BiMBA Entrepreneur and Innovation Forum

Nov 24-2014   

The Nobel Prize is the most well-known prize in the world for innovation in numerous fields including economics, physics and chemistry. How are theoretical innovation and innovation in applications linked? In today’s era where does the hottest innovation come from?

On 13 November, 2014, at the Palace Garden Hotel, Peking University National School of Development (“NSD”) invited Nobel Museum Curator Tobias Degsell and many alumni at the forefront of innovation to partake in an innovation themed forum, “the light of innovation”.

EMBA alumni, Deputy General Manager of COSCO Jing Tian hosted the forum and prior to its commencement explained that the forum was to discuss not just methods of innovation but also the differences in innovation ideas and systems between the East and West. NSD Professor and BiMBA Dean (U.S.) John Yang stated that throughout history, innovation has predominantly manifested via individuals and has been linked to invention. In today’s era, innovation mainly comes from groups and organizations, with country and company systems and cultures in place.

Nobel Museum Curator Tobias Degsell

Nobel Museum Curator Tobias Degsell announced the ‘Creativity’ themed speech, first briefly reviewing inventor Alfred Nobel’s life and achievements as well as the Nobel Prize’s birth and ideological basis. He stated that the key to creativity lies in people, like Alfred Nobel who had never been to school, let alone university. Aside from the individual, environment i.e. the team; society’s support for and recognition of innovation as well as capital and spirit.

Following this, EMBA alumni, Leadership trainer Sun Heying hosted the first roundtable dialogue, “Entrepreneurial Spirit and Innovative Genes”. BiMBA Dean Prof. John Yang, Nobel Museum Curator Tobias Degsell and EMBA alumni, China Xile Education Group CEO Liu Hainan shared their interpretations of innovation.

How do economists see innovation? What systems incite and constrain innovation? NSD Professor Xue Zhaofeng spoke on ‘Innovation and stimulus mechanisms’. He believes that innovation lies not with the person but with the structural environment. The system in place determines the encouragement and constraints on innovation. Whether talented people spend their efforts on innovation lies upon whether innovation is encouraged and their judgment of risk.

Like the system, the characteristics of industry are also closely linked to innovation. The final seminar of the forum was “Enterprise and Innovation in the Digital Era”. This was hosted by EMBA alumni, Director of DragonNet Techology, Wu Xuesong. Professor Xue Zhaofeng; EMBA alumni, Ant Financial (an Alibaba company) Vice President Su Yingqi and EMBA alumni Tencent Vice President, PR General Manager Liu Chang who are each at the forefront of industry, shared their understanding of innovation in the digital era.

In an era of new technology and new ideas which are ever-changing, we place even greater importance on the essence of innovation and how it can lead to development of industries. More importantly, entrepreneurs much have an unshakeable faith in innovation and, in China’s environment, must have unique innovation. As China’s leading think-tank, the NSD will continue to pay attention to, place importance on and lead innovation.