Message from Module Leaders

“This module is aimed to help students to develop a better understanding of the globalisation of private Chinese companies. In this module, we will interact with companies in Jiangsu province, primarily Nanjing but also in the city of Kunshan, that have begun the process of internationalisation. We will consider the opportunities and challenges that Chinese companies experience in this process, including when they acquire overseas companies. From a career perspective, the globalisation of these companies creates new opportunities for global talent to join their international market operations. Thus companies like the ones we will visit are potential employers, especially for international MBA students from CEIBS.”

Dr. Shameen Prashantham, Associate Professor of International Business and Strategy and Dr. Guo Bai, Lecturer of Strategy at CEIBS

Agenda from a Recent Module

Day One: Networking in Nanjing

• CEIBS Alumni Dinner

After checking in on the first day, students made their way to the hotel’s banquet hall where they were met by four esteemed CEIBS MBA alumni, Jun He (EMBA10), a general manager at SUMEC Textile & Light Industries; David Fan (MBA01), Chairman of Nanjing Moonlight Optics; Haichuan Qian (EMBA08), co-founder of Jiangsu Yin Cheng Network Technology; and Zheng Huang (HEMBA2018), the general manager overseeing the Nanjing Crowne Plaza.

Day Two: Chervon goes Global

• CEO led tour of Chervon

• Exploring Chervon’s global strategy through Real Situation Learning Method™ (RSLM)

The group set out to meet with executives at Chervon, an electric tools company that has transitioned from manufacturer to building its own brand. The visit was especially interesting as students had previously learnt about the company’s history and internationalisation challenges in the pre-course reading. Getting to meet Peter Pan (CEO 2008), the founder and Chairman of the company was a bit like meeting a celebrity to many of the students. Having the opportunity to directly ask the man who had gone through so much to build the company from an OEM, to an ODM, and finally to an OBM was an unparalleled step towards learning how a China-founded company was able to not only expand internationally through acquisition, but then to take and integrate learnings back home to build their own brand Devon.

Day Three: Visits to LandSea and Suning  

• Visit to explore how LandSea differentiate through innovation

• Visit to explore why e-commerce giant Suning is embracing offline

Day three gave students a chance to appreciate other business models beginning with a trip to LandSea, a real estate company that has expanded into developing technologies to make houses more digitally connected and environmentally friendly. After starting out in real estate, the company quickly realised how saturated the international market was and how they would have to differentiate themselves through innovation and diversified revenue streams in order to compete. The visit to Suning taught the students how internet giants like Suning, Alibaba, and JD are making the next move by going offline, as illustrated by Suning’s plan to open 100,000 small retail stores by the year 2020.

Day Four: Industry 4.0 in action at Advantech

• Visit to explore how Advantech are preparing for the future of Internet of Things (IoT)

• Exploring the ecosystem of Industrial Internet of Things through Real Situation Learning Method™ (RSLM)

From the pre-assigned case reading, students had already learnt about how Advantech started out as computer manufacturing company in Taiwan, and due to an extremely innovation-focused Founder and Chairman, KC Liu, was able to set itself ahead of the curve and begin developing devices, software, and solutions for the coming technological revolution that is the Internet of Things (IoT).

Testimonial

“Many international students come to CEIBS looking for an opportunity to take part in the rapid expansion and globalisation many Chinese companies are currently going through. The Nanjing module was perfect way for international students at CEIBS to gain hands-on experience learning about what Chinese firms can gain from internationalising, the different strategies these firms employ to go abroad, and how these firms use internationalisation to gain a competitive advantage both at home as well as overseas. After completing this module, CEIBS international students will be much more prepared to take on jobs at growing Chinese companies and to aid them with their international expansion.”  Michael Keim MBA 2020