Research
At this stage we are working on various research areas and projects, and welcome cooperation proposal and ideas with fellow academics specializing in China. The three areas of our engagement are:
• Academic Research: Both theoretical development and empirical studies on a variety of subjects (see below)
• Practice Oriented Research: From case studies to normative research we aim for projects that have a relevance for both practice and teaching
• Thesis Supervision: Thesis topics are currently offered with a specialization in China (upon consultation with HSG faculty member)
Examples of CCC research include:
• The Sino-Swiss Free Trade Agreement – 2023 Academic Evaluation Report (10th Anniversary Edition).
PDF download at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4593483
• Assessing the Belt and Road Initiative as a narrative: Implications for institutional change and international firm strategy
PDF download at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3849665
• The Swiss Business in China Survey 2023
PDF download at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4452247
• Are Chinese Teams Like Western Teams? Indigenous Management Theory to Leapfrog Essentialist Team Myths
PDF download at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3715794
• Elite Quality Report 2023: Country Scores and Global Rankings
PDF download at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4418550
Our research on China engages at three levels:
• Empirical research that provides deep contextualisation of China management and entrepreneurship practice needed to understand actual practice in relationship to the distinct economic, ethical, social and political conditions in which it occurs. Meta-studies might also play an important role here, by drawing on more relatively narrowly defined empirical research to develop more detailed pictures of practices with single industries or within single professions, for example.
• Conceptual and review research that develop mid-range theory (Merton, 1968) informed on the one side by deep contextualisation of practice and on the other side by an awareness distinctly Chinese narratives, and their underlying ontological and epistemological assumptions.
• Conceptual or review papers that seek to universalise Chinese management and entrepreneurship practices, and make these relevant outside their native context, possibly through synthesis of distinct Asian and traditional Western theory.
As a result of our research positioning, our broad areas of inquiry are:
Documenting the nature of Asian Management and Entrepreneurial practice, including organisational issues, stakeholder relationships, governance and ethics, its impact on PRC economic growth.
Explore the appropriateness of general (Western) theory versus theories specifically grounded in distinctly China sociologies, philosophies and religions for explaining management and entrepreneurship in Asia. We welcome thesis topics that rest on thought-provoking essentialist assumptions.
Studies of the ‘other’ can highlight the nature of the self. In the third theme, observations and theorising grounded in China management and entrepreneurship theory and practice are used suggest policy and practice guidelines (to improve performance) for European practice and European business engagement with Asia.
Within these broad themes, a variety of specific topics may be addressed, including:
• ODI from China: Characteristics and Performance
• Top Teams in management, entrepreneurship and other areas: Characteristics and Performance
• Asian Management and Entrepreneurship: Differences with, and consequences for European Theory and Practice
• Questions of practice and conceptualisation of business practice
• Chinese Top Management Teams, their modus operandi and organizational characteristics such as teamness or hierarchies
• Chinese entrepreneurs, their approaches, biases and heuristics, through frameworks such as the varieties of capitalism
• Varieties of capitalism (VoC): Modelling the Systems of China
• The Financial Crisis: Strategies for Recovery from China
• National Business Models: Unique Mercantilism, export-orientation and trade surpluses as destabilizing factors for markets and firms
• Business Models at Firms: Description and Innovation
• National Innovation Systems in China
• Country and regional specialisation, such as the China IT or automotive sector, and their Western counterparts: cooperation and competition
• China consumers and their impact on manufacturing and the service sector
• The role of the state in shaping managerial and entrepreneurial practice
• Made in Europe vs. Made in China vs. Made Together
• Factor based growth vs. efficiency based growth vs. innovation based growth in China
• The modus operandi of Chinese diasporas, the value of family, social and political networks
• How does the European market (and its economic and monetary union) affect strategy formulation of old and new Chinese firms?
• Institutional elements and the structure of opportunity in Chinese entrepreneurship
• Entrepreneurship of last resort: images, myths and metaphors of Chinese entrepreneurs
• Chinese conglomerates and family firms: reorganization, governance, decentralization, minority shareholders, international partnerships and transparency.
