Vision, Mission and Core Values Our Vision We aspire to be a leader in whole-person business education and a centre of excellence in business research in selected strategic areas, with a view to inspiring business practice, creating values for stakeholders, and enhancing social and economic growth and development.
Our Mission Through internationally recognised business education programmes and research achievements, our School seeks to nurture visionary and ethical business leaders who make a difference to their organisations and industry, and to the evolving needs of Hong Kong, mainland China and the global community.
Our Core Values • • • • • • •
Quality Integrity Professionalism Innovation Global Perspectives Teamwork Social Responsibility
Student Reporters School of Business Armando Flores Chiu Born and raised in Mexico City, Armando has found a second home in Hong Kong to pursue his master’s degree. He speaks Spanish, fluent English, some Italian, basic French and Mandarin, a bit of Cantonese and football. A global citizen at heart, Armando’s love of cultures and languages is his passport to the world.
Anny Liu Literary, musical and athletic. Anny has an eclectic range of interests and never ceases to challenge herself. Being a BBA student majoring in Finance, she has an insider’s knowledge about the life at School of Business and brings us more news bits from beyond.
Sincere Kwan An explorer by nature, Sincere has an innate sense of curiosity that only the life of a journalist can keep her happy, excited and inspired. Sincere has internship experiences with Sing Tao News Group and China National Radio (Beijing) prior to joining the team.
Alison Wang With a talent in photography, Alison is constantly scouting around for hidden gems, rare finds and untold stories from different parts of the world. Originally from Qingdao, she is probably one of the few locals who does not rave over the beer of her hometown.
Blair Au Yeung A BBA student majoring in Economics, Blair embraces the world with an open heart and grit. Reading and travelling are two of her greatest passions in life, for she believes: either body or soul, there must be one on the road.
Business Bridge is published by the School of Business of Hong Kong Baptist University. All rights reserved. For subscription or reproduction of any parts, articles and/or photographs in this publication, please contact the School at 3411 5558. To change your personal information, please e-mail to bus@hkbu.edu.hk or fax to 3411 5588. The information provided will be restricted for permitted use as defined by the University.
C 2-8
ontents Issue No. 32
Jun 2015
| Features The Road to Qianhai: Mr. Bernard Wu, HKBU Chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma Society, talks about Qianhai and new opportunities for business professionals and entrepreneurs From MBA to startup: An interview with founders of Hong Kong Fire Services Co. Ltd. Keeping the entrepreneurial spirit alive: An MScBM student talks about what can be learnt from entrepreneurship competitions Creativity, defined: Dr. Detlef Reis structuralises the method of creativity and discusses modern teaching
9-13 | School News The School Award for Outstanding Performance of Academic/Teaching Staff Hong Kong’s Electricity Future: Lessons from the U.S. market reform experience New Faces at School of Business
14-16 | Programme News 17-20 | Global Engagement 21
| Alumni Corner
F
eature
The Road to Qianhai:
Mr. Bernard Wu, Honoree of BGS Society - HKBU Chapter, talks about Qianhai and new opportunities for business professionals and entrepreneurs The 5th Induction Ceremony of the HKBU Chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma Society On 25 April 2015, the Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) Chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma Society (BGS) inducted 71 new members at its 5th Induction Ceremony. At the ceremony, the School of Business conferred upon Mr. Bernard Wu, Chief Executive Officer of Qianhai SAR Private Equity Investment (Shenzhen) Limited, the Beta Gamma Sigma Honoree Award in honour of his significant contributions to both business sector and the community. In the dialogue with new student members, Mr. Wu shared his personal philosophy “Learning is like rowing against the current,
if one does not advance, one will retreat”. Through sharing of his active involvement in student societies and extra-curricular activities during his early years at HKBU, he encouraged students to grasp every learning opportunity. As proof of his commitment to
lifelong learning, over the past ten years, Mr. Wu has obtained postgraduate certificates from Peking University, Sun Yat-sen University, China National School of Administration and Central Party School of the Communist Party of China in Beijing and Guangzhou.
From left to right: Dr. Alexander Fung, Assistant Professor of Department of Finance and Decision Sciences and BGS HKBU Chapter Officer, Prof. Gordon Tang, Head of Department of Finance and Decision Sciences, Mr. Bernard Wu, Chapter Honoree, and Prof. Allan Chan, Associate Vice-President, Interim Dean of Business and Chapter President
About BGS Society Beta Gamma Sigma Society, founded in the US in 1913, is an international honour society. Only distinguished institutions bestowed with AACSB accredited status are eligible to establish collegiate chapters. According to BGS, there are 544 chapters at colleges and universities and over 750,000 members have been inducted in more than 160 countries and territories. Having received the AACSB accreditation in 2010, the School of Business thereby established the HKBU Chapter of BGS, aiming at recognising students and faculty for their excellent performance, and encouraging its members to uphold the core values of “Beta” (honour), “Gamma” (wisdom) and “Sigma” (earnestness).
2
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
Business Bridge
Feature
An overview of Qianhai’s development
interest, or a one-time subsidy of half of the company’s registered capital, with both capped at RMB 2 million.
During the BGS Induction Ceremony, Mr. Bernard Wu illuminated on the latest developments in Qianhai and shed light on an array of opportunities arising from the preferential policies introduced by the Central Government.
“In the industry, everyone was disappointed by the deficiencies of execution details in CEPA,” says Mr. Wu, “We often describe the arrangement of CEPA as ‘big doors are open, but small doors are not yet open’. Against this backdrop, the establishment of Qianhai, as part of the Guangdong Free Trade Zone, raises the hope that such implementation details can be ironed out, so that Hong Kong services industry can leverage and pioneer the growth in China.”
In an attempt to gain further insights, Dr. Cheng Yuk Sheng, Head and Associate Professor of Department of Economics, has met with Mr. Wu to further discuss.
“Another policy that might be of interest to HKBU School of Business students and alumni is the launch of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub (hereafter as “E Hub”). The E Hub aims to provide innovative entrepreneurial base for young people, in the form of multi-dimensional start-up support including seed money, training, business consultation and networking Mr. Bernard Wu (left) and Dr. Cheng Yuk Sheng, Head and platform. The E Hub also Associate Professor of Department of Economics, exchange offers quality office space views on Qianhai’s new scene at concessionary rates and In December 2012, President Xi Jinping provides access to angel investors and positioned Qianhai as “relying on Hong venture capital.” Kong, serving the Mainland and facing the World”. Since then, the development “Interesting projects are recommended has expanded from financial services to to the E Hub via its collaborating other areas, and under China’s 12th Five- education institutions and NGOs in Hong Year Plan, Qianhai aims to become a Kong. Currently there are nine of such demonstration zone of innovative services, ‘Entrepreneur Project Recommendation and eventually a leading service hub in Platforms’ in Hong Kong, with HKUST the Asia-Pacific Region. In Spring 2015, being one of them. In the future, we Qianhai was designated as part of the Free can work together to bring HKBU Trade Zone in Guangdong, signifying its into the picture to recommend good pioneering position in China’s economic entrepreneurs amongst us to join the E Hub,” says Mr. Wu. reform. Dr. Cheng explains that the Central Government utilises the “Negative List” approach to administer investments in the zone, i.e. anything not on the list can be done. This is in sharp contrast to the original policy, under which every project required prior approval from administrative units. The new approach aims to attract foreign enterprises into the zone, especially targeting at enterprises in Hong Kong. Incentives include a reduced corporate income tax rate of 15% for qualified enterprises, and potentially a 2-year, 3% discount in loan
“In recent months, the Guangdong Provincial Government actively seeks internship opportunities for university students in Hong Kong, and given that Shenzhen plays an important role in leading technology driven enterprises such as Tencent, it proves to be one of the best training grounds for Hong Kong graduates to connect to the business world of China. I would highly recommend entrepreneur wannabes at HKBU to grab any of such opportunities that are hard to come by.”
Profile of Mr. Bernard Wu
Chief Executive Officer, Qianhai SAR Private Equity Fund Investment (Shenzhen) Limited • Obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Hong Kong Baptist University in 1993, and a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance from the University of Wales and the University of Manchester in 2001 • With over 20 years of professional experience in auditing, financial management, investment management, provision of investment banking advice to various listed/to-be-listed companies, mergers & acquisitions and initial public offer exercises • Former Managing Director of Agricultural Bank of China International Investment Management Limited • Current Honorary Treasurer of the Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries, Director of the Hong Kong Business Accountants Association and Vice Chairman of the Association of Hong Kong Professionals; former Chairman of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, and former President of the Taxation Institute of Hong Kong • Advisory Committee Member of (i) HKBU School of Business (ii) HKBU Department of Accountancy and Law (iii) HKBU Department of Finance and Decision Sciences (iv) HKBU Knowledge Transfer Office (v) HKBU Business Enterprise Review Panel (vi) College of International Education (vii) Division of Business and Management, United International College • Honorary Count Member of HKBU and Chairman of Advisory Committee on Graduate Employment of HKBU Office of Student Affairs
About the E Hub Located in Qianhai Shenzhen, the E Hub was opened in early December 2014, with investment from the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. The E Hub is a tripartite project of the Qianhai Authority, the Shenzhen Youth Federation and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, which has positioned itself as a unique, global innovation hub for young entrepreneurs.
For application details, visit: http://ehub.hkfyg.org.hk/application.php
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
3
Feature
Business Bridge
From MBA to startup
An interview with founders of Hong Kong Fire Services Co. Ltd.
M
ost of us pursue an MBA with the idea of taking the careers to next new heights with a broadened knowledge base and personal network. How many would have thought that MBA studies would take one onto a startup journey? Well, not so many.
George Lee talks about the importance of scouting for business opportunities in unexplored terrains and how to find the right approach to sell the idea
“Rather than planning down to the last detail, our gut instincts told us that we had got to register a company first and work out the details along the way.”
Here is an exception. A collective of four George Lee, Salim Rumjahn, King Cheung and Simon Leung - met while studying MBA at HKBU School of Business and, after they graduated in 2014, they started their own company - Hong Kong Fire Services Co. Ltd., the
first local company to provide an “all-in-one” fire extinguisher rental services to families. We interviewed the four alumni to find out how they transformed classroom collaboration into business partnership.
Turning an idea into a real business It all started with group projects. “The four of us had been working in the same group for course assignments and projects since the first day of our MBA studies. There’s obviously a strong rapport amongst us. And, we always knew we could do something together to test out some of the business ideas we had come up with in class,” says George. So one day during the field study in Xian, they just sat down in the hotel and decided to give the business idea of fire extinguisher rental services a go. George recalls, “Rather than planning down to the last detail, our gut instincts told us that we had got to register a company first and work out the details along the way.” And so they did, in just a few months’ time. With start-ups, the chemistry amongst partners matters a great deal. It decides
The Company’s key marketing message is “home safety” (source: www.hk-fire.com)
4
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
Business Bridge
Feature
From left to right: King Cheung, Simon Leung and George Lee
whether the initial entrepreneurial spark can be taken forward, developing into a promising and sustainable business. “The fact that we all come from different fields and that we are able to leverage resources from George’s fire service system engineering company and my digital marketing consultancy helps create the synergy we need to start small and keep our costs low,” says Salim. While George knows about the industry, people and products, Salim helps build the website and social media channels for the company, and the other two partners, King and Simon, take care of developing sales strategies, image-building and customer relations of the business, given their expertise in sales and account management.
Being the first-mover: the pros and cons Being the first company offering subscription plans of fire extinguisher rental services specifically to local household customers, covering installation, inspection and replacement, no doubt, the team’s “brainchild” taps into a previously unexplored niche market. But, is it easy to be the first-mover? According to the team, while most potential customers feel the need to install fire extinguishers at home for safety reason, such a thought does not automatically translate into action. Although the customer base is potentially huge, their new business idea does require a bit of education in order to thrive in the market.
Promoting the rental service subscription plans at the sales counter in hospital
“For us, installation is just the first step. Our business concept is to ensure our family users know how to use fire extinguishers in the hour of need, and to teach them how to maintain the equipment properly,” George explains.
King, whose bachelor’s degree is in psychology, says, “In a way, the MBA programme has given me more tools to look at the business world from a three-dimensional perspective. And, it’s fun to start a business.”
Now, they promote their business mostly through online marketing, roadshow and by word of mouth.
For all of them, the insight gained from MBA programme comes in the form of an instinct for business opportunities and a different mindset towards entrepreneurship. As Salim shares, “Early on, we thought of business from the point of view of capital, money comes first, but now we have changed the way we look at it,” adding that, “Actually, it doesn’t take that much money to start a business; as long as you have a good business idea, there are many ways out there to make things work.”
Inspired by MBA Programme Apart from bringing four of them together in the first place, inspiration from MBA programme has been a major driving force for their startup. Courses on social media marketing, business creativity and entrepreneurship, in particular, have ignited their entrepreneurial spirits and reshaped the way they think of business.
Following Eric Ries’s Lean Startup method, starting a business is not all that difficult. The story of a new entrepreneur can begin anywhere, and the classroom can surely be a very good choice.
“Actually, it doesn’t take that much money to start a business; as long as you have a good business idea, there are many ways out there to make things work.” Salim Rumjahn at the roadshow booth
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
5
Feature
Business Bridge
Keeping the entrepreneurial spirit alive An MScBM student talks about what can be learnt from entrepreneurship competitions teammates. While the member majoring in Chinese Medicine contributes to the relevant professional knowledge required for developing the app, members from Computer Science are responsible for designing the programme and solving technical problems, Vincent himself is in charge of the business plan and presentation.
From left to right: Vincent Zhang, Mei Minyue and Zheng Xiao at the semi-final of the Hong Kong Social Enterprise Challenge 2014
P
reparing for three largescale entrepreneurship competitions, joining various events organised by HKBU’s Student Union and HKBU-CSSA, and keeping up with course work – that’s the portrait of the hectic life of Zhang Huachen, Vincent, at HKBU over the last six months.
the “Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macau-Taiwan Innovative and Young Entrepreneurship Exchange Programme” in mid-December 2014.
A postgraduate student of Master of Science in Business Management (MScBM), Vincent arrived in Hong Kong last summer with a burning passion for entrepreneurship. Originally from Mainland China, Vincent is very keen to learn about the business environment in Hong Kong, and the opportunities it offers for entrepreneurs. With this clear goal in mind, he has soon formed a team with kindred spirits, new friends whom he met at student activities sharing the same interest in entrepreneurship.
As a team leader, Vincent says that the key to success lies in the rapport amongst
His team, consisting of teammates Mai Guangcan of the Faculty of Science, Mei Minyue of the School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. Justin Yum, Teaching Assistant of the Faculty of Science, clinched “the Best Unit” award in the competition held at 6
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
Their award winning business proposal is the development of a mobile app called “Regimen Steward of Chinese Medicine”, which seeks to provide an interactive platform to facilitate communication between Chinese medicine practitioners and patients/users.
In his eyes, the greatest reward from the competitions is not the prize itself, but the opportunities to meet and exchange ideas with like-minded young people as well as the rare chance to present ideas in front of real investors. “Every time I talk with fellow contenders, judges and investors at competitions, it is truly a brainstorm! I have learnt more than I could have imagined.” He describes joining these competitions as “a process of growing up mentally”. “What I had before was more like blind passion for business, but now I have become more rational and realistic, and I am able to think more deeply about different aspects of business”, explains Vincent. Does it mean his enthusiasm for entrepreneurship is waning? He flashes a smile, “The passion is still there! I cherish the time being a student and I try to make the most out of my university life. For me, outcomes should be the least of our concerns, because we are still young!” By student reporter Alison
Vincent Zhang and Liu Chenye, Alice (right), one of his teammates from MScBM Programme, receive the “Best Innovation Award” at the Junior World Entrepreneurship Forum 2015 – Macau
Business Bridge
Feature
Creativity, defined:
Dr. Detlef Reis structuralises the method of creativity and talks about modern teaching
T
he interview was conducted in a rainy evening. Instead of the image of an efficient and disciplined German (where he is from), Dr. Detlef Reis rather resembles an outspoken, happy-go-lucky Australian.
“Working in the university setting gives me a lot of room for development of my own innovation methods, and as a matter of fact, one of my major motivations in work is to identify talents and develop them. The current setting is perfect for that.”
To be creative systematically “With the background from the banking industry, plus the years of interaction
“If you ask me, I think I’m an inventor, an entrepreneur and an ideator. For all my years working in Deutsche Bank, it was more apparent day by day that the job does not suit me. Banking is all about big system, regulations and procedures, and my personality belongs to being a change agent. I like to think differently, dress differently. That’s why I got out.” Dr. Reis, or better known as Dr. D, gave an interesting account of his journey to become what he is today. Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
7
Feature
Business Bridge
with clients and students at Mahidol University and commercial sector through Thinkergy, I’ve invented and fine-tuned a method called X-IDEA, which guides systematic innovation in project/class through five stages (Xploration, Ideation, Development, Evaluation, and Action). At each stage, you get to adopt a different mindset, do different things, and produce different kinds of target outputs.”
entrepreneurs because they lose their jobs or they are retiring. Of another interesting trend, nowadays traditional “systematic” corporations like banks that I used to work are engaging Thinkergy for entrepreneurship training, to encourage entrepreneurship spirits amongst employees, so that they can be geared for innovating new services/ business models and can recognise opportunities around them.”
“Results are usually amazing; all the way from students to high-level officials had wonderful post-activity sharing. One of them includes Sir David K. P. Li of Bank of East Asia.”
“I used to teach similar courses at Helsinki School of Creative Entrepreneurship in Finland, where students do not have exams. Instead, they graduate when they are able to come up with a business plan that convinced a number of senior advisory entrepreneurs to fund their project with real money. The students then become real entrepreneurs when they graduate.”
On the entrepreneurial trend “It is an interesting decision of HKBU to take on the subject of entrepreneurship in its bachelor education. In my opinion, the world is moving from managerial society into an entrepreneurial society, as more and more people are forced to become
BUS7450 Business Creativity @ HKBU
workshop, MScBM students had a lively encounter. “This year the class changed to five conservative days, and I’m able to implement the TIPS Innovation Profiling Method. In this method, we track the ‘energy’ that motivates students in class using a questionnaire, which will determine their position within a TIPS map (‘TIPS’: ‘T’ - theories, testimony & truth; ‘I’ - ideas, imagination & innovation; ‘P’ - people, play & party; and ‘S’ system, structure & status quo) to further identify them in 11 innovator profiles that describes their personal styles and basic energies best.” Using the proven Thinkergy method, Dr. D gave the students a journey to rediscover their creativity, through which initially reserved and shy students warmed up to contribute ideas and finally presented their thinking in an interactive way. The actions, the laugher, the fun, make education so much alive again.
Dr. D’s class is full of fun and movement. In a highly interactive 5-day intensive
Profile of Dr. Detlef Reis Dr. Detlef Reis (aka “Dr. D”) is the Founder and Chief Ideator of Thinkergy Limited (www. thinkergy.com), a think tank offering corporate training and other innovative solutions. After a long successful career of over 16 years with Deutsche Bank, Dr. D is currently a lecturer for Business Creativity and Creative Leadership at the College of Management, Mahidol University in Bangkok since August 2004. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at HKBU School of Business, where he has taught as a Visiting Lecturer since April 2007.
8
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
Business Bridge
S
Feature
chool News
The School Award for Outstanding Performance of Academic/Teaching Staff On 10 February 2015, the School of Business was pleased to present awards to two faculty members in recognition of their outstanding performance. Ms. Connie Li, Lecturer II from the Department of Marketing, received the Award for Outstanding Performance in Teaching. Dr. Emily Huang, Assistant Professor from the Department of Management received the Award for Outstanding Performance in Scholarly Work. Established in 2009, the School of Business Award Scheme for Outstanding Performance of Academic/ Teaching Staff aims to recognise distinguished achievements and contributions by faculty members. The awards are given out each year at the School Award Presentation Ceremony.
Dr. Emily Huang receives the Award for Outstanding Performance in Scholarly Work
Ms. Connie Li receives the Award for Outstanding Performance in Teaching from Interim Dean Prof. Allan Chan
Dr. Emily Huang – The humble scholar Dr. Emily Huang, recipient of the 2014 School of Business Award for Outstanding Performance in Scholarly Work, talks about her research and also her personal motivational drivers. On research, Emily excels in organisational behavior studies. Her recent study provides much insight into the global trend of employee/employer conflicts. Her research objective is to bridge the very different expectations of the new generation employee and the employers, with an emphasis on relationship building in bridging these differences. It’s not hard to find out Emily’s motivation simply by looking at her office. Children’s drawing and photos, a very homely sofa, all tell the story of how much a family person Emily is. “I read an article saying that when you bring your children to your job, it can bring them a better sense of responsibility,” says Emily. Taking the idea to heart, Emily brings a lot of family elements to her work place, which obviously also act as a stress reliever and personal motivation. By student reporter Armando
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
9
SchoolNews
S
chool News
Business Bridge
Ms. Connie Li – To be a teacher who inspires On the back of winning the award, Ms. Connie Li had a lot of people within School of Business to thank. Connie has been hugely affiliated to the School, as she pursued MPhil and PhD in Department of Marketing right here. She is currently a part-time PhD student and is expected to graduate this year. “I wish to thank and give back to the colleagues who have shown faith in me during my study here, and I’m glad to be part of this family.” This is why Connie chose to stay on to teach at HKBU. When asked about her secret to winning the award, Connie shares her style: “I’ll revise the PowerPoint materials provided by the publisher to suit the case of Hong Kong and also to make it more interesting. Fun and joy is essential in learning, and in some less ideal cases like very early morning class, I usually start the class by telling one personal story related to marketing. When students find it interesting, they will try to be on time so not to miss the opening.” Connie would summarise her teaching philosophy in two words: “change” and “passion”. By student reporter Anny
Exploring Hong Kong’s Electricity Future: Lessons from the U.S. market reform experience On 29 April 2015, the School of Business hosted a public education workshop: Hong Kong’s Electricity Future: Lessons from the U.S. market reform experience, which was cosponsored by the School of Accounting and Finance of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) HK PES Chapter, and the Hong Kong Association for Energy Economics (HKAEE). Organised by HKBU’s Department of Economics, this workshop was motivated by the reliable and affordable electricity service supplied by China Light and Power and
10
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
Business Bridge
SchoolNews
Hong Kong Electric under the scheme of control agreements (SCA) with the HKSAR government. But the SCA will expire in 2018. An important public policy question thus arises: what’s next?
Miss Christine Loh, JP, the Under Secretary for the Environment, delivers opening remarks
Mr. Paul O’ Rourke, former energy practice lead at Booz, Allen & Hamilton, CRA International and Putnam Hayes & Bartlett, sheds light on the U.S. reform history
Professor C.K. Woo presents an overview of electricity market reform in the U.S.
Professor Allan Chan, HKBU Associate Vice-President and Interim Dean of the School of Business, opened the half-day programme, affirming HKBU’s active role in public policy discussions that impact Hong Kong residents and businesses. Miss Christine Loh, JP, the Under Secretary for the Environment of the HKSAR Government, highlighted the need to align various stakeholders’ interests, so as to achieve the overarching objectives of reliable supply, affordable price, environmental protection, and reasonable returns for the electricity industry. Professor C.K. Woo of HKBU’s Department of Economics offered an overview of electricity market reform in the U.S. Mr. Paul O’ Rourke, former energy practice lead at various energy consulting companies, delivered his views on the 20 years of the U.S. reform history. Dr. Jay Zarnikau, Adjunct Professor of Public Policy of University of Texas (Austin), explained the Texas markets. Dr. Lorna Greening, Research Fellow of University of Tennessee and former Editor of Energy Policy, discussed the Midcontinent markets. These four speakers’ general consensus was that Hong Kong is not ready for a U.S.-style market reform any time soon. Concluding the workshop was a lively panel session moderated by Dr. Larry Chow, President of HKAEE and former Professor of Geography of HKBU. The panelists were: Mr. Donald Ng, Environment Bureau, HKSAR Government; Dr. Victor Hung, Hong Kong Consumer Council; Mr. Jacobus Ngai, IEEE HK PES Chapter, Mr. TC Yee, Hongkong Electric Co. Ltd; and Mr. Joseph Law, CLP Power Hong Kong Ltd.
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
11
SchoolNews
Business Bridge
New Faces at School of Business Dr. Archimedes David Guerra Department of Marketing:
Never fear, never stop the challenge Perhaps, the best way to describe Dr. Archimedes David Guerra’s experience at HKBU is “transformation”. Moving from the Philippines to Hong Kong, transitioning from graduate student to teaching faculty, switching from finance to marketing, Dr. Guerra has challenged himself to become better amidst these changes. Born and raised in the Philippines, Dr. Guerra earned his MBA from University of the Philippines and his PhD in Finance and Decision Sciences from HKBU. In September 2014, he joined the Department of Marketing as Lecturer I. With his research expertise in family business management, cross-cultural business and entrepreneurship, Dr. Guerra embraces the new environment in Hong Kong and takes inspiration from the cultural differences between Hong Kong and the Philippines to further advance his research. As a PhD-student-turned-lecturer, Dr. Guerra uses his experience as a student at HKBU to guide his teaching. He notes the importance of being able to motivate students to participate in class discussions and activities, both through sheer passion and effective class design. He regards every class as a 3-hour show that he has to carefully and thoroughly prepare for to always be at his best “on stage”. “It takes a lot of time to prepare since I’m new to teaching marketing, but the effort is worth it since my students almost always respond well.” Having been living in Hong Kong for almost five years, Dr. Guerra is still enchanted by everything the city has to offer. “Whatever your hobby is, there is always a place in Hong Kong that can serve it,” he said. Exploring hiking trails, collecting action figures such as Transformers, watching films in local art house cinemas are some of his indulgences after a good day’s work. By student reporter Alison
Dr. Chang Song Department of Management:
Embracing the warm HKBU family Although new to HKBU, Hong Kong is nothing new to Dr. Chang Song. Having lived in the city for over ten years, Dr. Chang received his PhD from HKUST and, prior to joining HKBU Department of Management, he worked at CUHK for seven years. “I heard the working environment at the School of Business here is like a big family. Having been here for just a while, I have already felt like home,” says Dr. Chang. “In teaching, I believe the best way of encouraging creative thinking is to offer students with opportunities to link things that are apparently unrelated together.” On his future plan at HKBU, he says: “I wish to make use of my connections with universities in Mainland China to establish quality research collaborations with HKBU.” By student reporter Alison
12
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
Business Bridge
SchoolNews
Dr. Marc Mazodier Department of Marketing:
Adaptation is a lifetime process Relocating to Hong Kong with his family and taking up the position of Assistant Professor in Department of Marketing at HKBU mark a new journey to Dr. Marc Mazodier. The challenges are both personal and professional. The experience here has been “great”, as described by Dr. Mazodier. He and his wife have learnt how to adapt to this new environment. But the earliest days of their lives in Hong Kong were not as easy as they had expected. “The job market in Hong Kong is very competitive and the criteria are different. It took me two years to find a full-time position as a researcher,” recalls Dr. Mazodier. When asked about the difference between universities in France and Hong Kong in ways of teaching, Dr. Mazodier observes that textbooks play a bigger role here than in France. Although he has been able to understand the local needs by incorporating materials from textbooks for his classes, he stresses that, “There’s no perfect textbook, that’s why we do research.”
His adaptation involves much more than just teaching and research. He and his wife have taken a quest to explore Hong Kong cuisine, night life, hiking and other outdoor activities to immerse themselves fully in the local culture. “We are still looking for a place where we can dance!” Even though he still sees France as “home”, he considers Hong Kong as “the place to be”. By student reporter Armando
Dr. Steffan Qi Han Department of Economics:
Find and follow your comparative advantage A graduate of Peking University in 2007 and earning his PhD in Economics from HKUST, Dr. Qi Han, Steffan, is an easy-going academic full of energy and sunshine. “For me, academically, my research interest is in international trade,” says Dr. Qi, who has chosen not to go into the commercial sector but to start his career as an Assistant Professor at HKBU Department of Economics. On any advice for the students, Dr. Qi always reminds his students not to be a bookworm, but to take the opportunity to pursue life-long goals. “Everyone has their own comparative advantage, students shall take this time to find their own, before deciding what they wish to further pursue in their life.” Like any college student, Dr. Qi was, and still is, a sports lover. Dating back to his time in while in Mainland China, he was already a regular in his school’s basketball and football teams. He welcomes any students to find him for after-class games, and plans to utilise his comparative advantage in social skills to get to know the names of all his students quickly. By student reporter Sincere
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
13
P
rogramme News
HKBU business students investing into their future Of all the things being talked about in Hong Kong apart from politics, stock market is probably the hottest topic of conversation. Recently, a group of business students from HKBU has received much of that attention - the Fund Management Committee (FMC) – a student team that manages over a million Hong Kong Dollar of real fund. Started in 2006 with endowments donated by School’s alumni totaling HK$900,000, HKBU was the first amongst the universities in Hong Kong to provide students with the opportunity to invest in the local equity market with real money. The fund managed by FMC is now worth well over HK$1,150,000, beating the growth of the Hang Seng Index (HSI) in the same period. With the fund’s return rate reaching close to 25% in the first four months of 2015, we interview the president and vice-president of FMC, Cheng Ching, Mary and Cui Bofeng, Derek, to gain insights into the motivations and operation of the Committee.
Investment direction of the Committee Derek, a BBA Year 3 student majoring in Finance and vicepresident of FMC, aspires to be the next Warren Buffett. “Seven years ago, I missed the chance to invest in Apple,” Derek sighs, “But now, it’s not too late to catch up with Alibaba”. He comments that Alibaba’s recent move to develop smart cars signals a promising future for the company. While Derek usually puts forth proposal with a bullish mindset, on the other hand, Mary, president of FMC, is more of a cautious investor. For most of the heated discussions amongst committee members, Mary often acts as the catalyst for cooling down, to avoid pushing the fund to be overly bullish. “For me, the most important objective for the fund is risk management,” Mary says. “The bottom line is capital conservation, as the asset is an important asset of HKBU donated by the alumni.” While opportunities are abundant in the recent bullish market, members of FMC are often reminded that the fund is not a personal investment but a risk-managed portfolio.
On personal growth Derek believes that joining FMC has brought him emotional maturity. “When I stepped up as the vice-president last year, I felt a strong drive and responsibility to improve the portfolio of FMC. But the more I engage in the committee discussion, the more I understand the difference between personal investment and fund management.” As for Mary, in addition to investment knowledge, she believes the FMC experience has greatly honed her leadership and communication skills, which would be much valuable in her later career.
14
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
Mary Cheng and Derek Cui find their experiences at FMC both challenging and rewarding
About the Fund Management Committee Aiming at marrying theory and practice, the Investment Club at HKBU was established by the Department of Finance and Decision Sciences in 2006. The Club was set up with a donation of nearly $0.9 million from alumni, $0.5 million of which was contributed by alumnus Mr. Wong Nga-chung. In 2012, the Investment Club was divided into two committees – the Fund Management Committee and the Investment Club, with the former tasked with the management of the fund and the latter the organisation of student activities for its members. By student reporter Blair
Business Bridge
ProgrammeNews
Creating a barrier-free community: BBA students garner awards at Hong Kong Social Enterprise Challenge With a creative business proposal of developing a mobile app that provides a barrier-free restaurant and travel guide for Hong Kong, the HKBU student team named “@accompany” captured the 1st Runner-up, Best Social Mission Award and Best Presentation Award at the Hong Kong Social Enterprise Challenge (HKSEC) 2014. Along with the awards, the team received a start-up fund of HK$150,000 to realise their project. The award-winning team comprised five students and alumnus from BBA Programme and BSocSc in Government and International Studies Programme, namely, John Cheung (Finance alumnus), Ngan Chiu Ming (Information Systems and e-Business Management, Year 3), Cherries Chung (Information Systems and e-Business Management, Year 3), Sarah Chung (Human Resources Management, Year 3) and Joscelin Yeung (Government and International Studies, Year 3). From left to right: John Cheung, Joscelin Yeung, Cherries Chung, Ngan Chiu
“We hope to bring changes and benefits to the disabled through Ming and Sarah Chung at HKSEC 2014 [Photograph: HKSEC] information technology,” John says. “To ensure the accuracy of the information, we did a lot of on-site research, looking into barrier-free access facilities available within our community.”
HKSEC is a social venture business plan competition organised by the Center for Entrepreneurship of the Chinese University of Hong Kong since 2007, which aims to raise awareness of social enterprises. To find out more about the project, visit: http://hksec.hk/page/accompany
Caring ideas for business: BBA students awarded the 2nd Runner-up in Enactus China Regional Competition A team of seven HKBU students won the 2nd Runner-up at the Enactus China Regional Competition on 14 April 2015. This year, a total of 25 tertiary institutions from Mainland China and Hong Kong participated in the competition. The team’s winning proposal “Hoolove Box” is an online carepackage-order-platform that employs socially vulnerable groups to provide packaging and delivery services of gifts or daily necessities for customers’ families and friends. The caring concept was particularly commended by the panel of judges.
From left to right: Aquila Tam, Kong Chak Ming, Betty Li, Jack Yip, Tony Tsui, Jay Yang and Kelly Wong
The team included four BBA students - Kelly Wong (Applied Economics, Year 2), Aquila Tam (Human Resources Management, Year 3), Betty Li (Accounting, Year 2) and Kong Chak Ming (BBA, Year 1), together with three other HKBU students from BA & BEd (Eng), COMP and GIS programmes. The team would like to express their gratitude to Aurélien Pierre Vasinis, a business exchange student from France, for his tremendous support to the project.
The Enactus National Competition aims to provide a platform for students to suggest and implement business ideas to improve the quality of life and standard of living of the community. Every country that operates an Enactus organises a national competition.
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
15
ProgrammeNews
Business Bridge
News on MBA, DBA and MPhil/PhD Programmes January
10 January
10 January
Annual gathering for DBA students, alumni and faculty
New Year celebration dinner for MBA Shenzhen class (In Shenzhen, China)
March
15 March Hiking and BBQ lunch for MPhil and PhD students
17 March Alumni sharing session for MPhil and PhD students
21-22 March Gathering for DBA students from Hong Kong and Tianjin classes
16
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
Business Bridge
G
Global Engagement
lobal Engagement A collection of memories from abroad Each year, many students from the School of Business go on exchange and take home with them precious experiences and new perspectives gained from abroad. We have a chat with five BBA exchange returnees, who share their personal discoveries from different corners of the world.
Understanding freedom from a Dutch perspective With its iconic landscape and picturesque countryside, the Netherlands is a fascinating exchange destination for Chan Ka Lai, Scarlett (Human Resources Management, Year 3), who has many memorable moments at VU University Amsterdam. Scarlett describes her exchange experience as a way to explore the unknown world. Of all things, what inspires her most is the high level of self-discipline found in the city renowned worldwide for its freedom and tolerance. As Scarlett notices, in the Netherlands, freedom is not antithetical to rules; there is a rigorous legal system in place. Respect for freedom is also reflected in the country’s academic system. Although self-study is given significant weight in the universities there, students are expected to spend extra time on independent study in order to fulfill stringent course requirements. Creativity is another trademark of the Netherlands. At VU University Amsterdam, Scarlett took a course on International Marketing, during which she and her multi-national teammates formulated a marketing plan for “Bakfiets”, a Dutch cargo bike, and had it modified to appeal to customers from diverse cultural backgrounds. “In the presentation, I had to sit inside the bike, pretending to be a baby, while my teammate, ‘the father’, rode me into the lecture theater! We had learnt a lot from the course and had great fun!” The motto - “If not now, then when?” - is the driving force behind Scarlett’s decision to study abroad and her approach to embrace many new adventures on the road, such as taking a dip into an ice-hole in Sweden. And, she’s ready for what the future brings her.
Scarlett has fallen in love with Amsterdam’s bike-filled streets and canals
Scarlett presenting the “Bakfiets” project with her funloving teammates
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
17
Global Engagement
Business Bridge
“Just go for it!” A glimpse into the American vibe Zhu Lin, Sally (Human Resources Management, Year 3) went on exchange in Babson College in the U.S. “I’ve always been a big fan of the American TV series. I was intrigued by the lifestyles shown on the TV, and I wanted to find out more about the real life of the Americans through the exchange programme,” explains Sally. Babson College is an academic-oriented institution known for its strong academic atmosphere. Sally points out that the interaction between professors and students in class is excellent. At Babson, the role of professor is more like “a facilitator” instead of someone who just disseminates knowledge. “It encourages me to better prepare myself for each discussion and I find that my critical thinking skill has improved a lot.” And, her biggest change from the exchange experience? Sally says: “I am definitely much more independent than before. I know that I can only rely on myself when I am abroad. I try to find the inner sense of direction like other local students there.” Not only has the American spirit made Sally more mature, it has also inspired her to go for her goals. “The main takeaway for me is: Just go for it”, she says, adding that “There may be a bumpy road ahead of us, full of ups and downs, but we have to give it a try.”
Sally and the world famous sculpture “The Wall Street Bull” in New York
Sally with her new friends at the Chinese New Year’s Eve Celebration held in Babson College
Pause… Slow living in Pforzheim Different from many other students who choose to go on exchange in English-speaking countries as a way to improve their English, Chan Man Lam, Emily (Applied Economics, Year 3) opted for Pforzheim University, located in a quaint town in Germany. Obviously, she has a different idea in mind: “Living in Pforzheim actually made me speak English all the time and even rely on the body language to communicate with the locals.” Like many other small cities, local residents of Pforzheim tend to have a strong awareness of their own culture and identity, and take pride in their native language. With a basic knowledge of German at the beginning, Emily often had to make herself understood with body language in daily life such as getting a telephone card. She recalls: “I am grateful to my landlord who offered me help and made me feel at home.” Reflecting on the difference in lifestyle between Pforzheim and Hong Kong, Emily says while it is quite common in Hong Kong that we are leading a hectic lifestyle, and sometimes we ignore family needs, people in Pforzheim treasure quality time with their families. Nearly all shops and restaurants are closed on Sunday. “I have come to realise the importance of family. The quiet time I have enjoyed there is like a pause in life, bringing me peace and relief for a while, something that I would never forget.”
Emily and her friends playing in the snow in the Swiss Alps
18
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
Making Chinese wontons is Emily’s special way of saying thank you to her landlords for helping her settle down in a foreign country
Business Bridge
Global Engagement
The Danish way of learning and teaching business “It had always been my dream to go on exchange ever since I was in secondary school,” says Lau Man Yu, Mandy (Accounting, Year 3), who has her dream come true by spending a semester at Copenhagen Business School in Denmark. In her eyes, the Danes are “amiable and diligent”, and most Danish students are keen learners, who come to every class prepared and ready to raise the questions and opinions they have in mind. What impresses her most is the Danish way of teaching and learning business. In Denmark, courses are creatively designed and uniquely taught to arouse students’ interest. In one of the courses she took there, her professor took the whole class on a campus tour, as if a form of “mobile lecture”, during which students read the notes posted up by the professor at random spots on campus and they discussed as they walked. The learning curve she faced is undoubtedly steep. But as Mandy puts it: “I did find it challenging at first, but I could really improve a lot during the process.” And, along the way, she was fortunate to have met her buddy, who made her feel part of the family by inviting her to his sister’s confirmation party, a deeply moving and memorable moment for Mandy during her time in Denmark.
Mandy in front of Copenhagen’s landmark “The Little Mermaid”
Mandy celebrating Lunar New Year with other exchange students and local friends
Discovering inner/outer space in Scotland “Scotland pleases my soul. I wish to go back there for a visit someday in the future,” says So Ming Yuen (Accounting, Year 3). Ming chose University of Strathclyde in the UK as his exchange destination. During his exchange programme, Ming tried many things that he had never done before such as voting and travelling on his own. “Many people have the idea that traveling alone is lonely and dangerous, but I find it priceless to have a special moment for myself to think deeply about everything and anything,” says Ming, adding that “The vast landscape and space for mind is what I missed the most about Scotland.” Through living in and travelling around Europe, Ming was able to experience first-hand the forces of economic crises in the region, prompting him to try to understand the underlying causes behind them. During his visit to Spain, he noticed that most of the stores in Spain close quite early in the afternoon. Shop owners would rather take a rest from work than approach a potential customer. “The habit of siesta and its subtle impacts are something I would never know simply by conducting online research.”
A snapshot taken in Vienna during Ming’s 36-day grand Eastern European tour
Ming has developed a close bond with his flatmates
By student reporter Anny Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
19
Global Engagement
Business Bridge
MBA students explore businesses in Switzerland, Taiwan and Germany The global business landscape is constantly evolving. To keep in step with changing industry trends and expectations of leadership, it is important for business students to get immersed in the real-world business. With this in mind, MBA Programme’s “Business Field Study” is a course uniquely designed to bring students to visit business institutions and corporates overseas every year. For current academic year, the destinations are Switzerland, Taiwan and Berlin. In collaboration with host institutions - ZHAW School of Management, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland), Feng Chia University (Taiwan) and Berlin School of Economics and Law (Germany), the MBA The representative from H. Moser & Cie introduces the inner workings Programme Office organised visits to prominent organisations and of watches corporates from diverse industries. These included, amongst others, Swiss Stock Exchange Six, Hotel Park Hyatt Zurich, Shuili Snakekiln, Hsinchu Science Park, BMW, Volkswagen and Deutsche Bank. From watchmaking to brewery, hotel to automobile manufacturing, students had a rare glimpse into the operations of an array of industries and gained an understanding of the business environment of these destination countries.
Visit to Taiwan Fylin Industrial Co., Ltd
Students learn about automobile industry trends at Volkswagen’s headquarters in Berlin
Study Tours From January to May 2015, IIBD has organised study tours for delegations from the following institutions: • • • • • • •
Aichi University, Japan Baldwin Wallace University, USA Berlin School of Economics and Law, Germany Purdue University, USA Shenzhen University, PRC University of Pittsburgh, USA University of San Diego, USA
Academic Exchange Agreements As of May 2015, the School of Business has signed academic exchange agreement with 65 business schools from all over the world. Together with the 118 Universitylevel partners of HKBU, the School currently has a total of 183 exchange partners.
20
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
Business Bridge
A
Global Engagement
lumni activity highlights
21 January Alumni talk on stress and diet
14 March Alumni Badminton Mixer
MBA Alumni Association invited dietician Mr. Bong Li and Dr. Kilpatrick Chan to share tips on how to boost resistance to stress through a healthy diet.
13 February International marketing in practice: Carlsberg’s rejuvenation in China Invited by MScGMM, alumnus Mr. Sunny Wong shared his experience of marketing Carlsberg in China from 1995 to 2014, and reflected on his own journey of rediscovery.
Hosted by the School of Business, the Mixer offered unique networking opportunities for alumni, staff and students.
21 March China MBA alumni gathering: “New Era of the Baptist’s Dreams”
28 March Inauguration Ceremony of MBA (China) Alumni Association Zhuhai Branch
The inauguration ceremony was held at the United International College in Zhuhai, during which alumna Ms. Wu Suping, newly elected President of Zhuhai branch, introduced the association’s upcoming plan.
30 April MBA Alumni triumphed at the Desert Challenge
10 March Marketing talk: “Win as One: Trend, New Era Mobility and Smart Life” At the talk organised by Department of Marketing and HKBUSU Business Management Society, alumnus Mr. Alex Chung, General Manager of Lenovo HK, shared his insights into the evolving ecosystem of technology products and latest industry trends.
Over 200 alumni, students and teaching faculty participated in the gathering hosted by the HKBU MBA (China) Alumni Association in Guangzhou.
27 March Building professional brand: strategies for success in career
Twelve MBA alumni from Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen joined “The 4th Asia Pacific Business School Desert Challenge” during 30 April to 3 May at the Tengger Desert, Inner Mongolia.
7 May Talk show on banking
14 March Trading sharing session
As part of the Simulated Investment Competition organised by HKBU School of Business Alumni Association, alumni Mr. Leo Zhu, Mr. Gilbert Leung and Mr. William Cai were invited to share their investment experiences.
At MSc in Strategic HRM Programme Alumni Sharing Seminar, alumna Ms. May Chan, General Manager of Spark Image Consultancy Company, handed out tips on business etiquette and professional imagebuilding.
Invited by alumni from MScAAF, MBA & MScBM, Mr. Martin Wong, Director of Citigroup, and Mr. Alan Chan, Sales President of Quam Securities, shared their insights into banking sector.
Business Bridge Issue No.32 Jun 2015
21
Stay connected! School of Business in social media
WeChat ID: bus_hkbu
Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/hkbu.sob
Instagram: http://instagram.com/hkbubus/
Vimeo Page: http://vimeo.com/bushkbu
Contact us School of Business Hong Kong Baptist University The Wing Lung Bank Building for Business Studies 34 Renfrew Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China Tel : (+852) 3411 5223 Fax : (+852) 3411 5588 Email : bus@hkbu.edu.hk Website : bus.hkbu.edu.hk
Sina Weibo Page: http://weibo.com/bushkbu