Knowledge sharing between Chinese and US scholars in leading business and policy schools produces fascinating discussion as unique partnership continues to bear fruit.
With a growing number of global issues in today’s increasingly interconnected world, it has never been more important to come together to look for answers that will benefit all of mankind. With that in mind, the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) and Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) jointly held a workshop at CKGSB’s Beijing campus on November 2 to share opinions and results from cutting-edge research conducted by faculty at both schools. The workshop is part of a broader collaboration between CKGSB and HKS—announced earlier this year—that aims to create and disseminate knowledge around global issues through programs, high-impact events and research, all for the betterment of society.
CKGSB Professor of Economics and Director of the Research Center
for Sustainable Development, Li Wei, delivered the opening remarks
World-renowned faculty members from the two schools participated at the workshop, delivering findings and sharing ideas around their latest studies and research on issues of pertinence in China and globally. CKGSB Professor of Economics Li Wei kicked off the session by talking about the synergies created by the cooperation between CKGSB and HKS and the complementary values that the two schools hold.
Prof. Li then talked about ‘a new business civilization’, an idea advocated by CKGSB Dean Xiang, which revolves around public and private partnerships, and the role of business in society. Governance at both the national and global level needs to be adjusted, he said, while on the corporate level, we must plan how best to create a new business civilization to benefit humanity by creating value for stakeholders both inside and outside the company. Professor Li Wei concluded by saying that the collaboration between the two schools fits their respective missions very well, ending with a well-known Chinese saying:
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. This is our first step.”
Anthony Saich, Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation and Daewoo Professor of International Affairs, responded with some words of his own on behalf of HKS. Prof. Saich is an expert on comparative political institutions, democratic governance and transitional economies with a focus on China.
Anthony Saich, Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation and Daewoo Professor of International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School, delivers remarks
at the CKGSB-HKS Research Workshop in Beijing on November 2
CKGSB Professor of Economics Leslie Young then began the research part of the workshop by presenting a paper on Financial Reform and Change in Asian Business Systems, arguing that different development paths entrenched different political and business coalitions in East Asia, with a particular focus on India.
CKGSB Professor of Economics Leslie Young
CKGSB Associate Professor of Marketing Jing Bing discussed his ideas around Social Learning and Dynamic Pricing of Durable Goods. Prof. Jing looked at how consumers can make either early, uninformed purchases or late, but potentially informed, purchases as a result of social learning.
CKGSB Associate Professor of Marketing Jing Bing
CKGSB Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance Li Xiaoyang presented a paper on Imitating to Export, and discussed Chinese imitation of foreign companies—an issue that he has documented on a large scale—explaining how they do this and how it has affected China’s economic growth.
CKGSB Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance Li Xiaoyang
Finally, CKGSB Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior Zhang Xiaomeng spoke on Empowering Leadership and Creativity Research—Implications in China, which shows the interaction between empowering leadership, uncertainty avoidance, and trust in affecting creativity.
CKGSB Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior Zhang Xiaomeng
Meanwhile, HKS faculty presented their ongoing research on “Embedded Education”, namely the educating of people through non-educational encounters that already exist in their lives. HKS Lecturer in Public Policy Jorrit de Jong, who presented in detail the initial findings of his research, argued that “embedded education is an important innovation in education and governance that has the potential to reach hundreds of millions of youth and adults across the globe, who otherwise would not have access to continuing education.” Dr. de Jong supported his argument with three specific case studies that describe the design and implementation of such programs in China and other countries, as well as the impact they have on participants.
Jorrit de Jong, Academic Director of the Innovations in Government Program at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation and HKS Lecturer in Public Policy
Following Dr. de Jong was HKS Fellow Guy Stuart, who was a Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School where he taught courses in management and microfinance for 13 years.
Stuart conducted an experiment with the audience to demonstrate how embedded education is making an impact with Chinese companies who employ migrant workers in China.
Guy Stuart, Executive Director of Microfinance Opportunities
The workshop successfully disseminated innovative ideas and research findings around business, governance and education. Extending from this productive workshop, faculty from CKGSB and HKS will jointly conduct research in China and elsewhere on areas that contribute positively to our society.
This workshop is also a continuation from the CKGSB-HKS Global Symposium, which the two schools held at Harvard’s campus in Cambridge, MA, in August this year. The Symposium convened distinguished experts to address socio-economic challenges through public-private partnerships. The 2016 CKGSB-HKS Global Symposium will be held in Beijing, China.
For more on the collaboration between CKGSB and HKS, please click here.
