Inaugural International Conference

Cracking the U.S. Market:

Opportunities and Threats for Chinese Multinationals

Hosted by the China Business Studies Initiative at University of San Francisco

Date: February 26-28, 2015

Location: San Francisco, CA, USA

Submission Deadline: September 15, 2014

How are Chinese firms addressing the opportunity and challenges faced in the United States? What are the strengths and weaknesses of Chinese multinationals implementing a marketing and R&D strategy, and even manufacturing across the United States?

Chinese firms have quickly become instrumental players in the global marketplace and are on a U.S. buying spree.  Outbound Chinese FDI in January 2014 was $7.23 billion, up 47.2 percent from a year earlier and expected to exceed for the first time the inbound FDI in 2014. In 2013, Chinese firms invested more than $14 billion in the United States, and are continuing to search for new markets and new ventures. In the first quarter of 2014, Chinese firms spent $1.36 billion on 26 FDI transactions in the United States. This tremendous growth has been driven by large-scale acquisitions in food, energy and real estate.

Although Chinese firms have achieved some success in entering and operating in the United States (e.g., Lenovo and Haier), the U.S. market remains notoriously difficult for outsiders to enter. Many European, Japanese and Latin American firms have come to the United States with high hopes, only to retreat or to go through the painstaking process of readjusting strategy and expectations to establish a foothold in the market.

The China Business Studies Initiative at the University of San Francisco is pleased to invite scholars, business leaders, and policy makers to our first annual international conference that aims to address the issues faced by Chinese multinationals seeking to crack the U.S. market. Join us as we discuss and share knowledge and insights, evaluate the impact of current policy, and set a research agenda for the future.

This interactive, two-day conference will feature panel discussions and roundtables for a robust exchange of ideas, strategies, and solutions to the challenges that face Chinese businesses seeking to invest in the United States.

Call for Submissions

Submission deadline: September 15, 2014

With a focus on academic and practical applications, this conference will serve as an interactive forum for practitioners and researchers to discuss the plentitude of issues that concern Chinese multinationals in the United States. We invite both scholars and practitioners to participate.

Topics of Special Interest:

·       Entrepreneurship, innovation & technology transfer by Chinese multinationals

·       Contributions to the U.S. economy

·       Challenges of Localization: Product safety, environmental and labor issues, intellectual property, regulatory, and legal issues.

·       Image: Managing skepticism toward the globalization of China business

·       Politics: Managing conflict and relationships with local and national governmental entities

·       Motivations in Chinese enterprises in the United States

·       Adapting Chinese managerial practices to the U.S. market

·       Marketing Chinese brands in the United States

·       Impact of CSR philosophy and practice in China vs. United States

·       HR: Recruiting, developing, rewarding and retaining talent in Chinese enterprises operating in the United States

·       M&A of Chinese firms in the United States: Challenges and opportunities

·       Chinese investment in real estate & hospitality industry; Chinese tourism in the United States

·       Chinese multinationals in other countries as compared to United States

·       Other related topics

The topics listed are meant to be illustrative; submissions on any topic that relates to the theme of Chinese multinationals in the United States are encouraged.  

Submission Guidelines

Scholar Submission

We invite scholars to present research, connect with practitioners, and identify questions that concern Chinese multinationals. Your submission must include a 2-3 page extended abstract with the following components (where relevant):

·       Purpose

·       Design/methodology/approach

·       Findings

·       Research limitations/implications

·       Practical implications (every abstract is expected to include a minimum of half page of this component)

·       Originality/value

Please follow the style guide provided by the Thunderbird International Business Review for formatting and references.

Practitioner Submission

We invite practitioners to present concerns and questions, share best practices, and to access new findings in academic research with regard to Chinese multinationals. When possible, please follow the standard academic format listed in the Scholar Submission section above. Should this not be applicable, we will welcome a one-page summary as your submission.

Opportunity to Publish

Select papers will be invited to submit to a special issue in Thunderbird International Business Review.  Please watch out for the special issue call for papers.

Important Dates

Submission Deadline: September 15, 2014

Notice of Acceptance: November 15, 2014

Early Bird Registration: December 10, 2014

Conference Dates: February 26-28, 2015

Contact Information

Abstracts and panel proposals should be submitted to: 

usfca.edu/management/centers/china/Abstract_Submission/

For additional information and questions, please visit the conference website, or email [log in to unmask] to reach:

Dr. Xiaohua Yang (University of San Francisco), the Program Chair, or

Dr. Barry Doyle (University of San Francisco), Program Co-Chair, or

Dr. Mary Teagarden (Thunderbird School of Global Management), Program Co-Chair, or

Dr. Liang Wang (University of San Francisco), Program Co-Chair

For conference logistics, please contact Dr. Gleb Nikitenko (University of San Francisco), Conference Site Committee Chair, at [log in to unmask].