School hosted a “Learning Program Elite Forum” in Beijing on October 23, and more than one hundred professionals from industries of finance, manufacturing and e-business, etc., joined professors and alumni to discuss about chances and challenges during the current period of economic transition, as well as about the cultivation of most-wanted business talents.

The forum, part of “Learning Program” which is a series of lectures and salons held consecutively by the School in a few cities in China, is purposed to create a stage for professionals to exchange ideas and help them to better design their paths of career development.

School hosts a “Learning Program Elite Forum” in Beijing

School Dean Professor Xiongwen Lu delivered a lecture in the forum, which is titled “Who is the most needed business talent in Chinese transitional economy: entrepreneur, or professional manager?

He said that we need professional managers as pioneers in the development of business society, who are equipped with international perspectives, well structured knowledge system and spirit of entrepreneurship.

School Dean Professor Xiongwen Lu is speaking at the forum

During his speech, Dean Lu also talked about the mission of Chinese business schools in transitional period.

He said that the mission of business schools is mainly to cultivate professional managers. To run a business school is to foster talents for the whole society, who are able to make their companies more competitive, efficient, have better input/output ratio, while at the same time maintain a sustainable growth, not only for the company itself but for the whole society.

“An entrepreneur is sensitive to market opportunities and resources, full of leadership, and therefore creates momentum for the development of whole economy,” Dean Lu said.

But the complex nature of modern enterprises calls for a highly effective team to shoulder the responsibility of management for the entrepreneur, and that is why we need a professional manager.

As far as we can see, he added, 80% of graduates from business school will turn to be a professional manager.

“Still, we should here have a plea for the role of entrepreneurial spirit which Chinese business schools shall plant into the mindset of would-be professional managers, so that they are going to have courage to innovate and reform,” Dean Lu said.

School alumni (first and second rights) interact with forum participants

MBA alumni, Mr. Kai Hou and Mr. Zhijian Liu shared their progress acquired through MBA study in the School and the following work experience with forum participants.

Mr. Hou said that he had learned the most fundamental concepts and methods for solving problems during MBA study, which had paved a solid way for him to set up his own business.

Mr. Liu shared how he had integrated what’s learned in MBA class with practical work in the financial industry.

At the final part of forum, MBA program director and staff introduced enrollment policy and scholarships to the participants, and interacted with them by answering their questions.

November 1, 2010