The Australian Centre for Family Business at Bond University (ACFB) will host four leading scholars from China’s Nankai University this week.
The scholars, from one of China’s top ten universities, will be at Bond from May 1 to 7, to begin collaborations with the ACFB and develop an understanding of the research, teaching and practice of family business in Australia.
Professor Ken Moores and Dr Justin Craig, as co-directors of the Centre, will lead classroom sessions with the visitors to introduce them to recent developments in family business studies. Other presenters will include Dr Xiaowen Tian, Associate Professor of International Business, PhD students Wayne Irava and Frank Barbera along with Adjunct Professor Grant Dennis, director of the Dennis Family Corporation.
During their stay, the scholars will also visit several local family businesses associated with the ACFB, including O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, Neumann Group and Sands Property Group. These site visits will complement classroom discussions, demonstrating the practical applications of theoretical best practice in the context of real, tangible family business environments.
Professor Ken Moores, founding director of the ACFB believes the visit will showcase the range of activities which the Centre undertakes, as well as the major developments in the field of family business since the Centre’s inception in 1994.
“Hosting this delegation aligns with our key mission to be globally recognized as leaders in family business research and pedagogy, building upon the global status and reputation of the ACFB by sharing our work with key stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific region,” Professor Moores said.
The visit will help to build key ties between Australia and China in the family business domain, which complements the input of the ACFB in the STEP Summit (Successful Trans-generational Entrepreneurship Practices) held in Hong Kong last year. The summit was attended by ACFB Co-director, Dr Justin Craig, along with several members of Australian family businesses associated with the Centre.
The head of the Chinese delegation, Professor Ya Li, is a renowned scholar in his field, and Director of the Institute of Modern Management at Nankai University. His research has focussed particularly on the governance of small and medium-sized private companies – a key issue for all family businesses. The other delegates include Dr Guoping Zhang, Dr Jianbiao Li and Dr Runhui Lin.
Find more information about the Australian Centre for Family Business at bond.edu.au/acfb.