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“China Study Tour” for MBA from Bentley

Apr 18-2013   



 

 by JIAO Jie

With its fast development of economy, more and more countries cast their eyes on China, the “Cultural and Economic Dragon” that has been exerting greater and greater international influence. Going to China becomes an upsurge for people all over the world who aspire at carving out a future career there. In as early as 2003 when this upsurge was emerging, heads of BiMBA envisioned such huge demands and started to develop the “China Study Tour”, which was tailored for MBA candidates and managerial personnel from foreign countries.

 

On the basis of large numbers of field investigations and researches, BiMBA has arranged this program for students from University of Texas at Austin, West Point, Summer Course of London School of Economics, School of Continuing Education of University of Chicago, ESADE Business School of Spain, and International MBA of Fordham University of New York, etc. The program of “China Study Tour” has developed and covered routes to a dozen of cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Suzhou, Xi’an, Linyi, Qufu, Luoyang and Zhengzhou.

 

Instead of simply lecturing and visiting, the charm of “China Study Tour” is manifested through each link of the tours in which knowledge is imparted. As long as international students set their feet on the Chinese territory, the process of knowledge acquisition has begun. During elaborately designed itineraries, such process will be repeated and reinforced in the students’ lumber-room on their minds for storing knowledge. In terms of the knowledge structure, “China Study Tour” consists of four major elements, namely, academic lectures, visits to enterprise/government, round table seminars or interactions with Chinese MBA students, and visits to cultural and historical sites. As to the learning outcomes, “China Study Tour” features meticulously planned periodic and many-sided learning pattern that enables fresh international students to get an immediate access shortly to China’s facts in a multi-level and an all-round way. The program especially focuses on getting over the one-sided impressions and limited experience of the international students, and leading them by any possibility to objective cognition and rational analysis of the new culture and social environment.

 

After taking a series of theory courses and lectures, students of the Business School of Bentley University visited Tsinghua Science Park and Monitor Group, to learn about their business knacks from the perspective of real practice.

 

Tsinghua Science Park: win-win situations for five parties

 

On the afternoon of January 8, 20-odd students of the Business School of Bentley University followed their teachers, Tony Liu, Director of External Relations and International Programs of BiMBA, and Becky Zhang, visited Tsinghua Science Park. Vice President of the park CHEN Hongbo welcomed them with great hospitality and introduced the history of the park in detail to the students. The visit, was intended to show them “how to do business in China” in the context of local culture and history.

 

According to Mr. Chen, there stand 62 science parks based on 122 universities in China. Among them, Tsinghua Science Park is the best. It is surrounded by many high-tech parks and is located next to Tsinghua University, Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the three top academic institutions in China. Enterprises entering the park are sitting beside a reservoir of human resources and thus will be able to see rapid development on the strength of the talent reservoir. By 2006, the park has housed over 400 companies, accommodating more than 19,000 employees. The companies include multinational like Google and Microsoft, and such domestic giants as Sohu, Tsinghua Tongfang and China Merchants’ Bank, plus over 200 rising high-tech-based pioneering companies. These enterprises add vigor and power to the park. With joint efforts with provinces and municipalities, the park has set up ten branch parks in Guangdong, Shanghai, Shanxi and Jiangxi, etc.

 

When it comes to the way to success, Mr. Chen highlighted win-win situations for all five parties related to the park. If one could achieve to make such a way possible, what difficulties could stumble his stride?

 

He further explained that first, government was on the win-win side. The park provides support to rising tech-based companies, in active response to state policies regarding technical innovations. In addition, flourishing enterprises in the park bring more taxes to the country, while the integration of production, teaching and research helps reduce government investments in such fields. Secondly, universities are on the win-win side. Students have more opportunities and they are exposed to state-of-the-art technologies and the best of all business environments, which will sharpen their visions and help them to make dreams become reality. Thirdly, enterprises in the park are on the win-win side. They will be able to recruit top-notch human resources, to shape up a R&D environment with close collaboration with ripping academic institutions, to gain practical benefits under preferential policies of the country, and to see a promising prospect of development. Fourthly, shareholders of the park are on the win-win side, and fifthly, the park itself is on the win-win side. As the top-grade science park, it will soon become a grand channel for innovations in sci-tech industry in China.

 

Most of the foreign MBA students who joined the “China Study Tour” went to China for the first time and knew little about the Chinese culture. Before Mr. Chen’s introduction, he asked that who had heard of Tsinghua University. No one raised his/her hands. However, during the half-an-hour introduction, the students were deeply attracted by the business pattern of the park and were engrossed in Mr. Chen’s speech. They put up hands for questions concerning the differences between the Silicon Valley style and such business pattern with Chinese characteristics. They had deeper understanding of it and its cultural atmosphere. The tour took them to the reality of China in terms of business practice, helping them think out of the box about China. As a result, they will be come to rational and objective analysis when they deal with Chinese enterprises in the future.

 

It was sunset after hot discussions. The students walked out of the building and were talking all along the way. They passed the square of the park and sighed with amazement as they were looking at magnificent buildings and lights around them. Howard, who majored in international trade of Business School of Bentley University, commented, “I heard of such pattern for the first time. It is amazing!” As he said so, he looked around and added with a smile, “They must have made big money.”

 

Monitor Group: what makes us extraordinary?

 

On the afternoon of January 10, led by the Department of External Relations and International Program of BiMBA, 20-odd students of the Business School of Bentley University visited the Beijing Branch of Monitor Group, a leading global strategy consulting firm. Founded in 1983 by Professor Michael Porter, along with other Harvard Business School professors and experienced consultants, Monitor strives to be a unique global management service firm and works with organizations to help them grow, achieve innovations in value and enhance their competitive power and social impact. Monitor Group has established cooperative ties with a wide range of enterprises, governments and non-profit organizations worldwide, and provides them with innovation strategies to avail them to become global leading enterprises or organizations. In addition to management consultation, Monitor Group invests in and runs companies, with assets under management exceeding USD 2 billion. As the group was set up in Massachusetts, exactly the same state where Bentley University is located, the students enhanced their spiritual communication, making this visit more meaningful.

 

At half past one in the afternoon, the visiting students and their leading teachers got on a bus at the entrance of the Chiatai International Center of Peking University. After about one-hour-drive, they reached the Twin Towers. The logo of Monitor appeared when everybody walked out of the elevator. The receptionist gave them a warm welcome, showing them at home and making deep impression of great hospitality on them.

 

Led by Monitor staff, BiMBA delegation first visited the working environment and the offices of the group and then gathered at the boardroom, where Dr. TAN Rui, General Manager of Monitor Beijing Office, shared with them the history and unique development strategy of Monitor. Talking about Monitor’s competitive edge over other consultation firms, Dr. Tan told the students that despite the fact that Monitor was founded in 1983, a hundred years later the founding of Arthur D. Little, the earliest consultation company, Monitor kept its core competitiveness. The Competitive Advantage Theory developed by Michael Porter, which stresses on corporate strategy, lays the theory foundation for the company and was observed till today. From the beginning to the end, Monitor persistently focuses on providing solutions to strategic issues and working out plans enabling sustainable development of important value. Dr. Tan pointed out, “The fast growth of Monitor can not go without forward looking thoughts. Monitor has senior strategic analysts, whose thoughts are the source of Monitor’s philosophy.” Dr. TAN Rui also put it that Monitor provided ample opportunities for study and carried out courses on different topics each month. In addition to studying, Monitor also attaches importance to employees’ entertainment and family cultures. At last, he briefed the process of professional development for every newcomer in the company: from the beginning to member of the case group, to module leader gradually, to case team leader, and to global client manager. For diverse phases, diverse responsibilities should be fulfilled. Based on individual development, every phase could last different periods of time.

 

With communication with Dr. Tan, the students got better understanding of how Monitor threaded a way from fierce competitions and marked its own presence in the field. Such communication also added to their experience regarding vehement competitions stemming from globalization, and helped them stake out for themselves as they are confronted with cruel competitions. The students gained a preliminary knowledge of the employee training systems of Monitor as well. They were informed of profound information about the corporate training systems and how they improve the quality of the employees.

Monitor entered in China in 1993 and set up branch companies in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. At present, Monitor has established cooperative relations with non-government enterprises, governments and multinational joint-ventures across the country and employed over 70 professional consultants. Dr. Tan shared cases they were doing at the moment with the students. Then four employees who have been working for Monitor for about two to four years answered questions for people present. When it comes to the question of “what challenges will be there for a consultant in the Chinese market”, the four employees unanimously agreed that consultation has not yet struck deep roots in the hearts of the people. As the idea is relatively new to people, localization should be carried out in prior to applying the western strategic consultation pattern directly to the Chinese market. Monitor employees and BiMBA students held hot discussions on the topic. China has a huge market economy with distinct cultural and institutional background compared with that of Europe and US. After the discussion, students were getting to know how such global giant as Monitor make localization possible under the Chinese economic environment and seize the Chinese market. This is very important to the students for their future career, helped them be able to deal with people from different cultural backgrounds and ideological fields and enrich their experience.

 

At last, teacher of the BiMBA team gave presents to Dr. TAN Rui, confirming their cooperation and looking for more cordial cooperation.

 

The two short visits ended, but in the future two weeks in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen…, “China Study Tour” will surely bring more surprise and amazement to the BiMBA students.

“China Study Tour” for MBA from Bentley

Apr 18-2013   



 

 by JIAO Jie

With its fast development of economy, more and more countries cast their eyes on China, the “Cultural and Economic Dragon” that has been exerting greater and greater international influence. Going to China becomes an upsurge for people all over the world who aspire at carving out a future career there. In as early as 2003 when this upsurge was emerging, heads of BiMBA envisioned such huge demands and started to develop the “China Study Tour”, which was tailored for MBA candidates and managerial personnel from foreign countries.

 

On the basis of large numbers of field investigations and researches, BiMBA has arranged this program for students from University of Texas at Austin, West Point, Summer Course of London School of Economics, School of Continuing Education of University of Chicago, ESADE Business School of Spain, and International MBA of Fordham University of New York, etc. The program of “China Study Tour” has developed and covered routes to a dozen of cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Suzhou, Xi’an, Linyi, Qufu, Luoyang and Zhengzhou.

 

Instead of simply lecturing and visiting, the charm of “China Study Tour” is manifested through each link of the tours in which knowledge is imparted. As long as international students set their feet on the Chinese territory, the process of knowledge acquisition has begun. During elaborately designed itineraries, such process will be repeated and reinforced in the students’ lumber-room on their minds for storing knowledge. In terms of the knowledge structure, “China Study Tour” consists of four major elements, namely, academic lectures, visits to enterprise/government, round table seminars or interactions with Chinese MBA students, and visits to cultural and historical sites. As to the learning outcomes, “China Study Tour” features meticulously planned periodic and many-sided learning pattern that enables fresh international students to get an immediate access shortly to China’s facts in a multi-level and an all-round way. The program especially focuses on getting over the one-sided impressions and limited experience of the international students, and leading them by any possibility to objective cognition and rational analysis of the new culture and social environment.

 

After taking a series of theory courses and lectures, students of the Business School of Bentley University visited Tsinghua Science Park and Monitor Group, to learn about their business knacks from the perspective of real practice.

 

Tsinghua Science Park: win-win situations for five parties

 

On the afternoon of January 8, 20-odd students of the Business School of Bentley University followed their teachers, Tony Liu, Director of External Relations and International Programs of BiMBA, and Becky Zhang, visited Tsinghua Science Park. Vice President of the park CHEN Hongbo welcomed them with great hospitality and introduced the history of the park in detail to the students. The visit, was intended to show them “how to do business in China” in the context of local culture and history.

 

According to Mr. Chen, there stand 62 science parks based on 122 universities in China. Among them, Tsinghua Science Park is the best. It is surrounded by many high-tech parks and is located next to Tsinghua University, Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the three top academic institutions in China. Enterprises entering the park are sitting beside a reservoir of human resources and thus will be able to see rapid development on the strength of the talent reservoir. By 2006, the park has housed over 400 companies, accommodating more than 19,000 employees. The companies include multinational like Google and Microsoft, and such domestic giants as Sohu, Tsinghua Tongfang and China Merchants’ Bank, plus over 200 rising high-tech-based pioneering companies. These enterprises add vigor and power to the park. With joint efforts with provinces and municipalities, the park has set up ten branch parks in Guangdong, Shanghai, Shanxi and Jiangxi, etc.

 

When it comes to the way to success, Mr. Chen highlighted win-win situations for all five parties related to the park. If one could achieve to make such a way possible, what difficulties could stumble his stride?

 

He further explained that first, government was on the win-win side. The park provides support to rising tech-based companies, in active response to state policies regarding technical innovations. In addition, flourishing enterprises in the park bring more taxes to the country, while the integration of production, teaching and research helps reduce government investments in such fields. Secondly, universities are on the win-win side. Students have more opportunities and they are exposed to state-of-the-art technologies and the best of all business environments, which will sharpen their visions and help them to make dreams become reality. Thirdly, enterprises in the park are on the win-win side. They will be able to recruit top-notch human resources, to shape up a R&D environment with close collaboration with ripping academic institutions, to gain practical benefits under preferential policies of the country, and to see a promising prospect of development. Fourthly, shareholders of the park are on the win-win side, and fifthly, the park itself is on the win-win side. As the top-grade science park, it will soon become a grand channel for innovations in sci-tech industry in China.

 

Most of the foreign MBA students who joined the “China Study Tour” went to China for the first time and knew little about the Chinese culture. Before Mr. Chen’s introduction, he asked that who had heard of Tsinghua University. No one raised his/her hands. However, during the half-an-hour introduction, the students were deeply attracted by the business pattern of the park and were engrossed in Mr. Chen’s speech. They put up hands for questions concerning the differences between the Silicon Valley style and such business pattern with Chinese characteristics. They had deeper understanding of it and its cultural atmosphere. The tour took them to the reality of China in terms of business practice, helping them think out of the box about China. As a result, they will be come to rational and objective analysis when they deal with Chinese enterprises in the future.

 

It was sunset after hot discussions. The students walked out of the building and were talking all along the way. They passed the square of the park and sighed with amazement as they were looking at magnificent buildings and lights around them. Howard, who majored in international trade of Business School of Bentley University, commented, “I heard of such pattern for the first time. It is amazing!” As he said so, he looked around and added with a smile, “They must have made big money.”

 

Monitor Group: what makes us extraordinary?

 

On the afternoon of January 10, led by the Department of External Relations and International Program of BiMBA, 20-odd students of the Business School of Bentley University visited the Beijing Branch of Monitor Group, a leading global strategy consulting firm. Founded in 1983 by Professor Michael Porter, along with other Harvard Business School professors and experienced consultants, Monitor strives to be a unique global management service firm and works with organizations to help them grow, achieve innovations in value and enhance their competitive power and social impact. Monitor Group has established cooperative ties with a wide range of enterprises, governments and non-profit organizations worldwide, and provides them with innovation strategies to avail them to become global leading enterprises or organizations. In addition to management consultation, Monitor Group invests in and runs companies, with assets under management exceeding USD 2 billion. As the group was set up in Massachusetts, exactly the same state where Bentley University is located, the students enhanced their spiritual communication, making this visit more meaningful.

 

At half past one in the afternoon, the visiting students and their leading teachers got on a bus at the entrance of the Chiatai International Center of Peking University. After about one-hour-drive, they reached the Twin Towers. The logo of Monitor appeared when everybody walked out of the elevator. The receptionist gave them a warm welcome, showing them at home and making deep impression of great hospitality on them.

 

Led by Monitor staff, BiMBA delegation first visited the working environment and the offices of the group and then gathered at the boardroom, where Dr. TAN Rui, General Manager of Monitor Beijing Office, shared with them the history and unique development strategy of Monitor. Talking about Monitor’s competitive edge over other consultation firms, Dr. Tan told the students that despite the fact that Monitor was founded in 1983, a hundred years later the founding of Arthur D. Little, the earliest consultation company, Monitor kept its core competitiveness. The Competitive Advantage Theory developed by Michael Porter, which stresses on corporate strategy, lays the theory foundation for the company and was observed till today. From the beginning to the end, Monitor persistently focuses on providing solutions to strategic issues and working out plans enabling sustainable development of important value. Dr. Tan pointed out, “The fast growth of Monitor can not go without forward looking thoughts. Monitor has senior strategic analysts, whose thoughts are the source of Monitor’s philosophy.” Dr. TAN Rui also put it that Monitor provided ample opportunities for study and carried out courses on different topics each month. In addition to studying, Monitor also attaches importance to employees’ entertainment and family cultures. At last, he briefed the process of professional development for every newcomer in the company: from the beginning to member of the case group, to module leader gradually, to case team leader, and to global client manager. For diverse phases, diverse responsibilities should be fulfilled. Based on individual development, every phase could last different periods of time.

 

With communication with Dr. Tan, the students got better understanding of how Monitor threaded a way from fierce competitions and marked its own presence in the field. Such communication also added to their experience regarding vehement competitions stemming from globalization, and helped them stake out for themselves as they are confronted with cruel competitions. The students gained a preliminary knowledge of the employee training systems of Monitor as well. They were informed of profound information about the corporate training systems and how they improve the quality of the employees.

Monitor entered in China in 1993 and set up branch companies in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. At present, Monitor has established cooperative relations with non-government enterprises, governments and multinational joint-ventures across the country and employed over 70 professional consultants. Dr. Tan shared cases they were doing at the moment with the students. Then four employees who have been working for Monitor for about two to four years answered questions for people present. When it comes to the question of “what challenges will be there for a consultant in the Chinese market”, the four employees unanimously agreed that consultation has not yet struck deep roots in the hearts of the people. As the idea is relatively new to people, localization should be carried out in prior to applying the western strategic consultation pattern directly to the Chinese market. Monitor employees and BiMBA students held hot discussions on the topic. China has a huge market economy with distinct cultural and institutional background compared with that of Europe and US. After the discussion, students were getting to know how such global giant as Monitor make localization possible under the Chinese economic environment and seize the Chinese market. This is very important to the students for their future career, helped them be able to deal with people from different cultural backgrounds and ideological fields and enrich their experience.

 

At last, teacher of the BiMBA team gave presents to Dr. TAN Rui, confirming their cooperation and looking for more cordial cooperation.

 

The two short visits ended, but in the future two weeks in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen…, “China Study Tour” will surely bring more surprise and amazement to the BiMBA students.