Povl Tiedemann, Danish Business Economists.
Hidden Dragons – How China’s business schools will ultimately change the world”:
Chinese business education will no longer solely hinge upon disseminating imported Western knowledge and know-how to Chinese students…
Focus will be on how and what the international business community can learn from the success of China’s economy and Chinese businesses…
(Rolf D. Cremer)
The power and intensity in Chinese society and economy depend on a vast variety of parameters. The volume of working hours and the industrious lifestyle give an indication of what we are facing, seen from a traditional European viewpoint in the production sector, which is most visible – but also in the educational world.
European (EU-15) standards and traditions for an average of 1,625 annual man-hours, in one shift per production unit, are under pressure.
In other words, and as a metaphoric example: a piece of road building machinery – a one man operated roller – may be used 1,625 hours per year in Europe versus 5,000 – 7,000 hours per year in China. Similar ratios are widespread in Chinese society.
On top of this rough picture of the basic work input difference comes the well-known remuneration differences of say 25 Euros / hour in Europe versus say 1 Euro / hour in China.
These ratios cannot be outnumbered by any immediate efficiency differences - and above all comes the well-known Chinese motivation for learning, and for adaption.
If a “Gross Domestic / Society Learning Curve” should be described, it would have a very steep slope. Any kind of McGraw Hill business textbooks or the like are consumed and digested in
vast quantities. The US – UK – EU competitive advantage based on knowledge, is by far to be overtaken by China’s learning ambitions.
The Chinese ability to and mindset for adaption and change has been well demonstrated over
the last century. We have witnessed the change from Mandarin feudalism to Communism, and further from classical to capitalistic Communism. Such turnarounds and their achievements definitely deserve respect – and it is important to identify and to be prepared for the next major moves.
Based on above, it is imperative to focus on China’s management education in transition, with reference to Rolf D. Cremer, Professor of Economics, Dean and Vice President at CEIBS, as recently released in Global Focus – The EFMD Business Magazine:
“Management education in China is in a dramatic transition entering a new era that will ultimately lift the country to a more prominent position on the academic world stage, for those working in or with China, the challenge will be in how best to respond and adapt.
One interesting measure of the evolution of China’s domestic schools will be seen in how the international accreditation bodies such as EQUIS and AACSB International will handle applications from these schools. It is expected that China’s top ten universities will be accredited within the next five years*.
The Second significant trend that will drive the development of China’s management education is that China-based business schools will align their priorities, in both teaching and research, with national priorites. Here it is not referred to China’s domestic agenda, nor to nationalism or patriotism, but to current business development in the country.
The third trend impacting the international management education field will be the emergence of Chinese academics as global thought leaders. CEIBS faculty now includes 50 faculty who are “on the ground” in Shanghai, living, working and researching on China. They are increasingly taking their unique expertise on China to the global management education community.
With this shift, the business education will no longer solely hinge upon disseminating imported Western knowledge and know-how to Chinese students. Instead, the model will focus on how and what the international business community can learn from the success of China’s economy and Chinese businesses.
It will be interesting to watch how schools position or reposition themselves in response to above developments outlined.
The business schools and universities in China most likely to form the new elite over the next few years are:
China Europe International Business School, CEIBS....
Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management.
Peking University, Guanghua School of Management; Centre for Economic Research.
Zhejiang University School of Management.
Fudan University School of Management.
Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Management.
Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business”.
With Europe running at approx. quarter speed compared with China – although hopefully not in all sectors of society – we may be in for a radical wake-up call, when the Chinese learning systems are gaining momentum.
However, if we are able to take advantage of China’s prosperous performance and development, we may enter a win-win situation on the longer term. Bear in mind - the new skyline of Shanghai came up in less than ten years (I witnessed the processes on site in Tianjin / Peking / Shanghai from the early 1980’ies), and the Olympic infrastructure was in place one year prior to the games…!
For further readings, please check:
“Hidden Dragons – How China’s business schools
will ultimately change the world”
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