December 7, 2020. Shanghai – COVID-19 dominated much of the discussion around business and management-related topics this year. From the impact of the outbreak and the digital economy to street vending and the latest trends in employment, we look back at some of the most read CEIBS Knowledge articles from 2020.

The global lockdown had many focused on their emotional well-being over the past 12 months. And, while feelings such as anger, fear and frustration are frequently suppressed or discouraged, CEIBS Professor of Management Flora Chiang got us to ask, can negative emotions be channelled into positive outcomes during the COVID-19 crisis?

Although we know that individuals who tend to reveal their true selves to others at work are better performers, little is understood about why this is the case or in which workplace environments this trait might be most helpful. Diving into the topic of self-verification, CEIBS Professors Emily David, Tae-Yeol Kim and Larry Farh had us wondering if ‘be yourself’ is always the best advice.

The mass quarantine of communities around the world had a negative psychological impact on many people. Even as the situation was evolving, CEIBS Assistant Professor of Management Michelle Xue Zheng and others recruited volunteers in Wuhan for a study into how mindfulness might help buffer the impact of lockdown on sleep duration.

While the pandemic forced us to ask many important questions about how best to tackle new challenges and what they may mean for the long term, one factor which was often overlooked was that of social capital. In March, CEIBS Professor of International Business and Strategy Shameen Prashantham took a closer look at how an organisation’s ability to generate goodwill and a sense of camaraderie can help boost resilience and speed up a return to business normality in critical times.

As the coronavirus swept across the world, families, enterprises and governments were caught off guard by the outbreak, resulting in its immense impact. In April, CEIBS Professor of Economics and Finance Xu Bin explained why COVID-19 has been such a great shock to the global value chain.

As elsewhere, Chinese industries were severely disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak and both offline and online businesses were put to the test. In the first part of 2020, CEIBS Assistant Professor of Strategy Bai Guo examined what China’s handling of the pandemic means for digital economies.

As epidemic prevention and control measures limited the flow of people, many enterprises rolled out various incentives to attract and retain workers. In step with the latest trends, CEIBS Professor of Management Han Jian took some time to give us an introduction to the emerging trend of flexible employment in China.

Time has brought us into the torrents of the digital age and new technologies are transforming our activities at an astonishing speed and in ways that we could never have imagined. In July, CEIBS Professor Management Katherine Xin shared with us five digital capabilities that companies must have.

As economies reeled in the wake of the coronavirus, the world looked to new opportunities to revive business and trade. After it was championed during China’s Two Sessions meeting this year, CEIBS Professors Oliver Rui and Lin Chen considered how the country might unleash the power of the new street-stall economy to boost consumption.

Finally, as leaders from the G20 major economies showed this year, it is possible to take special measures together to tackle the coronavirus. Earlier this year, CEIBS Professor of Economics Bala Ramasamy reminded us that unity is both possible and likely the only way to beat the global pandemic.

For more business research and insights from our faculty, visit our CEIBS Knowledge page here.

December 6, 2020, Shanghai – CEIBS today hosted the opening ceremony for the Global EMBA 2020 cohort, with 90 new students officially beginning their learning journey together. CEIBS Vice President and Dean Yuan Ding, along with faculty and school leadership, attended the ceremony to give a warm welcome to the class.

In his opening address, Professor Ding commented that, “2020 has been an extraordinary year. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges and increased uncertainties in China and around the world. Despite these tough conditions, the CEIBS Global EMBA programme jumped to number two globally in the Financial Times’ EMBA ranking this year. Programme enrolments remain strong, with 90 high-calibre executives making this the largest English-language EMBA programme in China. We have also received a record high number of participants from Asia this year, which shows the recognition that CEIBS has beyond the China market.”

One third of the 2020 class are international students, coming from 21 countries and regions. The proportion of students with a master’s degree or above is 49%, including 8% with PhDs. After accumulating rich experience in managerial roles, these students are eager to further develop their leadership and strategic thinking, to prepare themselves for the challenges of globalization and to become leaders who understand the school’s unique positioning of ‘China Depth, Global Breadth’.

The incoming class displays great diversity in terms of their industry background as well. There has also been an increase in the proportion of students coming from Chinese private and state-owned enterprises. This reflects the growing demand amongst Chinese companies who are expanding outwards to further cultivate executives who have a global vision. Meanwhile, the 2020 class also sees a number of students joining with backgrounds in booming industries such as healthcare, big data, high-tech and renewable energy. Such a wide range of backgrounds will produce a thriving class dynamic where all students can be exposed to cutting-edge business perspectives and insights.

Adidas Senior Vice President Geena Tok (GEMBA 2019) gave a warm welcome to the incoming students and shared her experience in the programme thus far. She is refreshing herself consistently with new insights and undiscovered surprises in Global EMBA.

On behalf of the new students, Arcelor Mittal Chief Marketing Officer Jurgen Cobbaut and Smith & Nephew National Sales Director Cecilia Shen talked about their motivations for their forthcoming journey at CEIBS and the curiosity and expectations they have for the next two years together. “We’re looking forward to a journey full of surprises and fresh insights discovered together with these excellent travel companions as a strong team. The learning experience will bring us friendships, reshape us and provide us with more confidence to face the constantly changing future,” They said.

Jurgen also talked about the daily challenges and surprises of his China experience. He said he believes that, “All our classmates will be stronger and lead successfully in the future and be able to contribute in a positive way to our society.”

The end of the opening ceremony marks the beginning of the students’ 20-month Global EMBA journey. We wish them a positive and successful journey of discovery and learning.

December 4, 2020. Shanghai – The CEIBS Insights 2020 Europe Forums wrapped up today, with more than 3,000 participants streaming the series online. The events explored opportunities for Sino-European cooperation in areas such as innovation, mobility, finance and investment, as well as ways to accelerate the post-COVID-19 global economic turnaround. For the first time in its history, this year’s forums were hosted online, with virtual stops in Switzerland, Germany, the UK and France.

Speaking during the event, CEIBS President Wang Hong emphasised the fact that, as the only business school co-established by the Chinese government and the EU, CEIBS bears a strong responsibility to promote economic and cultural exchange around the world.

“COVID-19 has presented severe challenges to social and economic development all around the world and has led to profound repercussions in the arena of international exchange and cooperation,” President Wang said. “In the midst of the post-pandemic global economic situation, there is a pressing need to enhance international exchange and promote global economic recovery. For CEIBS, this year’s forums are particularly imbued with a sense of mission and responsibility.”

President Wang’s message was echoed by CEIBS President (European) Dipak Jain, who, during his welcome speech to open the France leg of the series, noted the pivotal timing of the events and the importance of the school’s mission to educate responsible leaders who can make contributions of lasting significance for years to come.

“The challenges we have faced this year have taught us that change is inevitable, worrying is optional and timely action is essential. As we near the end of 2020, there is a pressing need to revive the global economy,” President Jain stated. “At CEIBS, we have […] continued to maintain a strong international outlook and have served as an important bridge for cultural and economic exchange between China, Europe and the world.”

Switzerland forum explores impact of digital transformation and global ‘black swan’ event on new business models

On November 26, CEIBS Zurich Campus CEO Dr. Robert Straw hosted the first event of the series, which took an in-depth look at Sino-Swiss Innovative Cooperation.

Former Swiss Ambassador to China and Swiss Centers Foundation President Jean-Jacques DE DARDEL first spoke about Sino-Swiss business relations in the context of the post-COVID-19 world. In particular, he said that, despite the global economic slowdown, he believes Sino-Swiss relations stand to improve and can serve as a positive example for broader Sino-European cooperation.

CEIBS Associated Professor of Strategy Chen Weiru then delivered a keynote speech, in which he shared some recent cases of digitalization in China. In responding to the trend towards digitalization, Prof. Chen said that traditional businesses need to question whether they are future-oriented, whether their business model is sustainable, whether their capacity has been optimized, whether they have utilized new technologies and whether or not they are mission-driven.

Next, Nestlé Asia-Oceania-Africa Vice President Mr. Bernie STEFAN said that, beyond the sheer size of the market, companies such as Nestlé can benefit from the level of both competition and innovation in China. He added further that innovation and sustainability are no longer two separate things and, moreover, that both are required in order to succeed in the Chinese market.

The speeches were followed by a panel discussion with the speakers moderated by Sinolytics Director Markus Herrmann Chen.

Germany stop looks at factors shaping the future of the global automotive sector

On November 27, Dr. Straw hosted the second leg of the forum series under the banner of Paradigm Shift: The Future of the Global Mobility Industry.

In his keynote speech, CEIBS Professor of Entrepreneurial Management Practice Gong Yan stated that the automotive sector is undergoing a shift from being an industry driven by scale to one which is driven by scale and connectivity. At the same time, he said, the future of the industry will be defined by the business and strategic game between traditional automakers and new car manufacturers.

Prof. Gong was followed by Horváth & Partners Senior Advisor and Former AUDI China President Dr. Dietmar Voggenreiter, who discussed some of the changes being experienced by the automotive industry. In particular, he said that three main drivers – COVID-19, global warming and autonomous driving – will have the greatest impact on supply chains and technological improvements in the next 10-15 years.

The event wrapped up with a panel discussion with Prof. Gong and Dr. Voggenreiter moderated by Aspen Institute Central Europe Founder and President Ivan Hodac.

China-France Investment Dialogue highlights the importance of cooperation in rebooting international business

On December 3, President Jain and CCI Paris Île-de-France President Didier Kling welcomed a distinguished group of speakers for a special look at the Joint China-France Effort to Drive Global Economic Recovery.

CEIBS Distinguished Professor, Paris Peace Forum President and Former WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy delivered a keynote speech, in which he noted that Europe’s post-pandemic recovery could benefit from the effects of China’s economic development and stressed the importance of equal dialogue in continuing to build good cooperative relations between the two sides.

CEIBS Vice President and Dean Ding Yuan then discussed economic exchange between China and France, stating that he believes the post-pandemic situation will provide more opportunities for Sino-French cooperation. In particular, he predicted that France will enjoy more opportunities in cosmetics, medical supplies, agricultural products and other fields, while China will enjoy more opportunities for trade and investment in the process of transforming into a service economy, as well as in the fields of pensions, healthcare and finance.

Finally, Paris Ile-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vice President Alain Eygreteau led a panel discussion with Prof. Lamy and Prof. Ding, together with French Embassy in China Regional Agricultural Counsellor François Blanc and FreshFresh Co-founder and Chairman and CEIBS alum Shen Bin.

UK event spotlights opportunities in the finance sector amidst the “new normal”

The CEIBS Insights 2020 series came to a close on December 4 with a series of talks and a panel discussion on the theme of Sino-UK Finance Cooperation: Seeking Opportunities in Crisis.

During his keynote speech, CEIBS Professor of Finance and Director of the CEIBS Lujiazui Institute of International Finance Jiang Jianqing said that three kinds of uncertainties – changes in the international environment, the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and the advent of new technologies – will come to dominate the financial sector in the coming years. Nevertheless, he added he predicts a shift towards environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) investment and huge development potential for the future of the industry.

Standard Life Aberdeen Chairman Sir Douglas Flint then reflected on the challenges facing the asset management industry and opportunities for Sino-UK financial cooperation. As well, he noted that the pandemic has served as a wake-up call to the industry and that the financial sector has a huge opportunity to support the recovery from COVID-19 and contribute to the building of a better future.

Lastly, Yicai Research Institute Managing Director Yang Yanqing then moderated a panel discussion with the speakers.

An important platform for exchange and cooperation

Since its beginning in 2012, the CEIBS Insights Europe Forums have brought together leaders from industry, government and academia to debate and discuss important topics facing Chinese and international business. Looking ahead, CEIBS will continue to focus on its mission to educate responsible leaders and serve as an important platform for exchange and cooperation.