Center for Markets in Transition (CEMAT) and the Department of Management and International Business at Aalto University School of Business and NIAS Nordic Institute of Asian Studies arrange the conference/course 6 th Annual Nordic NIAS Council Conference China s Economy and Society Regional & Global implications of a growing Chinese influence Aalto University 27-28 November 2012 & Nordic & International PhD Course Aalto University 29-30 November 2012 2 ND CALL FOR CONFERENCE PAPERS The Chinese economy has often been characterized as a 30-year success story. China s long standing economic growth has led it to be the world s biggest industrial producer and the world s second largest economy. Even the global economic crisis of 2008 did not stop the growth of China s gross domestic product (GDP), but only slowed down the pace. It is expected that the size of the Chinese economy will surpass that of the United States within five years. China s sustained growth policy seems to be not only goaloriented but also a successful combination of a one-party system and a partial market economy. The enduring GDP growth has rested on two pillars: massive investments and high exports that, on their part, have been supported by the high savings rate and the gradual opening of the economy for inward foreign direct investments. Recently, also Chinese outward foreign direct investments have been on a rapid rise. It is likely that China s growth policy will continue without radical changes despite the forthcoming change of leadership. However, the current economic turbulence in the global economy, especially in the Eurozone, creates many challenges, also for China as it may cause a recession in its main export market. Keynote Speakers The following speakers will inspire our proceedings: Bruce Dickson, Professor, Political Science and International Affairs, George Washington University Linda Jakobson, Director, East Asia Program, Lowy Institute for International Policy Riitta Kosonen, Professor, Center for Markets in Transition, Aalto University School of Business Claes Alvstam, Professor, Centre for International Business Studies, Univ. of Gothenburg Kjeld Erik Brødsgaard, Professor, Asia Research Institute, Copenhagen Business School Pang Zhongying, Professor, School of International Studies, Renmin University
This conference will highlight both the factors behind China s growth and the many influences that it has on various levels. For example, how the rapidly increasing Chinese investments and presence in the neighboring countries has impacted on the economies and societies of the wider East and Southeast Asian region. Similarly, how the rise of China in the international economy and politics through increased competition has affected not only global businesses and markets, but also the global security framework. This has many implications for the dynamics of international relations, such as between China, the US and the EU. In this vein, the conference will mainly focus on the increasingly prominent Chinese economy that has a growing impact both on the regional and global levels. What drives China s economic and political expansion, and under what circumstances can this growth be assumed to continue? What implications does the rising China have in the economic, societal, and political scene in other Asian countries, and elsewhere? What is the relationship between politics and business in the Chinese hybrid economy? Will the strategic sectors of the economy continue to be dominated by large state-owned enterprises under Party control? These questions will be discussed at the 6 th Annual NNC Conference and PhD course to be held on November 27-30 at Aalto University School of Economics in Helsinki. We invite papers focusing on the macro- and micro-level analyses in various social sciences, such as economics, business studies, international relations, political science, anthropology, law and others, as well as from the humanities. The conference will engage in discussions and bring insights from multiple perspectives to the topic of Chinese influence on the economies, societies, businesses, and politics of the wider East, South and Southeast Asia, as well as other parts of the world. Possible paper and panel topics include: Economic and political transition in China China s foreign trade, export performance, and competitiveness in the global market Inward foreign direct investments and multinational companies in China Global financial turbulence and the future of the Chinese economy The transforming Chinese business environment Institutional change, the legal framework and social norms in China Human resource management and labour issues in China Cross-cultural communication Business security in China Corporate social responsibility, safety, sustainability, and environmental issues Chinese outward foreign direct investments The role of state in the internationalization of Chinese companies Local impact of Chinese firms, migrants, and capital on host countries, localities and communities The role of China in the global financial markets China s influence on the global security framework International relations of rising China The impact of the Chinese economy on the economies, societies and politics of wider Asia China and regional/international organizations On the 27th there will be a Business panel discussion on the prospects of the Chinese economy.
The Vice President of Aalto University: Professor Hannu Seristö, will be hosting a conference reception in the evening of the 27 th, at Aalto Design Factory - located at the Aalto main campus, Otaniemi, Espoo. Conference dinner on the 28 th will be hosted by the Dean of the School of Business, Professor Ingmar Björkman, at a World Design Capital venue in Helsinki. Conference participation is open to all scholars and graduate students. As this is an interdisciplinary conference we encourage contributions from the social science disciplines and the humanities with emphasis on interdisciplinary perspectives. The conference will be combined with a PhD course where doctoral candidates may present and discuss their research projects with senior researchers as well as other fellow doctoral candidates. The first two days will be devoted to panels and keynote speakers while the last two days will focus on the course for doctoral students. It is possible for a limited number of participants to attend the conference without presenting a paper, or to attend the keynote speeches. It is possible for a limited number of participants to attend the conference without presenting a paper. Conference Fee and Accommodation: The conference fee is 150 Euro, which includes the reception, conference dinner and lunches (see programme). If you wish to attend the conference without presenting a paper the conference fee is 100 Euro. Accommodation is provided at Omena Hotel Yrjönkatu 30 (http://www.omenahotels.com/our-hotels/finland/helsinki-yrjoenkatu/) between 26-29 November for conference participants who are presenting papers. If you wish to stay at another hotel, you will have to organize and finance this yourself, but we have arranged university discounts at 2 hotels relatively close to Aalto University School of Business. For more information, please follow this link: http://aaltochina2012.niasconferences.net/subpage.php?id=4 For other participants, please see this link for hotel reservations. http://aaltochina2012.niasconferences.net/subpage.php?id=4 Deadlines International researchers working on Asia in any social science and humanities discipline are invited to submit abstracts. Abstracts should not exceed 300 words. 8 October 2012: Deadline for submitting abstract (maximum 300 words) 22 October 2012: Acceptance of abstracts by Academic Committee 12 November 2012: Deadline for submitting the full paper Abstracts and full papers should be submitted via the conference website where all practical information about the conference also is available: http://aaltochina2012.niasconferences.net
PhD Course The course can be taken as a 7.5 ECTS credit course (to be approved by your university/institution). To receive the credits, doctoral students must attend the conference on November 27-28, the course on November 29-30, submit a paper (10-12 pages) for the PhD course, and give comments to a fellow PhD student s paper. Doctoral candidates are also encouraged to present their course papers (or an additional conference paper) in conference panels. In case you wish to present two papers, two abstracts should be submitted (for deadlines, see above). The organizers hope to provide an interesting milieu for doctoral candidates to discuss their research and papers with senior scholars, as well as provide an opportunity to interact with other doctoral candidates in the field. Format The participating PhD candidates have been able to present papers at the preceding conference or participate in it and therefore the PhD course will focus exclusively on discussing the papers presented by the PhD students. The papers will be discussed both by a senior scholar and by a fellow PhD candidate. Included in the assignment for the course is therefore also to prepare and present comments on one of the fellow PhD candidates paper. The workshops will be led by keynote speakers and senior scholars. In addition, the program will include separate sessions devoted to discussions about fieldwork and a very useful seminar on getting published by Gerald Jackson the Editor in Chief of NIAS Press and author of the book Getting Published: A Companion for the Humanities and Social Sciences (2009). A maximum of 20 PhD candidates will be accepted for the course. Commentators at the PhD course are: Pang Zhongying, professor, School of International Studies, Renmin University Kjeld Erik Brødsgaard, Professor, Asia Research Institute, Copenhagen Business School Geir Helgesen, Director, NIAS Nordic Institute of Asian Studies Timo Kaartinen, professor, Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Helsinki Erja Kettunen-Matilainen, Research Manager, Center for Markets in Transition, Aalto University School of Business Bent Nielsen, Associate Professor, Department of Cross-Cultural and regional Studies, University of Copenhagen Matti Nojonen, Department of Management and International Business, Aalto University School of Business
Goals of the PhD Course To create a cross-disciplinary forum that challenges PhD candidates to test and discuss issues of common concern relating to the themes of the conference. To address individual theoretical, methodological, empirical and ethical challenges by mentoring and peer reviewing the papers presented by the participants. Fee and Accommodation PhD Course The fee for the conference and PhD course is 200 Euro, which includes conference fee, reception, lunches and dinner (see programme). Accommodation is provided at Aalto Guesthouse (Töölö Towers) (http://www.helsinki.fi/international/pdf/toolo_towers_brochure.pdf) between 26 November-1 December. For further information please contact Katrine Herold, Project Coordinator, NIAS, Katrine.herold@nias.ku.dk, or Dr. Erja Kettunen-Matilainen, CEMAT, Aalto University, erja.kettunen-matilainen@aalto.fi Or go to the conference website http://aaltochina2012.niasconferences.net