Since the launch of the completely new overseas module “Decoding the Asian Tigers” last January, the second field trip course has attracted even more students to participate. After brief preparation, 31 Tsinghua MBA students, following Professor DUAN Zhirong of the Department of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy, set out for Singapore and Malaysia for the 6-day business field trip study from January 19 to January 24, 2015 under the auspices of Tsinghua SEM Southeast Asia Alumni Association, Singapore Management University, National University of Malaysia and Malaysia State-Holding Company.
Singapore and Malaysia are both China’s neighbors with inseparable connections with China in culture, history and economy. In the overseas module, students had opportunities to exchange dialogue with the upper level economic agencies in both countries, so that they could know about the general conditions of both countries and their economic mechanisms from a macro-economic perspective. Meanwhile, there were also opportunities for students to visit local enterprises, so that they could learn about the development of the local economy and cultural characteristics of local companies from a micro-economic perspective. In addition, students could also tour around both countries in their spare time for first-hand experience. Based on these three different perspectives, students will have a better understanding of Singapore and Malaysia.
In Singapore, Andrew Chin, Chief of China Affairs of Singapore Management University and Director of Tsinghua SEM Alumni Association of Singapore, told students the story about the Singaporean enterprises from the perspective of academics. Starting with an introduction of the history of Singapore, Mr. Andrew Chin also talked about several Singaporean government sectors which play unique roles in promoting the development of domestic enterprises in economic growth. He further explained the unique ecological system that is created by the global market, as well as the highly efficient and clean government of Singapore, in addition to the system’s competitive edge and the challenges the country faces. Through Mr. Andrew Chin’s introduction, students had further understanding of Singapore, as a young country in its nation founding and building, as well as its economic development.
Mr. Andrew Chin told the story about the Singaporean enterprises
Mr. Andrew Chin and ZHAO Jing of Tsinghua MBA Class P4
After a general introduction of the development of Singapore’s enterprises, Mr. RAO Zhongming (Tsinghua IMBA alumni of 2001), Director-General of the China Affairs Department of International Enterprise Singapore, talked about the significant role that the Singaporean government has played in supporting the local economy to go global from the perspective of government, as well as the open attitude and relevant policies adopted by the government in attracting foreign investment. In particular, as a senior alumni, he fully displayed his understanding of the Chinese market and culture. It was a rare opportunity for students to develop an in-depth understanding of the background information of making investments and starting businesses in Singapore.
Director-general RAO Zhongming introduced about the China affairs International Enterprise Singapore mainly dealt with
Mr. RAO Zhongming and Tsinghua MBA students
Ms. CHEN Huihua, former Minister in the Singaporean Prime Minister’s Office, the Second Minister for Finance, as well as the Second Minister for Transport, was also invited to introduce a private equity fund in Singapore. Ms. CHEN Huihua, with versatile experience, held key positions in Temasek and the government sector. Currently, she is a member of the board and of the investment committee of Tembusu Partner, the biggest private equity fund in Singapore. Ms. CHEN Huihua talked about the significance of private equity (PE) to a commercial society from the perspective of capital, and the kind of qualifications, as well as challenges, for students who would like to work in the industry.
Ms. CHEN Huihua, member of the board of Tembusu Partner
Ms. CHEN Huihua and Tsinghua MBA students
In addition to the perspectives of politics and finance, one of the highlights of this course is the arrangement of a trip for students to Singapore Airlines from the perspective of a multinational corporation. Singapore Airlines is praised as one of the most comfortable and safe airlines in the world. In the training session at Singapore Airlines, Mr. Lee Yueh Chern, General Manager of Public Relations of Singapore Airlines, introduced the development of the airline. He explained in details about the airline’s organization structure, multi-brand strategy, as well as the challenges the airline industry is facing nowadays and how Singapore Airlines is responding to these challenges. After his introduction, students visited the training center for flight attendants and obtained a deeper understanding of this legendary airline in Asia.
Mr. Lee Yueh Chern, General Manager of Public Relations of Singapore Airlines, made a 45-minute introduction of the airline’s development strategy
Tsinghua MBA students at the training center of Singapore Airlines
Among local enterprises in Singapore, students first visited VEEV Interactive, where its CEO Ms. Lara Lai introduced how high-tech enterprises in Singapore concentrated on innovation, and how local enterprises, with strategic perspective, took overseas market into consideration from the very beginning of their products design. After that, CEO of Mandai Link Logistic led students to visit the most automated cold chain warehouse with the largest storage volume in Singapore. From the visit to local enterprises, students not only saw how food products from all over the world came to Singapore, but also obtained the first-hand experience of these representative enterprises, a good inspiration for developing their innovative ideas and sense of regional market.
VEEV Interactive’s CEO Ms. Lara Lai and LV Lin of Tsinghua IMBA Program
Tsinghua MBA students at VEEV Interactive
Tsinghua MBA students after the visit to Mandai Link Logistics
In Malaysia, the first visit was to Khazanah Nasional Berhad, the strategic investment fund of the Government of Malaysia. At the headquarters of Khazanah, on the 33 floor of Twin-Tower Building, Ms. LIN Guijun and Mr. LIN Jinglin, board members of Khazanah，generally introduced students to Khazanah’s organization structure, responsibility and investments in China. They also discussed with students about the layout and operation of the sovereign fund in regards to national economic development. Meanwhile, the company also invited Ms. XU Zanjun, Vice President of Bank of China (Malaysia), to introduce the overall development of Malaysia and the investment opportunities of China’s enterprises and financial institutions in Malaysia. After the discussion, Khazanah warmly invited students to visit the viewing terrace in the Twin-Tower Building before heading for a dinner hosted by the company at the Malaysia Petroleum Club.
Ms. LIN Guijun , board member of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, delivered welcome remarks to Tsinghua SEM students
Ms. XU Zanjun, Vice President of Bank of China (Malaysia), introduced Malaysia’s economy and investment market
Tsinghua MBA students visited the headquarters of Khazanah Nasional Berhad
Students also visited Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB). At the headquarters of MPOB, a representative of MPOB introduced the palm oil industry in Malaysia and then led students for a field tour of the whole production process, from fruit bearing and picking-up to production of products and by-products, while at the same time explaining about the research in the industry and the benefits brought by palm oil to the industry and human health.
CEO of MPOB answered questions raised by Tsinghua MBA students
Tsinghua students are exchanging ideas with staff at MPOB
In Melaka, students visited Melaka Biotechnology Corporation (MBC) and learned about Malaysia’s test environment for food industry in addition to some rules about the Muslim world. MBC recommended two local food processing and producing companies so that students could also obtain some first-hand experience of small and micro local business in Malaysia.
Tsinghua MBA students with Director and staff of MBC
On the last day of the course, Datuk Dr. John Anthony Xavier, Professor of University of Kebangsaan Malaysia as well as former Director for Public Sector of the government, from the perspective of both a government official and an academic, discussed with students various issues including a comparative study on the economic development of Malaysia and China, Malaysia’s government reform and changes of relationship between the public and private sectors. Inspired by the unique Malaysian way of managing the country and stimulating the national economy, students participated in an intense discussion and in-depth thinking.
Datuk Dr. John Anthony Xavier, Professor of University of Kebangsaan Malaysia, delivered the lecture
A tour of Melaka for Tsinghua MBA students
“Through this course, I now have a different understanding of Singapore from before. This young country emphasizes high efficiency, high quality, good service and strong competitiveness. The government has served enterprises in guiding, supporting and assisting them in the real sense. That is why such a small and young country could maintain constant vitality and fast development in the Asian market. Continuous innovation and self-stimulation are the original driving forces for keeping fast development pace. In Malaysia, a typical developing country, there is a certain gap between its capital and other states in the distribution of wealth. Muslim religious culture has a profound influence towards people here. The favorable geographic condition brings this country unlimited potential for future development”, said ZHANG Xiaohong from Class P5.
“The guest speakers during the whole field trip are excellent. The topics involved and the companies we visited are versatile, covering different industries in the state and private sector with both perspectives of macro and micro. Besides, I deeply feel how popular Tsinghua University is overseas. We are proud for being able to receive warm hospitality from the institutions and companies in both countries”, said QU Xingchi from Class P4, 2014.
The fierce global competition nowadays raises higher requirements for managers. For enterprises to go global the mindset and experience of managers should go global first. “Decoding the Asian Tigers” is a beneficial attempt to integrate global horizon to MBA courses. Both Singapore and Malaysia are fast developing countries and their GNP is ahead of China. Through this course, students expanded their horizons and accumulated experiences for their future managerial work. Sound learning environment will yield twice the result with half of the effort. We hope that more students will join in this overseas module in future, as they will never regret it!
User Login
