December 2, 2025. Shanghai - The 7th CEIBS Strategy and Entrepreneurship Annual Academic Symposium took place today at the CEIBS Shanghai campus, during which speakers gathered to explore frontier topics including artificial intelligence, strategic human capital, business and society, and other emerging areas shaping today’s business landscape.

The symposium commenced with a warm welcome from CEIBS Vice President and Dean Frank Bournois. In his opening remarks, Dean Bournois underscored the vital role such departmental gatherings play in fortifying CEIBS' reputation as a leading global business school, celebrated for its synergy of groundbreaking research and transformative pedagogy.

Setting the tone for the day's explorations, Professor Jin Li of Hong Kong University Business School delivered a compelling keynote address titled The Great Compression: How AI Transforms Skills, Incentives, and Coordination. Prof. Li introduced the seminal “Great Compression” curve, offering a nuanced analysis of AI's differential impact on production and transaction costs, while emphasising the crucial role of endogenous organisational adaptation.

The intellectual core of the symposium unfolded through three dedicated thematic sessions, each a deep dive into a pivotal research frontier. Every session featured three research presentations, in which leading scholars shared their latest findings, followed by insightful commentary from an assigned discussant who facilitated a rich and engaging dialogue with the audience.

The first session, dedicated to artificial intelligence, featured presentations by Professor Hyo Kang of Seoul National University on AI's intersection with copyright in creative markets, Professor Xi Kang of Vanderbilt University on machine predictions and causal explanations from field experiments, and Professor Liang Chen of Singapore Management University on data technology and firm scope. The discussion of the session was expertly led by Professor Jin Li.

Shifting focus to strategic human capital, the second session featured Professor Navid Asgari of Fordham University on how inter-partner rivalry can firewall knowledge and constrain innovation, Professor Shinjae Won of Ewha Womans University on externalising diversity filtering in hiring, and Professor Tanya Tian of NYU Shanghai on the growing influence of public recognition in scientific careers. Professor Amy Y. Ou of Hong Kong Polytechnic University facilitated the valuable discussion that followed.

The final formal session, on business and society, included talks by Professor Xuanli Xie of Peking University on legitimacy management in tech certification programs, Professor Maoliang Bu of Nanjing University on multinationals and social responsibility, and Professor Taiyuan Wang of CEIBS on the evolving influence of parents on entrepreneurship. Professor Yulin Fang of HKU Business School served as the discussant.

As the formal agenda concluded, the event transitioned into a vibrant networking session. This more informal setting provided participants with a cherished opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and engage with each other's work in an open and collegial atmosphere.

A notable highlight was the editorial panel, skillfully moderated by CEIBS Strategy & Entrepreneurship Department Chair Professor Zhang Yu and featuring all three discussants. The panel engaged in a dynamic conversation on pressing issues at the intersection of AI and management, offering attendees a rich tapestry of editorial and academic perspectives.

The symposium convened over 110 participants, including esteemed scholars, emerging researchers and doctoral candidates from top global institutions, alongside corporate leaders from across China. To conclude the successful event, Prof. Zhang Yu presented commemorative gifts to all guest speakers and extended heartfelt thanks to every attendee. The event marked another productive and inspiring gathering, solidifying its role as a cornerstone for advancing thought leadership in the fields of strategy and entrepreneurship.