Li Zhimin, Vice General Manager of CIMC Vehicles (Group), presents letters of appointment to Professor Zeng Xianju, Dr. Ding Wanling, and Dr. Zhang Ning from Shenzhen University (SZU)
On April 28, 2018, CIMC Vehicles (Group) and the College of Management, Shenzhen University (SZU) held the ceremony for presenting letters of appointment on temporary posts to teachers from the university at the former’s headquarters. Both parties will carry out research on topics such as business management, organizational transformation, and brand marketing, review successes and failures in business management made by companies globally, and organize and build a unique database of business cases, preserving valuable data for Chinese companies to “go global” and playing a part in China’s efforts to nurture more outstanding globalized companies.
Julia Li, Vice General Manager of CIMC Vehicles (Group), said that “while we are very proud of our company for its rapid growth and brilliant achievements, we also realize that the organization has entered into a ‘VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) era’ with volatile internal and external environment for companies to survive and prosper. Under such circumstance, it is not an ideal solution to just rely on ourselves to develop cutting-edge technologies and management models and instead, it would be a win-win choice to cooperate with universities and colleges.”
Zhou Zhimin, deputy dean and a professor of SZU College of Management, said that “Practices are more important than knowledge. Business management is a kind of practice. It is very important for us to send our people to the company to learn about their industrial development and carry out research surrounding innovation and practices. This move can help us earn more experience in the practice and strengthen our knowledge. For CIMC Vehicles (Group), it would enable a rational thinking and some new ideas that might be somewhat unrealistic but would bring new concepts and vitality to the company.”
Since the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement between both parties in 2017, a tailored MBA class and a base for internship and research have been established. The appointment of teachers from SZU is one of the major projects between both parties. Representatives from SZU and CIMC Vehicles (Group) have stated that this project would be advanced by both parties with pragmatism and made into an iconic brand that combines the forces of the company and the university to promote the innovation and growth of CIMC Vehicles (Group).