30 Apr 2026
28 April 2026 – The College of Industry-Entrepreneurs (CIE) and HeXie Management Centre (HeXie Academy) successfully convened the third edition of the Industry Insight Forum. Under the theme “How Chinese Enterprises Achieve the ‘Last Mile’ in the New Era of Globalization: Cross-Cultural Synergy and Organizational Responses,” the forum brought together over fifty senior executives and industry practitioners from manufacturing, technology, and cross-border services. Participants engaged in in-depth academic dialogue and practical discussions on the real challenges encountered during Chinese enterprises’ global expansion.
Against a macro backdrop of rapidly restructuring global value chains and shrinking domestic growth headroom, Chinese enterprises have entered a new phase of globalisation characterised by high-quality development and deep localisation. However, persistent geopolitical tensions, rising compliance costs in overseas markets, uncertainties surrounding supply chain security, and especially the hidden barriers of cross-cultural management have become critical bottlenecks preventing Chinese companies from moving from “product export” to “value integration.” Recognising these practical difficulties, CIE and HeXie Management Centre designed and hosted this forum to provide a high-level platform where enterprises could directly confront problems and co-create solutions.
The forum was moderated by Dr. Peng Liu of CIE and HeXie Academy. Dr. Liu expressed gratitude to the guests and attendees, noting that the current phase of Chinese enterprises’ global expansion presents a complex interplay of globalisation and deglobalisation. The real challenge, he argued, lies in how to “truly integrate” or even “cover the last mile” by adapting to local cultures, institutions, and ways of life. Internationalisation, he emphasised, is not simply about product transactions but is an embedded process closely tied to local values and social networks. Drawing on HeXie Management Theory, CIE and HeXie Academy are committed to supporting high-quality global development for Chinese enterprises through knowledge creation and dissemination.
Prof. Hui Xu, Business School, Nankai University (NKU), systematically explained that in this new era of globalisation, Chinese enterprises face more pronounced cultural collisions than ever before. Internationalisation, she argued, is not merely the export of products and technology but a process of social embedding involving values, mindsets, and lifestyles. Analysing successful cases such as Haier’s acquisition of GE Appliances, she pointed out that the core of cross-cultural management lies in identifying universally shared human values—such as personal growth and family care—and achieving “think globally, act locally.” She stressed that Chinese enterprises must move from locally validated “effective methods” to truly context-adaptive “fit-for-purpose strategies” for host countries if they are to go further and more steadily in the new phase of globalisation.
Mr. Yulin Jiang, Founder of Lumoslink, drawing on over two decades of executive experience in both multinational corporations and private Chinese enterprises, shared his firsthand journey of building an overseas factory from scratch and serving as CEO of a North American business unit. He noted that going global means leaving a safe, controllable domestic environment and entering overseas markets full of uncertainty and risk—hence the need for a fundamental shift in strategy and mindset. The challenges of global expansion, he explained, include cultural unconsciousness, blind replication of domestic success models, misaligned roles in cultural integration, and a severe shortage of globally competent cross-cultural talent. To address these, he recommended that enterprises cultivate cultural meta-cognition, respect and acknowledge cultural differences, and gradually—through surface-level cultural elements such as symbols, heroes, and rituals—build a value system suited to overseas contexts. Only then can high-quality global development be truly achieved.
Three highlights of the forum received strong recognition from participating enterprises: first, a dual-perspective analysis (theory and practice) of cross-cultural management to identify real pain points and facilitate actionable solutions; second, a direct confrontation with the uncertainties arising from geopolitical conflicts, exploring response strategies informed by Chinese wisdom; and third, the gathering of an ecosystem of partners in Chinese enterprises’ global expansion to foster a climate of mutual support and collaborative progress. During the interactive session, attendees actively posed questions, bringing real-word cases to the table—ranging from trust tensions between headquarters and local employees to the balancing act between standardised management and context-sensitive flexibility. The atmosphere was both lively and pragmatic. Participants widely agreed that cross-cultural conflict is not merely a risk but can, under appropriate intervention mechanisms, become a significant driver of organisational learning and innovation.
As a key platform at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University dedicated to advancing industry integration and organisational evolution, the College of Industry-Entrepreneurs (CIE) and HeXie Management Centre (HeXie Academy) will continue to focus on the real bottlenecks Chinese enterprises face in their globalisation journey. This forum marks the third instalment in the Industry Insight Series. Future editions will explore topics such as industry restructuring, organisational transformation, and cross-cultural leadership, continuing to build a high-quality platform for knowledge co-creation and action learning. The goal is to empower more Chinese enterprises to forge their own path towards symbiotic global growth in a complex and uncertain world.
30 Apr 2026