May 17, 2019. Zurich – A comparison of Switzerland’s long history of innovation and China’s emerging global recognition as a major player in innovative processes and products provided the framework for spirited discussions during today’s Zurich leg of CEIBS Insights 5^th Europe Forum 2019. The event, which also explored ways in which both countries can work together, was co-organised by China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and Credit Suisse. It brought together thought leaders, innovators, and business minds from Europe and China to look at China’s evolution from copycat culture to leading innovator as well as how Switzerland has developed its own unique ecosystem for innovation. During the event, speakers and panellists explored a range of real life examples from areas such as AI, drones, automotive, hospitality and healthcare, and offered ways in which China and Europe can collaborate to develop new high tech fields, innovations, and business models. The venue was the CS Forum Üetlihof in Zurich. The forum’s theme was The Evolution of Innovation: A Comparison Between Switzerland and China.

H.E. Qinghua Zhao, Consul General for the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Zurich and the Principality of Lichtenstein was among the speakers at the event, delivering an opening address in which he drew attention to the opportunity presented by the forum to get to know each other better and exchange ideas. There were also welcome addresses by Credit Suisse Managing Director Nannette Hechler and CEIBS Vice President and Dean Yuan Ding.

China: The Emerging Global Innovator was the topic explored by Created in China author and Prof. Emeritus for Technology and Innovations Management at IMD Georges Haour. He took a look at some important indicators signalling China’s status as a growing innovator. In particular, he highlighted China’s focus on R&D investments, the implementation of government policy, incentives driving patent applications, and fierce competition as playing important roles in the country’s achievements. He also said that, in elevating certain innovation hotspots – including Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou – China has demonstrated an impressive level of speed and agility, a relentless customer-orientated approach, as well as a keenness to acquire knowledge and skill from which many others may learn.

“Patents are an important innovation indicator but the quality of the patent is more important than the quantity of patents,” Prof. Haour stressed. He added that competition is driven by the fact that “[many] managers of companies operating in China say that their Chinese competitors are now better than” they are.

Next, MOVU Co-founder and Chairman and Digital Switzerland Director Nicolas Bürer gave a presentation on how innovation has helped Switzerland become one of the most important economies in the world. In particular, he emphasised the fact that the amount of available brain power in Switzerland has allowed the country to become a leader in areas such as blockchain technology and improving energy consumption.

CEIBS Associate Professor of Strategy Yu Zhang then presented the view from China with a speech on China Market 2025 – Outlook on Innovation. In outlining some of the forces behind China’s “Made in China 2025” initiative, he pointed out how the country’s high concentration of manufacturers and suppliers has helped boost domestic productivity and accelerate innovation in the country. While noting that more and more patents are being registered in China, Prof. Zhang echoed Prof. Haour’s earlier statements about the importance of quality over quantity, adding that innovation is key to China’s development on a path to high-quality and sustainable development. He expects the advancement of innovation in China to continue, helped by a number of key factors, including improved IP protection, better access to customers, and better educated talent – the latter, a trend which has been reflected in China’s climb up the university and research institute rankings over the past decade.

Creaholic Partner Naomi Bitmead then conducted a short session on Innovation Ecosystems in Switzerland and what makes them tick, in which she stated that innovation is not possible in isolation, but instead requires the right combination of factors to develop. In particular, she explained that, on one hand, innovation necessitates the right balance of technology, customer desirability, and business viability. On the other hand, she argued that innovation also requires the right processes and right environment, as well as great teams made up of both specialists and generalists. Ultimately, however, Bitmead pointed, it takes both bravery and the desire to break through to achieve success.

The event continued with a series of case studies about various Chinese and Swiss success stories, including a talk by Adoodoo CEO Pu Zhou, who offered insights into how the company has drawn on China’s traditional gift-giving culture to market edible gifts – which are fashionable with young people – that can be used to mark happy occasions such as weddings, births, or moving into a new home. He also explained how Adoodoo’s focus on digitalisation and plans to integrate online and offline marketing channels has helped the company succeed in “transforming customer needs very quickly into products,” reducing both delivery time and the need to maintain stock, while offering a customised product which is made-to-order.

yamo AG Co-Founder & COO José Amado-Blanco also presented a brief case study examining how its highly-competitive R&D department has helped the company become Europe’s first (and largest) vertically integrated kids food brand. In addition, he explained how both digital technology and high pressure processing (HPP) have allowed yamo to overcome some of the biggest challenges in producing and delivering fresh, organic food products to customers. He also told the audience that a major factor in yamo’s success has been the availability of highly-educated talent in Switzerland.

Other speakers at the CEIBS Insights Zurich Forum included Piëch Automotive CEO Toni Piëch, Geniuswork CEO Mr. Peter Fisk, and Yuneec Technology Director Glen Stark. Each round of speeches was concluded with a panel discussion, in which participants discussed more opportunities for China and Europe to continue innovating together. The forum was moderated by Sabine Zhang Consulting founder and CEIBS MBA 1999 alumna Sabine Zhang.

The Zurich Forum is the second of five major ones being organised around the world by CEIBS as part of the school’s 25^th anniversary celebration. The first was in Boston on May 15. The next two will be in Munich on July 1 and Brussels on July 12. These are just some of the activities planned to mark the CEIBS 25th Anniversary Celebration in Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America, before culminating in a closing ceremony at CEIBS’ flagship Shanghai campus in November. The activities will span 11 cities across four continents. In Zurich, CEIBS will also celebrate by inaugurating the extension of the CEIBS Zurich Campus in Horgen on October 7. The theme of the eight-month-long celebration is China Essence, Global Significance. For more details about CEIBS 25^th Anniversary Celebration visit http://www.ceibs.edu/special/25/en/index.html

About CEIBS

China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) is among the top international business schools in Asia, where it is the only one to have simultaneously made it to the Financial Times’ top 5 list of global MBA and EMBA programmes.

CEIBS has more than 22,000 alumni from over 80 countries worldwide, and over the last 25 years has provided a broad range of management programmes to more than 160,000 executives both at home and abroad. It also offers a Finance MBA, Hospitality EMBA and a wide range of Executive Education programmes. With a faculty team that has extensive China knowledge and global insight, CEIBS is uniquely equipped to nurture business leaders, at every stage of their careers, preparing them to make a global impact. An unrivalled China expert, CEIBS is guided by the concept of China Depth, Global Breadth. This is tangibly reflected in the school’s activities and operations at its 5 campuses across 3 continents. CEIBS has campuses in Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen in China, as well as Zurich in Switzerland, and Accra in Ghana.

About Credit Suisse

Credit Suisse is a leading global financial services company, offering clients financial advice in all aspects of investment banking, private banking and asset management.

Founded in 1856, Credit Suisse today has a global reach with operations in about 50 countries and 46,840 employees from over 170 different nations. A broad footprint helps Credit Suisse to generate a geographically balanced stream of revenues and net new assets and allow it to capture growth opportunities around the world. Credit Suisse serves its clients through three regionally focused divisions: Swiss Universal Bank, International Wealth Management and Asia Pacific. These regional businesses are supported by two other divisions specialising in investment banking capabilities: Global Markets and Investment Banking & Capital Markets.

May 15, 2019. Boston, USA — As the entire world keeps a watchful eye on the on-going US-China trade dispute, about 80 high-level Chinese business executives and entrepreneurs joined scholars from the US and China in Boston on May 15 for a discussion on how both sides can work together to break new ground in today’s digital economy. Undeterred by the trade friction that has dragged on for more than a year, they gathered for a half-day event co-hosted by China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and Z-Park Innovation Center.

“The enthusiasm and openness with which participants shared their views during today’s event is an indicator of how important it is for us to keep engaging with each other. There is still a very strong interest in doing business with, and in, each other’s markets. This is why we were able to bring with us a team of high-level Chinese business executives who are eager to engage with the local business community in Boston,” CEIBS Assistant President Dr. Snow Zhou said on the sidelines of the forum. “We hosted today’s event to provide a platform for knowledge exchange on both sides, which we hope will be useful as we move forward.”

In addition to the forum, which included opportunities to network and explore potential opportunities for future collaboration, the Chinese business executives and entrepreneurs — all CEIBS alumni and/or students — will also benefit from visits to local companies. Over the next few days they will be hosted by their peers from a range of industries, including some related to the forum’s theme. “The digital economy is becoming increasingly important and it is imperative that we — as business executives — find a way to work together for mutual benefit,” said Allen Tang, an executive at JD Finance, the finance unit of China's second biggest e-commerce player JD.com Inc. “The US market is an important one for us and I am pleased to be a part of the activities CEIBS has planned in Boston.”

This foray into Boston is also a signal of the importance with which CEIBS itself views the US market, which is a vital part of the school’s internationalization strategy. This is the third time CEIBS is hosting a forum in the US, but this event has the added significance of being a part of the school’s 25^th Anniversary Celebration.

The forum included welcome addresses by CEIBS President (European) Professor Dipak Jain and CEO of ZGC Boston Innovation Management LLC, Mr. Ming Qiao. There were also keynote speeches by MIT Professor of Physics Max Tegmark and Northwestern University’s Director of CS Plus X Initiative, Prof. Kristian J. Hammond. An impressive list of names from the US and China participated in two panel discussions throughout the day that respectively looked at the topics of ‘Creating a New Space in the e-Commerce Market’ and ‘Reshaping the Future of Finance Through Innovation’.

In welcoming the audience of about 200, Prof. Jain spoke about the evolution of global business, and how management education has changed as a result. “The new ‘diet’ of the global economy consists of digital, innovation, entrepreneurship and technology,” he said. He also shared how CEIBS is evolving as well. Building on its growing reputation as Asia’s leading business school, CEIBS has now turned its attention to enhancing its international visibility, building a strong brand presence in the US, and strengthening its European and African initiatives. All of this is being done while retaining CEIBS’ competitive advantage, its focus on China knowledge. The Boston forum accomplishes two out of three of those goals.

In his welcome speech, Mr. Qiao told the audience that it was an honour for Z-Park Innovation Center — the Zhongguangcun Development Group’s second largest innovation centre outside of China — to co-host the forum with CEIBS. “We are committed to building a bridge for innovation and exchange between China and the US. We hope that, through this event, we can enhance communication and provide better resources for entrepreneurs from both countries,” he added.

In the day’s first keynote speech, Prof. Tegmark shared his views on the timely topic of “Getting empowered, not overpowered by artificial intelligence”. There is an opportunity, he said, for us all to take a collective journey into the future with artificial intelligence (AI), an area that has already seen significant growth and progress that has changed our lives and will be the source of many more life-altering changes ahead. The question, he told the audience, was how far we would go on this journey. Will we ever have machines that can match human intelligence at all tasks? “This is the definition of Artificial General Intelligence, AGI, which has been the holy grail of AI research since it’s inception,” he explained. If AGI were achieved he noted, AI (not humans) would drive further AI development. “This would mean that future AI improvement could be much faster than the typical human R&D cycle of years, and raises the controversial possibility of an intelligence explosion, where recursively self-improving AI rapidly leaves human intelligence far behind, creating what’s known as superintelligence,” he said. He told the audience that while there are conflicting views on how close we are to this scenario, most researchers think it will be “within decades”. Humans need to be ambitious enough to envision and steer towards “a truly inspiring high-tech future” instead of complacently building machines without any thought to the consequences of making humans obsolete. This, he said, will require a change in the old strategy of learning from mistakes to one where we get it right the first time.

The entire world, said Prof. Tegmark has the responsibility for this mammoth task, with all of humanity sharing equally in the benefits and risks of having our lives changed by AI. “No country can address such unconventional and large-scale challenges alone,” he said. China, he added, is uniquely positioned to take a leading role in steering AI because the country is a “world-leading science and technology power and can therefore help lead research not only on how to make AI powerful, but also on how to make it robust and trustworthy”. He also pointed to China’s growing international influence, “together with its ability to inspire, and power to shape the global AI agenda”. He added, “China has both one of the oldest surviving civilizations and a successful tradition of long-term planning. It can therefore play a leading role in developing global AI governance.” He also spoke of global efforts and initiatives under way to ban or avoid an arms race in lethal autonomous weapons by using science to find new ways to help rather than harm; to use AI to figure out a way to make everyone better off from AI-generated wealth; and invest in AI safety research. These three parts make up the roadmap on how to win what he calls the “wisdom race” in order to create a high-tech future. And a large part of this involves building AI that empowers — not overpowers — us. 

The day’s first panel discussion then focused on issues such as what would likely be the next big thing for US tech giants and Chinese e-commerce companies’ next foray. Panellists included Mr. Aravind Cherukuri, Vice President of Ocean Spray International Inc; Mr. James Lin, CEO of UNIS; Mr. Jie Tang, General Manager of Suning.com USA; Mr. Rob Weisberg, CEO of Invaluable; and Mr. Anders Zhang, Co-founder & CEO of Starluxe.

The stage was set by Xiande Zhao, CEIBS Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management, who is also JD.COM Chair in Operations and Supply Chain Management, and Director of CEIBS-GLP Centre of Innovations in Supply Chains and Services. His presentation looked at trends, opportunities and challenges within China’s e-commerce and new retail landscapes. Drawing on his extensive expertise and the latest data, Prof. Zhao pointed out that the percentage of e-commerce in total retail sales in China is increasing faster than in the U.S. with the gap between the two countries widening between 2013, when it was 8.1% in China, and 2017 when it was 23.6%. Meanwhile, China’s cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) is growing even faster.  “The demand for buying foreign goods has increased at a 34% CAGR in the past five years, and will increase 4 times by 2022,” he said, adding “the percentage of CBEC in e-commerce will double by 2022.” He also provided insights into how Chinese consumers’ preferences have changed and the new challenges that have emerged for the supply chain as a result. Chinese consumers, said Prof. Zhao, are now focused on quality and the experience a product can provide, they have a growing demand for customised/personalised products, are prepared to spend more for convenience and efficiency and willing to buy products that contribute to health and wellness. Supply chains will therefore need to be able to sense customer demand, and let it drive the entire chain. They will need to be digital, providing end-to-end data integration with digital technology, and optimize supply chain decisions based on big data. They will also need to be agile, with enough flexibility at various stages of the process to respond quickly and accurately to customer demands.

During the discussion that followed, Prof. Zhao and panellists explored the major challenges and opportunities of doing e-commerce in their respective industries, how they use digital technology and big data to support their businesses, the role of supply chain integration and innovation, as well as how they use big data to analyse consumer behaviour and design, produce and deliver products and services to improve consumer experiences and create more value for them.

In the day’s second keynote speech, Northwestern University’s Prof. Kristian J. Hammond shared his views on Leading the New Future of Digital Economy.  Sharing his long-standing fascination with “the promise of machine intelligence”, he spoke of the importance of studying intelligence and the even greater pleasure he gets from building intelligence. Humans are smart because of their ability to learn from the past, Prof. Hammond noted, then using that information to shape the present and predict the future. “This link to learning holds for machine intelligence as well. Nearly all of the work in AI we see today is based on successes in machine learning,” he said. The advances we have made have opened up a mountain of opportunities, he noted, and the key to leveraging these is starting with a task. “Once you have the task, you have to understand it and link it to the data that drives it,” he said. He told the audience that new AI technologies are driven by data and analytics, with machine learning at the forefront of most of them. He stressed, though, that problems are not solved with machine learning but with the knowledge and rules that it brings. “With intelligence, the machine becomes our partner,” he said.

This was followed by the second panel discussion, which looked at fintech from the perspective of how US firms have — or have not — breathed new life into traditional financial products, how their Chinese counterparts have tried to use technology to reshape the financial industry and what the future holds for the sector in both countries. Panellists included Mr. David Fragale, Chief Operating Officer of Arwen; Mr. Eo Hao, Founder of Future Money; Mr. Jack Klinck, Managing Partner for Hyperplane Venture Capital and Mr. Leo Zhao, Co-founder & Chairman of Mintech. Their discussion was moderated by Prof. Yan Gong, Programme Director of CEIBS Entrepreneurial Leadership Camp who is also Programme Co-Director of CEIBS Venture Capital Camp, and Professor of Entrepreneurial Management Practice. Unlike the earlier sessions and speakers, this final part of the event focused largely on blockchain and other digital currency. The discussion revolved around issues including how to evaluate crypto-currencies’ impact on the society from a broader historical perspective; predictions on which players may grow to become the future Amazon, Microsoft, or China’s BAT in the field of blockchain; and how the strengths of traditional financial talent can be leveraged to benefit the fintech industry.  

The forum ended with a closing address by CEIBS Vice President and Co-Dean Prof. Weijiong Zhang who gave a brief recap of event highlights and then thanked all those who made the event possible, especially Z-Park Innovation Center, led by Ming Qiao. He also thanked the CEIBS alumni and students, including many who flew in from China to attend the forum as well as those based in the US. He also made the point that the US Forum is the first of five major events being organised around the world by CEIBS as part of the school’s 25^th anniversary celebration. It comes two days before a forum in Zurich where thought leaders from Europe and China will share their views on the evolution of innovation in both regions. The next two forums will be in Munich on July 1 and Brussels on July 12. These are just some of the activities planned to mark the CEIBS 25^th Anniversary Celebration in Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America, before culminating in a closing ceremony at CEIBS’ flagship Shanghai campus in November. The activities will span 11 cities across four continents. The theme of the eight-month-long celebration is China Essence, Global Significance. For more details about CEIBS 25^th Anniversary Celebration visit http://www.ceibs.edu/special/25/en/index.html 

About CEIBS

China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) is among the top international business schools in Asia, where it is the only one to have simultaneously made it to the Financial Times’ top 5 list of global MBA and EMBA programmes.

CEIBS has more than 22,000 alumni from over 80 countries worldwide, and over the last 25 years has provided a broad range of management programmes to more than 160,000 executives both at home and abroad. It also offers a Finance MBA, Hospitality EMBA and a wide range of Executive Education programmes. With a faculty team that has extensive China knowledge and global insight, CEIBS is uniquely equipped to nurture business leaders, at every stage of their careers, preparing them to make a global impact. An unrivalled China expert, CEIBS is guided by the concept of China Depth, Global Breadth. This is tangibly reflected in the school’s activities and operations at its 5 campuses across 3 continents. CEIBS has campuses in Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen in China, as well as Zurich in Switzerland, and Accra in Ghana.

About Z-Park Innovation Center

Z-Park is a professional platform dedicated to providing global acceleration services to local innovation and entrepreneurial communities while providing clients with integrated solutions for cross-border development.

Z-Park has established two innovation centers in North America, one in Silicon Valley, CA, and the other in Cambridge, MA. These large comprehensive innovation centers are hubs for technology and business exchanges for enterprises, investors, and entrepreneurs.

Aiming to bridge top-tiered resources in the US and China, Z-Park provides dedicated workspace, acceleration, and consulting services to help local companies in the US to engage the Chinese market, as well as help Chinese companies to expand their overseas business in compliance with local laws and regulations.

May 10, 2019. Shanghai – In line with the school’s continued efforts to enhance ties between China and Europe, CEIBS this afternoon welcomed to our Shanghai Campus Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to China Nicolas Chapuis for a special Master Class on the topic of Bringing Europe-China Relationship to a New Level: What are the New Opportunities for EU Businesses in China and Chinese Investments in Europe? The event is part of the on-going CEIBS 25^th Anniversary Celebration spanning 5 campuses on 3 continents.

As CEIBS Vice President and Dean Professor Ding Yuan noted in introducing the Ambassador, Mr. Chapuis is a “long-standing supporter and old friend of CEIBS”. Mr. Chapuis is also a highly-respected sinologist, and a noted lover of Chinese history and culture. His Master Class, exclusively for members of the CEIBS community, attracted more than 60 students, alumni, faculty, and staff, led by CEIBS President Professor Li Mingjun. The ambassador’s speech was followed by a Q&A session moderated by Professor Ding.

Co-founded as a joint venture between China and the European Union, CEIBS serves as an important bridge for China-EU collaboration. “In the 25 years since its launch, CEIBS has solidified its reputation as a leading international school,” Mr. Chapuis noted in his prepared text, adding that the success of the school “is our common achievement of which I am very proud.” Responding to a question during the Q&A, he told the audience that, “CEIBS is a unique school in a unique city in a globalised world,” an institution that has emerged in just a quarter-of-a-century as “a treasure” with great promise. He also spoke of the role the school, its students and alumni, can play in fostering EU-China ties in the years ahead.

For details on other upcoming CEIBS Master Class sessions, visit our events page here. For further news and events related to the CEIBS 25^th Anniversary Celebration – including the CEIBS Insights 2019 US and Europe Forum series – visit our special CEIBS25 page here.

April 25, 2019. Nanjing – Amidst a changing landscape of global trade, China’s economy has come under mounting downward pressure and is in urgent need of transforming its extensive growth model. Standing at such a critical juncture, how can domestic companies successfully transition their businesses by leveraging digital technologies such as big data and cloud computing? How can they scale new heights in the digital economy by seizing the golden opportunities arising from the development of sectors such as AI and IoT? The CEIBS Innovation Forum 2019 was held in Nanjing today, bringing together over 400 local entrepreneurs and executives. At the forum, Dr. Fang Er, CEIBS Professor of Marketing and Co-Director of CEIBS Center on Digital Economy and Smart Enterprises, exchanged ideas with local guests on how to break growth bottlenecks facing enterprises in the backdrop of business intelligence.

Dr. Snow Zhou, CEIBS Assistant President, and Mr. Wang Zhengrong, Executive Vice President of CEIBS Alumni Association Nanjing Chapter (CEIBS EMBA 2003), delivered welcome speeches. Dr. Zhou noted in his speech that China has now entered a crucial period of economic restructuring and upgrade as the country gears up for high-quality growth. This, he added, has coincided with the rise of emerging technologies – such as AI and blockchain – which are reshaping the global economic landscape and providing companies with new impetus for innovation and development. He also encouraged participants to seek ways to work together to facilitate technological innovation among companies and further the development of the digital economy. Mr. Wang further lauded the CEIBS Innovation Forum in Nanjing as a valuable opportunity for exchange and mutual learning for local entrepreneurs and a source of intellectual support for the growth of local businesses.

What has (and hasn’t) changed in the context of the digital economy and business intelligence

CEIBS Professor of Marketing Fang Er reviewed what had changed and remained unchanged in the market over the past decade and looked ahead to business development in the next five years in his keynote speech entitled, What Has (and Hasn’t) Changed in the Context of the Digital Economy and Business Intelligence.

Prof. Fang said he believes what has stayed unchanged is the prevailing business philosophy of “striving for mutual benefit and a win-win outcome” and the principle of “customer first.” Customers, however, have changed in two major ways – specifically, they are now increasingly influenced by peer circles and are faster at decision-making. These changes have necessitated a change in corporate management logic. Companies must now reshape their management systems based on customer values and restructure their brands, products, channels, and advertising by going digital. In view of the status quo, Prof. Fang offered two suggestions to help companies with their business planning in the next five years. First, he suggested a data-driven transition in terms of service and customisation. He further reassured entrepreneurs that companies would eventually benefit from a service-oriented transition despite declining profits in the short run. Nevertheless, he said companies also need to figure out how to properly identify market demands, apply data-driven approaches to planning and carry out strategic collaboration in the process of building a customisation-oriented business. Second, he recommended building an agile organisation – something he said is necessary to building efficient task forces to serve different groups of customers as the market becomes increasingly segmented and companies expand into more diversified fields.

Making breakthroughs and shaping new business thinking against the backdrop of business intelligence

Dr. Jing Wei, Executive Vice President of Suning Technology Group, shared his insights during the Forum on the retail industry and offered suggestions about digital transformation by drawing on business practices. He illustrated that the retail trade has generated nearly 500 new concepts in the past two decades, each of which has brought about a new set of operational models, management approaches, and technological platforms. However, he said that the ultimate goal remains to provide the most suitable products, best services, and best content for different customers in different scenarios no matter how the industry changes.

During a roundtable discussion moderated by Prof. Fang, CEO of Phoenix Contact (China) Holding Co., Ltd. Gu Jiandang (CEIBS EMBA 2006), CEO and Executive Director of Nanjing Xinli Culture Communication Co., Ltd. Liang Chao (CEIBS EMBA 2012); CEO of Shenzhen Sinovatio Technology Co., Ltd. Lin Dongsheng (CEIBS EMBA 2012); and Senior VP of Chervon Holdings Limited Zhang Tong (CEIBS EMBA 2010), exchanged ideas on the topic of Making Breakthroughs and Shaping New Business Thinking Against the Backdrop of Business Intelligence.

This event was organised by CEIBS and sponsored by the CEIBS Alumni Association Nanjing Chapter, the Nanjing Chamber for Import and Export Companies, and the Nanjing Branch of International Association of Business Excellence, with intellectual support from the CEIBS Center on Digital Economy and Smart Enterprises. Following the Nanjing Forum, CEIBS Innovation Forums will be held in Zhengzhou, Kunming, Qingdao, and Guangzhou. CEIBS professors and renowned local entrepreneurs will be invited to each event to discuss new business thinking in the internet era.

April 25, 2019. Shanghai – CEIBS eLab Director and Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship Dr. Vincent Chang and CEIBS case writer Zhu Qiong have received the top prize in the Sustainable Business Model category in the 2018 EFMD Case Writing Competition for their case series on Hema: Alibaba's New Retail Platform (A) & (B). Organised with the support of The Case Centre, the EFMD Case Writing Competition has been held annually since 1988 and encourages innovative and impactful case writing and teaching. The winners of the 2018 competition were selected by an international judging panel from among roughly 400 submissions.

Prof. Chang and Zhu Qiong’s winning case outlines the formation and evolution of Chinese retailer Hema’s integrated online/offline strategy with a focus on the data and technology drivers behind the platform’s business model. The case also examines some of the defects that appeared during the evolution of this business model and how they might be addressed.

Prof. Chang and Zhu Qiong say they hope their work can help students better understand the building blocks of the Business Model Canvas – first proposed by Alexander Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur, et al. as a way to assist companies in aligning their activities by illustrating potential trade-offs – as well as how data and technology can drive business model innovation. They also state that they hope to inspire students to think about how to develop innovative business models from a strategic perspective and to scrutinize whether or not businesses should follow the traditional lean-startup pathway of first going from “0 to 1” and then from “1 to n.”

Prof. Chang has more than 10 years of entrepreneurial experience and more than 30 years of experience in teaching entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology. As Director of the CEIBS eLab he leads a mission to create a real-world entrepreneurship education which requires participants to engage in the complexities associated with entrepreneurial ventures. For more about his research and teaching interests, visit his CEIBS faculty profile here.

Zhu Qiong has been a case writer at the CEIBS Case Center since 2014. She has co-authored more than 50 cases on a range of topics such as strategy, marketing, finance, organisation, and human resource management.

The final results of the 2018 EFMD Case Writing Competition were announced on April 23, 2019. The win marks the second prize Prof. Chang and Zhu Qiong have claimed recently, following their Best Case Award in the 2018 Global Contest for the Best China-Focused Cases for their work on Freshippo – A New Species in Chinese Retail (A/B): Business Model Evolution/Data-Driven Core Competencies. Details about that award here.

February 25, 2019. Shanghai —A formal donation ceremony for the CEIBS Center for Family Heritage was held at CEIBS Shanghai Campus today. As a gesture of thanks to the school, Chongqing DUCAR Chairman Mr. Zhou Xinyan (EMBA 2015) and Shanghai Yixing Management Consulting Co., Ltd. founder and CEO Mr. Jin Guangxue (EMBA 2011), along with 16 other members of CEIBS Family Business Second Generation Private Board, donated 5.65 million RMB to the CEIBS Center for Family Heritage to help facilitate the transition of Chinese family businesses during critical periods of innovation and transformation.

CEIBS President, Chairman of Education Development Foundation, and Professor of Management at Li Mingjun; Wu Jinglian Chair in Economics, Associate Dean (Research), and Professor of Economics and Finance Xu Bin; CEIBS Center for Family Heritage Co-director, Michelin Leadership Co-director, and Professor of Human Resource Management Li Xiujuan; Deans Office Director Ms. Xu Huijuan; Director of Alumni Relations Ms. Fu Danyang; and other alumni and staff representatives participated in the donation ceremony.

On behalf of CEIBS faculty, Professor Xu Bin opened the ceremony by thanking the alumni members for supporting the school’s teaching and research. During his speech, he stated that, in addition to possessing first-class talent and facilities, spiritual inheritance is of great valuable to CEIBS. As a young business school established only 25 years ago, CEIBS has received strong support from many alumni at both spiritual and material levels. He also said that he hopes the love shown by CEIBS alumni would serve as an example for future generations.

Professor Li Mingjun accepted the donation on behalf of the CEIBS Education Development Foundation and presented a donation certificate to alumni Zhou Xinyan, Jin Guangxue, Lin Jiaxu, and Zhu Naifeng. Zhou donated 3 million RMB in the name of the Hengfang Special Support Plan, while Jin donated 1.5 million RMB on behalf of Shanghai Yixing Management Consulting. Lin, Zhu, and the other members of the CEIBS Family Business Second Generation Private Board also launched a second-generation development fund, to which they donated 1.15 million RMB.

In speaking at the ceremony, Zhou Xinyan said that the decision to enrol at CEIBS was the most important decision in his life. He stated further that the rapid growth DUCAR has achieved in the past five years is inseparable from the knowledge he has received from CEIBS professors and the exchanges he has had with other CEIBS students. He also called on all alumni to keep in mind the teachings they have received at CEIBS and to contribute in their own way to social development.

Jin Guangxue said that his experience at CEIBS has allowed him to realise the transformation of his life. In addition to imparting business knowledge, he said, CEIBS professors have also supplied him with guidance in many other ways. Enthusiasm for activities such as the annual Gobi Desert Challenge have helped him reshape himself and helped pave the road to entrepreneurship. Finally, he said that he hopes his company’s donation can help express his intentions at CEIBS.

On behalf of the CEIBS Family Business Second Generation Private Board, Zhu Naifeng pointed out that, since the beginning of China's reform and opening up, many private enterprises have faced critical moments related to family succession. As opposed to other kinds of enterprises, he said, the primary challenge facing family businesses is how to deal with the subtle relationship between “love, reason, and law.” The Second Generation Private Board will bring together CEIBS family businesses to help them solve common problems. Finally, he said that the 16 students who together launched the second-generation development fund for the establishment of a CEIBS family business have done so as a thank you to their teachers and called on more alumni to join the initiative. 
Professor Li Xiujuan explained that intergenerational inheritance can have a big impact on Chinese family businesses and that CEIBS has the ability to have a far-reaching impact in this field. She pointed out that, in pursuing any career or dream, we cannot do so without the power of love. Furthermore, she expressed CEIBS’ sincere thanks to the alumni for their love and support for the Center for Family Heritage.

Six years ago, CEIBS Center for Family Heritage was established to help Chinese family businesses to carry out intergenerational succession in the process of transformation and innovation. Professor Li Xiujuan served as co-director. Since its establishment, the centre has held six family inheritance forums, and its influence increases daily. In addition, more family businesses have gained understanding, warmth, and help with the process of communication from the CEIBS Family Business Second Generation Private Board.

Finally, Professor Li Mingjun expressed his gratitude to the alumni on behalf of the CEIBS. He mentioned that, as a young business school, the vitality of CEIBS lies in continuous innovation, and that the speed and quality of knowledge innovation are key to its success in today's competitive business school environment. CEIBS Center for Family Heritage started early and both the depth and breadth of research are at the forefront of the field. The role of family businesses in the Chinese economy is increasingly prominent. The research conducted by the CEIBS Center for Family Heritage in this field will point the way for more family businesses to complete successful handovers in a fast-changing era. President Li also recalled that, since joining CEIBS in 2015, he has been deeply touched by alumni members’ friendship and love for the school. CEIBS is a special platform that brings together a lot of wisdom and resources, and one which constantly promotes the progress of the school and its alumni. At the same time, he said, everyone's trust and love serves as an inexhaustible driving force in continuing its development. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of CEIBS. With the joint effort of the school and alumni, we have achieved many great things. CEIBS is also looking forward to working with alumni in the next 25 years to enhance the development of the school and the careers of CEIBS alumni.

About CEIBS Center for Family Heritage

As part of China Europe International Business School, the CEIBS Center for Family Heritage cooperates with thousands of alumni on academic research and the development of educational resources. The centre also works with overseas family businesses and academic institutions. It serves as a platform for entrepreneurship and wealth creation, dissemination, and hosting discussions.

February 26, 2019. Accra, Ghana – China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) Africa, in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), has released a report on the CEIBS-CIMA African Business Survey 2018. The report was produced in line with both institutions’ goal of producing data that captures and conveys the pulse of business in Africa, providing information needed to engage in knowledge-based decision-making.

The 2018 survey was completed by 133 respondents in senior management positions from 15 industries across 8 countries in Africa. The 60-page report was prepared by a team led by the Executive Director of CEIBS Africa, Professor Mathew Tsamenyi, and supported by CEIBS Research Associate Nana Yaa A. Gyamfi and Researcher Benjamin Diabah. The report analyses all aspects of business operations in Africa, including: business indices, competitive environment, human resources, marketing, government and legal environment as well as African business’ challenges and success factors.

The survey was funded by the world’s leading and largest professional body of management accountants, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). CIMA has members and students operating in 176 countries, working at the heart of businesses. The survey is also modelled after the China Business Survey, which is published annually by CEIBS from its flagship Shanghai Campus. Professor Juan Antonio Fernandez and research associate Maria Puyuelo, who are key members of the team producing the China Business Survey, provided invaluable advice and support for the launch of the Africa survey.

Following the successful launch of the CEIBS-CIMA African Business Survey 2018, Professor Tsamenyi expressed his gratitude to all participants, particularly alumni of CEIBS Africa, CIMA members and the extended networks of both organizations for their invaluable support in the collection of data. He is confident that the report will be published annually. “We consider this first survey a pilot attempt at what we hope will grow into a more in-depth annual project encompassing many more companies, industries and nations across Africa,” he said.  

CEIBS Africa and CIMA’s vision is for the survey to extend its relevance and generalizability by expanding the base of participants as far as possible across the continent.

Representatives of businesses operating in Africa who wish to participate in the CEIBS-CIMA African Business Survey 2019 may email gnana@ceibs.edu.

An electronic copy of the African Business Survey 2018 report can be accessed here.

February 22, 2019. Lagos, Nigeria — The 2015 Nigeria class of the Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership for Africa (WELA) programme today launched the “The WELA Angel Investor Initiative” at the Temtabvicz Conference Centre at Ikeja. In doing so, they demonstrated CEIBS WELA alumni’s commitment to social responsibility.

WELA Nigeria 2015 Class President Mrs. Omoyemi Chukwurah said creating the fund is the group’s way of empowering women to become productive members of their communities. “The exercise we are witnessing today is a pilot phase of a scheme that we intend to extend into many low-income communities in Nigeria,” she said. “Many women in Nigeria are hardworking yet most of them cannot access the needed capital for their businesses in order to make a difference for themselves and their families. This is also a move through which we hope to contribute towards raising a generation of female entrepreneurs in Nigeria who are financially empowered and, in turn, will empower other women entrepreneurs.”

Fifteen beneficiaries received soft loans ranging from N50,000 ($138USD) to N100,000 ($276USD). The initiative was launched to provide working capital to women entrepreneurs who, as a result of various limitations, are unable to receive loans from commercial banks or micro-finance institutions.

The funds contributed by WELA alumni will be awarded to selected women entrepreneurs who will then be required to repay the loan within a period of one year with no interest charged. After one year, beneficiaries of the fund are encouraged to save from their earnings to build capital and continue to grow their businesses. The repaid loans will then be re-distributed to other women entrepreneurs.

Beneficiaries of the loan must be nominated by a contributor to the fund – an angel investor – and must have a viable business that has been in operation for a minimum of 5 years. Each recipient must also provide two guarantors and agree to the terms and conditions provided in the loan repayment contract.

Before receiving the funds, beneficiaries are given training on how to remodel their existing business structures and position themselves for growth. For control purposes, the funds are awarded through a commercial or micro-finance bank and daily sales from the beneficiaries are to be paid into the recipient’s grant account for the one year period until the loan is fully paid back.

Mrs. Edewo Dickson – one of the fund’s beneficiaries – was upbeat about expanding her business with the loan. “What I have witnessed here today has reinforced my belief that, as women, we need to empower one another. This financial assistance will help me expand the spices, snail, and plantain business I have been running for the past 20 years. It has always been difficult to grow my business because I have been unable to access a loan. Not only have I received an interest free loan, but I have also received the know-how to turn my business around and I plan to share these new ideas with my friends, so they can also grow their businesses.”

Also present at the event was Ms. Olayinka Aworetan, Country Manager for CEIBS in Nigeria.

February 20, 2019. Shanghai – Nine CEIBS faculty members have made the latest (2018) list of the Most Cited Chinese Researchers, released by academic publishing giant Elsevier on January 17, 2019.  This is the fifth consecutive year in which CEIBS has featured prominently in the category of Business, Management and Accounting, solidifying its reputation in the area of academic research.

A total of 1,899 scholars were selected for inclusion on the entire list. Among them, 35 professors from 16 universities in the fields of Business, Management and Accounting were selected, including from China Europe International Business School:
Professors of Accounting Charles Chen and Ding Yuan,
Professor of Management Tae-Yeol Kim,
Professor of Economics Bala Ramasamy,
Professor of Management Katherine Xin, and
Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management Zhao Xiande.

Professor Ding Yuan is Vice President and Dean, Cathay Capital Chair Professor in Accounting at CEIBS. His research focuses on intangible assets, international accounting coordination, earnings management and accounting fraud, corporate governance, listing issues, overseas investment, etc. His research results have been published in Journal of Accounting, Organization and Society, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, European Accounting Review and other well-known journals.

Professor Tae-Yeol Kim's research areas include organizational justice, cross-cultural psychology, creativity, leadership, employee initiative, and relationship of people and environment. He has won numerous awards in research and teaching, including CEIBS Research Excellence Award in 2017, Reviewer of the Year, Human Relations (2017), Emerald Citations of Excellence in 2015 and 2016, and one of the most downloaded scholars in Routledge Behavioural Science Journals.

Professor Charles Chen’s research focuses on accounting and auditing issues in the Chinese and international accounting professions. He has written extensively, and his articles have been published in leading academic journals such as Contemporary Accounting Research, International Business Research Journal, and Audit: Practice and Theory.

Professor Bala Ramasamy's research interests include Asian regional economy, foreign direct investment, corporate social responsibility, and international business strategy. His research results have been published in academic journals such as International Banking Marketing Journal, Asia-Pacific Economic Journal, Journal of Applied Economics, Journal of Business Research and Journal of Technical Education.

Professor Katherine Xin's research topics include leadership, organizational culture, change management, and strategic human resource management. Her research has been published in leading international management journals such as the Journal of the American Management Society, Quarterly Journal of Administrative Science, Organizational Science, Journal of Strategic Management, Organizational Research, Journal of Management, and Quarterly Journal of The Art of Leadership.

Professor Zhao Xiande's research areas include operations management and supply chain management. His research focuses on supply chain integration and innovation, web-based services and business model innovation, supply chain finance, digital supply chains, big data-based supply chains and logistics decision-making optimization. In the past five years, he has published three important monographs: "Platform-Based Business Model Innovation and Service Design", "Global Supply Chain Quality Management" and "International Operations Management: Experience in the Global Market (English)". In addition, he has published about 150 papers in academic journals such as Operation Management Journal, Consumer Research Journal, Production and Operations Management, European Operations Research Journal, and International Production Research Journal. He has made the Elsevier list several times (in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017). Professor Zhao has also received numerous academic honours including the Jack Meredith Best Paper Award (2015) by Operation Management Journal and CEIBS Award for Excellence in Research (2015, 2016).

About Elsevier

Elsevier's Scopus database is the world's largest database of abstracts and citations, with more than 20,000 peer-reviewed journals, including more than 500 Chinese journals. The 2018 Chinese Most Cited Researchers List uses the methods and standards developed by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy Co., Ltd. to systematically analyze the influence of Chinese researchers on the world based on objective citation data. Elsevier's Scopus database provides data support and technical implementation for this list of studies.