Guest Professors

Yu Ping Du

Professor of Business Management

Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, China

Yuping DU, is a Ph.D. of International Business Management, Associate Professor of Management, Head Teacher of Master of International Business (MIB) and MBA Supervisor of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS). Dr. Du has worked as a Fulbright Visiting Research Scholar at Suffolk University/Harvard University in 2014-15, and she has been visiting scholars in Australia and Canada as well. Major courses she teaches are International Business, Brand Management, International Marketing International Business and Negotiation, and Cross-Cultural Business Communication & Negotiation. Her researches are mainly focused on business internationalization and Chinese foreign direct investment, which have been published in multiple journals, including Chinese Management Studies, Journal of Management and Entrepreneurship, and the Asia Pacific and Globalization Review. She has also published several cases on the topics of branding, microfinance and family business in Ivey Publishing. Three of her cases were awarded as “The One-Hundred-Excellent Cases” by Chinese MBA Academic Advisory Committee.

---

Xi Fengming

Professor and Principal Investigator (PI) of Regional Low Carbon Development

Research Group at the Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

---

• Where did you grow up?

I was born in Xuzhou city of P.R. China. However, I have been both moving and traveling around China. Thus I am very familiar with China as a whole.

• Have you enjoyed your time so far in Germany? Have you had previous experience living in Germany?

I love Germany a lot. When I came to Germany, I felt excited, which sparked my ideas. There are a lot of things astonished me in a positive way. Firstly, the German people are so kind and gentle.  During my stay, I feel warm and helped. Secondly, I saw that German cities are well preserved culturally. Personally, my opinion is that this strategy is perfectly good for a nation to keep and heritage their culture and traditions. Besides, I enjoy Germany food very much. I like its traditional dishes. As well as, I was touched and impressed by the attitude of German towards their families and life details. For example, their house is very beautiful and well decorated. Finally, for my professional aspect, I found e-business development policy and situations here are very different from China.

• Is there something you have enjoyed/found interesting/liked about Jacobs?

I think the campus scenery is the one that I enjoy most. They seem like a picture from every aspect, just as the view of this Germany town and its streets. I love walking and running in it.

• What is your research about?

Management information system, E-commerce, Enterprise resource planning; Supply chain management, System dynamics, and Information Economics. 信息管理与信息系统：主要研究基于网络环境的企业信息化应用与管理、智能决策支持系统及其应用、企业生产过程优化与决策、IT评价与IT管理、流程管理（BPR)、ERP等；电子商务与网络经济：主要研究电子商务、移动商务、网络经济、移动商务、在线社会网络、虚拟社区、供应链管理等；数据挖掘与商业智能：主要研究知识获取的方法与应用等、数据挖掘与智能算法、电子商务智能化理论与方法等。

• From your perspective, what is the biggest problem China will be facing that will inhibit its growth in the next 50 years?

In my opinion, just as we all know, every coin has its two sides. Today, e-commerce acquires political support in China and gains very high develop speed. Chinese people and enterprises have or try to make their growth and benefits from e-commerce and e-business. However, I worry about the quick development of e-commerce. I think the lifestyle on the internet does harm to Chines economics in a long time. Of course, the real estate industry and stock markets are the two dominant and well-known problems in Chinese economics. But, just from my professional perspective, I focus more on e-commerce and e-business. Concerning taxation, legislation, ethics and governmental policy on E-commerce, China still has a lot of challenges.

• What initially got you interested in your field?

The mechanism and influencing factors of the herding effect of college students’ network public opinion.

• What book would you recommend to a China enthusiast?

To be honest, I read a lot of literature from western countries. But I read little foreign works which describe China or the Chinese. So it is a hard task to recommend a good English book to you. Maybe I will tell you some books which are translated to English. Indeed, A Dream in Red Mansions is good from good. There is quite a lot of Chinese life philosophy in this fiction. And it is convenient for you to find a suitable edition of it in almost every kind of language. For example, you might get to know from this book that all your clever calculations and intrigues brought nothing but your doom.

Any advice for people trying to become Professors focused on China?

Just one, making friends with Chinese people. I strongly suggest this method. And I do think everyone should experience to be a Chinese for a while if have the chance. Most of the Chinese are very warmhearted. Maybe you will find them talking loudly and somehow impolite. If you walk into their life, you might change your ideas. Only by staying close with the Chinese, you will find the lovely personality of open mind, wisdom, endurance, hardship, and friendliness. It seems he or she is just one of your family members. And though the friendship, you may actually understand this special nation with its rather long history and culture in depth.

---

Our next exchange was with Jin Yan from Fudan University

 

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a suburban area of Shanghai.

 

Where did you attend school? 

I attended school in Shanghai, up to high school in my hometown which is a suburban town outside the city. From college onwards, at Fudan University.

 

Have you enjoyed your time so far in Germany? Have you had previous experience living in Germany? How have your habits changed after moving to Germany?

Yes, I enjoyed my time in Germany so far.  I lived in Germany twice (3 months each) in the year of 2003 and 2004, besides a couple of conference trips.  I obtained the habit of trash classification after moved to Germany.

 

Is there something you have especially enjoyed about Jacobs?

For me, the globalized and dynamic student body is the most impressive and enjoyable aspect of Jacobs so far.

 

From your perspective, what is the biggest problem China will be facing that will inhibit its growth in the next 50 years?

Short-sighted pragmatism.

 

What initially got you interested in your field?

Fascinating stories from history. And the more I read, the less confident that I could draw a conclusion, dragging me into research.

 

What book would you recommend to a China enthusiast? 

China in Ten Words, written by Yu Hua, one of China’s most acclaimed writers, his first work of nonfiction to appear in English: a unique, intimate look at the Chinese experience over the last several decades, told through personal stories and astute analysis that sharply illuminate the country’s meteoric economic and social transformation.

 

 

Any advice for people trying to become Professors focused on China? 

To live in China at least for one year, learning the language and experience the culture.

---

We next spoke with Kent Deng from the London School of Economics

Where did you grow up?

 

Beijing

 

Where did you attend school? 

Beijing Normal University (BA), Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (MA), La Trobe (Australia) (Ph.D.)

 

Have you enjoyed your time so far in Germany? Have you had previous experience living in Germany? How have your habits changed after moving to Germany?

Too short to judge after a few weeks. This is my first time to stay in Germany.

 

Is there something you have enjoyed about Jacobs?

It is a small university but students are good academically.

 

From your perspective, what is the biggest problem China will be facing that will inhibit its growth in the next 50 years?

Aging, economic restructuring, social inequality, and environmental damages

 

What initially got you interested in your field?

The issue of why China declined in the past 500 years in world history

 

Any advice for people trying to become Professors focused on China?

Learn classical Chinese and learn it well