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There is tremendous interest in starting a business in China, based on evidence from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) which tracks entrepreneurship in 112 countries. Many students see entrepreneurship as an attractive career path. However, motivation must be coupled with a solid business idea, good financial management, and effective execution to maximize chances for success.

The aim of this course is to offer a broad coverage of five selected themes on Chinese business including entrepreneurship, strategy, marketing, corporate operations and investment management.

Students will learn management of Chinese business through a case study method. Finally, an emphasis is placed on encouraging students to review their interest to become an entrepreneur or venture capitalist and evaluate their interest to pursue a career in relevant fields.

Week 1: Introduction to challenges of Chinese business environment (8-Jan.)
Explains course requirements and selected themes. Introduces challenges including but not limited to commercial market supervision, anti-corruption in business, and sustainable development.

– Bruce R. Barringer, R. Duane Ireland (2019). “Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures” (Sixth Global Edition). UK: Pearson Education Limited Chapter 1
– [Case] Lin Runhui, Gui Yuan, Xie Zaiyang, Liu Lu (2019-02-15). “Green governance and international business strategies of emerging economies’ multinational enterprises: A multiple-case study of Chinese firms in pollution-intensive industries”. Basel: MDPI AG Sustainability 11(4), 1013.

Week 2: The Entrepreneurial Process facilitates career management (15-Jan.)
Reviews the entrepreneurial process including the decision to become an entrepreneur, developing successful business ideas, and organizing feasibility analysis for product/service, industry/target market.

– Bruce R. Barringer, R. Duane Ireland (2019). “Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures” (Sixth Global Edition). UK: Pearson Education Limited Chapter 2 & 3
– [Case] Lu Yujie, Wei wei, Li Yong Kui, Wu Zhilei, Jin Hao (2020-11-21). “The formation and evolution of inter-organizational business networks in megaprojects: A case study of Chinese skyscrapers”. New York: Hoboken Hindawi Complexity 2020.

Week 3: The Barringer/Ireland business model acts as safety nest in a challenging industry (22-Jan.)
Selects the effective business models including standard business models and disruptive business models and utilizes the Porter’s five-forces model to analyze the industry and competitive environment.

– Bruce R. Barringer, R. Duane Ireland (2019). “Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures” (Sixth Global Edition). UK: Pearson Education Limited Chapter 4 & 5
– [Case] Kuo Szu Yu, Yang Ching Chiao, Lai Po Lin (2020-06-30). “Determining inland logistics service attributes: A case study of Chinese landlocked regions”. Maritime Business Review

Week 4: The Business Plan and presentation establish a community of true believers and early evangelists (29-Jan.)
Examines guidelines for writing a business plan and prepares for the oral presentation of a business plan to investors and the questions and feedback to expect from investors.

– Bruce R. Barringer, R. Duane Ireland (2019). “Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures” (Sixth Global Edition). UK: Pearson Education Limited Chapter 6
– [Case] Li Siyang, Ljungwall Christer (2021-04-03). “Access to knowledge and knowledge production: The case of China”. Abingdon: Routledge Journal of Asia business studies 14(1), 1-14.

Week 5: The Strategic Management Process acts as illumination devices in a competitive market(5-Feb.)
Reviews the strategic management process for creating competitive advantages and assesses a new venture’s financial strength and viability through the ratio analysis of financial statements.

– Bruce R. Barringer, R. Duane Ireland (2019). “Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures” (Sixth Global Edition). UK: Pearson Education Limited Chapter 8
– [optional] Gregory G. Dess, G.T. Lumpkin, Alan B. Eisner (2010). “Strategic Management: Text and cases” (Fifth International Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin Chapter 1 & 2
– [Case] Tsung Yin Ou, Chayun Perng (2014-06-01). “Constructing the e-commerce clustering platform and innovative business model: A case study for Chinese herbal medicine industry”. Hschinchu: Electronic Business Management Society International Journal of electronic business management 12(2), 136

Week 6: Building strategies and a new-venture team to develop the firm’s legend (19-Feb.)
Formulates business-level and corporate-level strategies for creating and sustaining competitive advantages and diversification. Creates a new-venture team to help members achieve their goals.

– Bruce R. Barringer, R. Duane Ireland (2019). “Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures” (Sixth Global Edition). UK: Pearson Education Limited Chapter 9
– [optional] Gregory G. Dess, G.T. Lumpkin, Alan B. Eisner (2010). “Strategic Management: Text and cases” (Fifth International Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin Chapter 5 & 6
– [Case] Chen Kuan Cheng, Redding Gordon (2017-03-15). “Collaboration and opportunism as a duality within social capital: A regional ethnic Chinese case study”. Routledge: Asia Pacific business review 23(2), 243-263.

Week 7: Revision and Mid-term examination (26-Feb.)
Mid-Term Examination Week 7, 90 minutes

– [optional] Gregory G. Dess, G.T. Lumpkin, Alan B. Eisner (2010). “Strategic Management: Text and cases” (Fifth International Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin Chapter 3 & 4

In Week 7, students should briefly share their research topics for final term paper with the lecturer.

Week 8: Executing a strategy into results through strategic control (11-Mar.)
Examines the different sources of financing and funding for a start-up firm and ensures informational control through different approaches and attains behavioral control in new organizations.

– Bruce R. Barringer, R. Duane Ireland (2019). “Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures” (Sixth Global Edition). UK: Pearson Education Limited Chapter 10
– [optional] Gregory G. Dess, G.T. Lumpkin, Alan B. Eisner (2010). “Strategic Management: Text and cases” (Fifth International Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin Chapter 9 & 12
– [Case] Liu Caixia, Hong Jinhwan (2017-01-01). “Strategies and service innovations of haitao business in the Chinese market: A comparative case study of Amazon.cn vs Gmarket.co.kr”. Emerald Publishing: Asia Pacific journal of innovation and entrepreneurship 10(1), 101-121.

Week 9: The Marketing Process creates customer relationships and value for a new venture (18-Mar.)
Assesses the 4Ps of marketing for creating a new brand and creates customer relationships and value through building an effective marketing plan to reach customers/markets in China.

– Bruce R. Barringer, R. Duane Ireland (2019). “Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures” (Sixth Global Edition). UK: Pearson Education Limited Chapter 11
– [optional] Roger A. Kerin, Lau Geok Theng, Steven W. Hartley, William Rudelius (2015). “Marketing in Asia”. (Third Asia Global Edition). NY: McGraw-Hill Education Chapter 1 & 2
– [Case] Wu Jie Bing, Guo Bin, Shi Yong Jiang (2013-08). “Customer knowledge management and IT-enabled business model innovation: A conceptual framework and a case study from China”. Oxford: Elsevier Ltd. European management journal 31(4), 359-372.

Week 10: The Marketing Research Approach manages growth, marketing channels and supply chains (25-Mar.)
Examines the five stages of business growth along with the unique opportunities and challenges that each stage entails. Introduces the process of targeting marketing opportunities and managing marketing channels and supply chains.

– Bruce R. Barringer, R. Duane Ireland (2019). “Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures” (Sixth Global Edition). UK: Pearson Education Limited Chapter 13
– [optional] Roger A. Kerin, Lau Geok Theng, Steven W. Hartley, William Rudelius (2015). “Marketing in Asia”. (Third Asia Global Edition). NY: McGraw-Hill Education Chapter 8, 9 & 15
– [Case] Chiu Wei Sheng, Choi Hwansuk (2018-05-14). “Consumers’ goal-directed behavior of purchasing sportswear products online: A case study of Chinese consumers”. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Limited sports, business, and management 8(2), 118-133.

Week 11: Identifying common strategies firms use to grow and the process of marketing “Yourself” (8-Apr.)
Reviews both internal and external strategies for growth inside Chinese market. Introduces the process of satisfying marketing opportunities and evaluates the planning to pursue a career in the marketing field.

– Bruce R. Barringer, R. Duane Ireland (2019). “Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures” (Sixth Global Edition). UK: Pearson Education Limited Chapter 14
– [optional] Roger A. Kerin, Lau Geok Theng, Steven W. Hartley, William Rudelius (2015). “Marketing in Asia”. (Third Asia Global Edition). NY: McGraw-Hill Education Chapter 18, 21 & 22

Week 12: Corporate management practices gain a competitive advantage on Chinese firms’ performance (15-Apr.)
Reviews the strategic human resource management process for gaining a competitive advantage and assesses the impact of culture-reshape and strategic human resource management on firm performance.

– [optional] Raymond A. Noe, John R. Hollenbeck, Barry Gerhart, Patrick M. Wright (2008). “Human Resource Management: Gaining a competitive advantage”. (Sixth International Student Edition). NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin Chapter 1, 2 & 16
– [Case] Gu Saiyu, Liu Haowen (2021-06-23). “Crafting a Confucian culture in Chinese corporations: A case study of Guangzhou Borche”. Athens institute for education and research Athens’s journal of business & economics 7(4), 305-320.

Week 13: Investment management practices generate a stable, and regular income (22-Apr.)
Examines the advantages and disadvantages of buying a franchise system inside Chinese market as a form of business ownership and growth to generate the sustainable impact on firm performance.

– Bruce R. Barringer, R. Duane Ireland (2019). “Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures” (Sixth Global Edition). UK: Pearson Education Limited Chapter 15
– [optional] John Tennent (2012). “Guide to Cash Management”. US: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Chapter 5
– [Case] Butt Atif Saleem, Shah Syed Hamad Hassan, Sheikh Abdullah Zafar (2020-01-10). “Is Ganxi important in a buyer-supplier relationship? Case of Chinese logistics industry”. Bingley: Emerald Publishing Limited Journal of Asia business studies 14(1), 1-14.

1. Students will be required to research in group a selected industry in China (20%). The Group needs to write a report of about 2500 words to analyze one of the industries listed below in appropriate business framework to be submitted by Monday 19 Feb. Each group will conduct research on one out of five selected industries in China according to their own choice:
• A personal-related business industry (if applicable)
• Coffee industry
• Jewelry industry
• Sportswear industry
• Testing and certification industry

2. Mid-term examination (30%). A series of short questions will be set for completion in class on Monday 26 Feb. Students are required to provide succinct answers to each sub-question
with clear logic, structure, and academic relevance.

3. Final term paper (40%). Students will be required to submit a term paper on a selection of contemporary issues relating to investment opportunities inside Chinese market by Monday 22 April. A selection of topics will be available for students to choose. The term paper should be of about 3000 words. Students are expected to show flair of academic research and ability to critique.

4. Class participation and attendance (10%). Credit will be given for good questions and comments, and evidence that students have read the course readings.

All written assignments should include a word count and be submitted by email in PDF format by 6pm on the date for submission. Late submission will be penalized. For Veriguide, assignment numbers should follow the order in the list above (e.g., final term paper is assignment number 3). A hard copy of the signed Veriguide receipt should be given to the Teaching Assistant.

Further guidance on all assignments will be given in class at the beginning of term. For the final term paper, students should review academic (secondary) literature relating to some aspect of contemporary China’s business. Students are encouraged to select from the course bibliography for their review and should consult some material not on that list. The final term paper should be of about 3,000 words, including footnotes and bibliography. It will be graded on content, structure and organization, language and overall presentation, and references and citations.

Attention is drawn to University policy and regulations on honesty in academic work, and to the disciplinary guidelines and procedures applicable to breaches of such policy and regulations. Details may be found at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/.With each assignment, students will be required to submit a signed declaration that they are aware of the policies, regulations and procedures.