Between October 2nd and 7th, 2019, led by Professor ZHU Yujie and HUANG Qiuchen of Tsinghua SEM, 22 Tsinghua MBA students selected by the exchange program of 2019 Chinese Mainland & Taiwan Business Perspectives went to College of Commerce of Taiwan Chengchi University and started their study on the Chinese Mainland & Taiwan Business. The program is a short-term exchange program for MBA students of the School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University and College of Commerce of Taiwan Chengchi University. This year marks the tenth anniversary of cooperation between both universities. A decade of hard work and perseverance has opened the door for cross-strait exchanges between students of Tsinghua University and Chengchi University. The program mainly includes course study at Chengchi University, field visit to companies, and cultural and historical exploration, etc. Participating students would visit the Chinese mainland and Taiwan region for campus learning, corporate visits and other cultural activities, so as to increase communication between students and teachers of both sides, and enhance mutual understanding of business, economy, society and culture across the straits.

1. A Fully Scheduled Field Trip

The exchange study focuses on business observation, covering five topics including the development  of  cross-strait cultural and creative industries, development and business opportunities of cross-strait pension industry, analysis of cross-strait financial environment, cross-strait entrepreneurial environment and opportunities, and the impact of internet/big data on business models across the straits. During the field trip, each group systematically studied and reflected on the cross-strait frontier business development, business cooperation, and entrepreneurial environment.

Before the trip, each group made a systematic analysis of Taiwan’s current business, culture, and financial environment by communicating with the corresponding group of College of Commerce of Taiwan Chengchi University. During the course, in-depth learning was conducted through case study, company visits and on-the-spot communication. A summary report had to be presented at the end of the course to display the results of in-depth learning and thinking. After the course was finished, the MBA students submitted the course summary report and made presentations accordingly.

2. Highlights of the Program

(1) A Thorough Exchange and Communication

The number of MBA students of Tsinghua SEM and College of Commerce of Chengchi University in each group of the program is a 1:1 match. The diversification of working hours, majors, professions, ages, and regions of students of the two schools is conducive to an enriched communication between them on majors, industries and thinking models during the exchange study between the two schools. The hospitality and thoughtfulness of Taiwan students have left a deep impression on Tsinghua students.

The tenth anniversary group photo

 (2) A Combination of Case Study and Company Visits

The College of Commerce of Chengchi University takes case teaching as the highlight of the course. Through individual cases, well-known professors of the Department of Enterprise Management introduced and discussed the current status of industries and development of the environmental protection industry in Taiwan. Based on the subject of the course, the College of Commerce of Chengchi University enriched the course content with visit to companies in areas of environmental protection, technology, finance holding, and etc.

First, Taiwan companies attach great importance to environmental protection and corporate social responsibility. During the case study and visit to the headquarters of Jialong Technology Engineering Company, ASUS Technology, and Cathay Financial Holdings Co., Ltd., each company emphasized on environmental protection and social responsibility as the highlight of the company’s business. The concept is reflected throughout all aspects including the design of the corporate headquarters building, the interior decoration, business management and corporate publicity.

Second, Taiwan companies act rigorously and have detailed procedures in place. During the field visit of these companies, the teachers and students of Chengchi University made detailed arrangements, and the companies thoughtfully designed the visit procedures. Before the visit, teachers of Chengchi University made a preliminary introduction to the company, and students had in mind the issues to discuss with the company in advance. During the visit, staff members in different groups worked together and and answered students’ questions in a timely manner.

Visit at Cathay Financial Holdings Co., Ltd.

Visit at Jialong Technology Engineering Company

Visit at ASUS Technology

Third, the case teaching closely follows the development of the times and has a high degree of integration with industrial application. The cases used by professors of Chengchi University have all been updated in 2019. With a position at the forefront of the times, the cases provide students with new horizons and new opportunities in cross-strait business. In the first class, Professor BIE liandi analyzed for students in details the case of Franz Collection Inc.: The Road from OEM to Brand Marketing. During the class, the students actively participated in the whole process of teaching and analyzed the case, the industry and the impact of the industry on the case from various perspectives, and thus gradually clarified the development path of the marketing model.

At the lecture by Professor BIE Liandi

In the second class, Professor LIN Yueyun combined the experience of the students who had visited Jialong Technology Engineering Company the day before and their understanding of the circular economy industry chain into the case teaching of Domi Earth. Professor LIN introduced Domi’s practices in environmental protection publicity and promotion, and cooperation with government, which gave answers to students’ questions and summed up the lessons they had learned the day before. The experience of Taiwan companies in using business power to improve environment and society is worth learning for companies of the mainland.

At the lecture by Professor LIN Yueyun

3. Fruitful Achievements from the Course

The most important part of the short-term exchange program in Taiwan is the  presentations made by each group on their observation results of cross-strait business. During the presentation, each group in turn shared their study and comparison of cross-strait business opportunities and environment based on their topic. Before the start of the program, MBA students of Tsinghua University and Chengchi University  collected and analyzed data of typical companies across the straits in groups. According to the topic of each group, students across the straits conducted research on their respective fields and companies they had visited. At the end of the program, each group had in-depth thinking of different business models and entrepreneurial environment, and made thorough and lively discussion.

Group presentation made by Tsinghua students

At the end of the course, Chengchi University hosted an “Extremely Happy (shifen xingfu)” event to celebrate the tenth anniversary of exchanges between Tsinghua University and Chengchi University. After taking a group photo, the students formed groups freely following the requirement that “each group is composed of two students of Tsinghua University and Chengchi University, and the name of the group must contain a Chinese character with the pronunciation of shi”. Students named their groups “Extremely Destined (shifen youyuan), Extremely Wealthy (shifen youqian), Stone-made Goat Brings Bliss (shiyang kaitai), Extremely Handsome (shizai henshuai), etc.”. Each group competitively answered questions related to some small pieces of little-known knowledge about Taiwan within two hours to find answers made by different students to specific questions and record activities such as answering questions within the prescribed time. Students participated in the activities proactively and displayed their talents fully.

The lively atmosphere of the tenth anniversary event

After the course study was finished, we embraced the long-expected part of exploration for culture, food and history. Tsinghua MBA students visited the Taipei Palace Museum, 101 Building and Old Street, and tasted the food at the night market. They deeply felt the profoundness of the Chinese culture and the family bond between the mainland and Taiwan. At the end of the program, they hugged and waved to each other, feeling reluctant to say goodbye and looking forward eagerly to Taiwan students of Chengchi University visiting the mainland between October 26th and November 2nd.

  An in-depth exploration of culture, landscape and delicious food

Between October 26th and November 2nd, teachers and students of College of Commerce of Taiwan Chengchi University will come to Beijing and visit Nutech Company, Huawei Convention and Exhibition Center in Beijing, Microsoft Asia Pacific R&D Group, and the headquarters of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. After finishing the course study at Tsinghua University, they will make presentations in groups on five topics including the development of cross-strait cultural and creative industries, development and business opportunities of cross-strait pension industry, analysis of cross-strait financial environment, cross-strait entrepreneurial environment and opportunities, and the impact of Internet/big data on business models across the straits .

Written by: CHEN Shan of 2017P2

Edited by: ZHUANG Fan & HUANG Qiuchen of 2017P1