MOT China Fellows Program 2005-2006

This year's fellows will focus on two themes:

The Evolution of Innovation in China
Over the past decade, China has come to be known as “the manufacturer to the world” – the de facto source for inexpensive labor. However, the low cost competitive advantage will not remain significant forever, and there are other opportunities that China is poised to provide. Already, a few indigenous core technology companies are popping up amongst the sea of manufacturing and service oriented companies. Is this the start of a trend?

We will explore how China and the US compare in this innovation game. Among the questions we seek to answer:

• How has the US maintained its leading position in creating and successfully launching new technologies, and how can China follow suit?
• What barriers to innovation do Chinese entrepreneurs currently experience, and how do they see those barriers falling?
• Where can foreign investments and MNCs’ ventures into China stimulate the process for mutual benefit?

We will consider management practices, methods in education, and government policies. During our trip to China, we will meet a broad spectrum of leaders involved in this issue, from universities, technology parks, and incubators, to venture capitol firms, large SOEs and MNCs, and government.

The Transformation of the Chinese Consumer
The Chinese consumer now has greater access to a wider range of products than ever before. Both foreign and Chinese companies have realized the importance of segmenting the consumer base beyond those who live in the largest cities. From Chinese manufacturer Haier Group to Nokia, companies are offering an array of products to serve the range of basic to more sophisticated needs of the Chinese people. In addition, it is now common for focus groups and surveys to be widely conducted across cities as well as in rural areas.

We will explore the transformation and evolution of the Chinese consumer’s purchasing behavior and how they are using technology such as Internet research, m-commerce and e-commerce to make purchasing decisions. We will juxtapose how American and Chinese companies research and segment customer markets and suggest ways in which Chinese companies can better understand the Chinese consumer. Ultimately, we believe that MNCs and Chinese companies can increase profitability through better understanding their relationships with consumers