are safe and well.

The past few months have been busy at CEIBS, with curriculum development and knowledge creation moving ahead in full swing. Our anticipated DBA programme was officially announced recently, and the HEMBA programme received EFMD certification. Amongst other notable achievements, CEIBS faculty were again named on Elsevier’s list of “Highly Cited Chinese Scholars” and were included on Poets & Quants’ list of the Best 40-Under-40 Professors. CEIBS also received the top prize in their category in the EFMD case writing contest. CEIBS alumni have also continued to lead the development of their respective industries and have gained wide recognition.

In a year filled with both challenges and hopes, I would like to share with you some of my recent research and thoughts in attracting, developing, and retaining talent in global organisations. We are now in a world where profound changes are taking place in all aspects of living and working. More than a year since the start of the outbreak, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage on in parts of the world, bringing with it many uncertainties for the future. At the same time, technological advancements are accelerating rapidly, as companies bring new and innovative products and services to the market. Despite residing in the US, I have, thanks to new online communication tools, been able to hold meetings with colleagues and alumni around the world. And I believe more advanced technologies will appear and bring profound changes to people’s lives. In order to keep pace with these global trends, business leaders need to be on a new “DIET”. Let me explain below.

Digital learning

Although the pandemic has hindered face-to-face interactions, it has also served to connect people and resources digitally. Many learning opportunities, for example, have been moved online, making many valuable resources easily accessible to those who need to access them. Last year, some CEIBS courses were delivered online, and we launched a series of virtual events which attracted millions of viewers. In the future, business leaders will need to follow a hybrid learning approach. Both in-person and digital learning are going to be integral to accessing frontier knowledge. CEIBS remains committed to building a life-long digital learning platform for its alumni all over the world.

Innovative mind-set

The present era calls not only for innovative products, but also for innovative ideas and processes. Developing innovative processes requires always questioning why we are doing things a certain way and whether we can do them better. Uber, for example, does not own vehicles, but it provides ride-sharing and taxi services globally. At CEIBS, for our students to become future successful leaders, they will need to embrace creativity and innovative thinking.

Entrepreneurial spirit

Entrepreneurship does not mean just starting a new business. What sets entrepreneurs apart is their willingness to take risks and question the conventional wisdom of business. It is this spirit that business leaders should try to develop. Entrepreneurship is at the forefront in the world’s two largest economies (the US and China). As an international business school deeply rooted in China, CEIBS is dedicated to cultivating entrepreneurial spirit amongst its students and executives in order to nurture future leaders.

Team culture

Effective teamwork is critical for any business, and can spur new ideas and insights. To become an effective business leader, one should not only focus on his or her skills, but also learn how to collaborate with other team members, peers and partners. At CEIBS, we have developed a unique ‘合 (Hé) Culture’ (or ‘Co-Culture’) that encourages teamwork and collaboration within our community.

In the future, those who adapt to digital learning, develop an innovative mind-set, are driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, and are willing to work as a team, will become effective global business leaders. For companies experiencing challenges as a result of the pandemic, it is important to attract, develop, and retain such talents. CEIBS is devoted to promoting the conceptual framework of DIET to cultivate future leaders.

In the blink of an eye, we are already more than halfway through 2021. I believe that our past experiences will provide us with wisdom and enlightenment, and that a better future awaits us. I hope that you will continue to stand at the forefront of the times and serve as a force for good in the global community. CEIBS will, as always, accompany you as you prepare for the next chapter ahead. I wish you all the best and look forward to seeing you in person.

CEIBS President (European)
Prof. Dipak C. Jain

CEIBS Flashback (January to June 2021)