2022 "South-China Tour" CLGO Program Successfully Completed

From August 21 to August 26, 2022, the students of the full-time MBA CLGO Program Class 2021 and 2020 of Antai College of Economics and Management (ACEM), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) held an event of visit, exchange and study tour to manufacturers in southern China. With the strong support of Antai MBA Center, CLGO Program Team, Shenzhen Industry Research Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Antai Shenzhen Alumni Association, the students visited Shenzhen, Jiangmen and other cities for six days and five nights, and visited global well-known lean manufacturing enterprises including CIMC, Lehman Optoelectronic, Honor and others. Through this field visit, the students not only learned the advanced experience of the enterprises in operation and management, but also broadened their industry vision, deepened their understanding of MBA courses, and gained a lot more.

On August 22, CLGO students came to the first stop of this south travel - Shenzhen Industry Research Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Shenzhen Industry Research Institute held the unveiling ceremony on August 27, and CLGO students visited the advanced teaching equipment and elegant research environment of the Institute. Professor Jiang Wei, the chief scientist of Shenzhen Industry Research Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, taught CLGO students the course of Quality Management in the Institute. The students not only learned the modern concept behind quality management, but also learned to use statistical tools to achieve quality management with Six Sigma.

On the morning of August 23, the students came to the headquarters building of CIMC in Shekou, Shenzhen. CIMC, fully known as China International Marine Containers (Group) Co., Ltd., is a world leading supplier of logistics equipment and energy equipment, and a strategic partner of ACEM’s CLGO program. Shi Wen, the director of International Operation of CIMC Vehicles (Group) Co., Ltd., first introduced the international business of CIMC Vehicles - "the business model of international operation and local manufacturing, and the core of international business". Shi Wen compared the construction of domestic and foreign organizational structures and international production, operation and sales management to climbing mountains (overcoming difficulties to climb to the top), and compared crisis prediction, control and strategic response to surfing (relying on perception to control). He also introduced the experience and lessons learned from the "AD/CVD investigation" case on car frame in North America to the students in detail: "The international business is to dance with the lion". Then, Shen Jianwen, assistant president and HRD of CIMC Vehicles, introduced the international business and strategic sharing of the Group and the five cornerstones of high-end manufacturing system to the students. Finally, Zhao Yang, Senior Manager of Recruitment & Talent Development of CIMC Vehicles, reviewed the history of partnership between CIMC and CLGO and the partnership projects between the two sides over the years. After the exchange, the students completed the morning visit to CIMC headquarters with the expectation of visiting CIMC Lighthouse Factory and the reflection on CIMC's business cases.

On the afternoon of August 23, the visiting delegation arrived at CIMC Lighthouse Factory in Jiangmen. Yang Yong, General Manager of Cold Chain Product BU5 of Terabyte Business Group/Deputy General Manager of Jiangmen TB, introduced Terabyte Truck Body Business Group. CIMC Lighthouse Factory is the most advanced truck body manufacturing factory nationwide and even worldwide, using professional self-owned foaming, environment-friendly electroplating process and other technologies, with all production indicators far higher than similar production plants. During the whole visit, the students not only saw the production line with a huge system, but also actively interacted with the factory leaders and deeply discussed the issues related to process and production.

On the morning of August 24, the students visited Ledman Optoelectronic Co., Ltd., founded by Li Mantie, a Grade 03 EMBA alumnus of SJTU. Lehman Optoelectronic is a world leading expert in Ultra-High Definition (UHD) LED display, a leader in 8K UHD LED giant screen display, China's first listed LED display high-tech company, a strategic partner in China's aerospace industry, and a producer of the Ice Olympic Rings at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. At the beginning of the event, the students visited the Lehman Enterprise Exhibition Hall, experienced a visual feast, and learned about the evolution of Lehman COB UHD display technology in detail. Then, the students signed their names on the interactive screen of the smart conference representing the latest technological achievements of Lehman Optoelectronic. In the final interaction, Zuo Jianming, vice president of Lehman, shared his feelings and experience of turning from a university lecturer into an entrepreneur, and shared the lessons of Lehman Optoelectronic in the process of diversification and the experience of returning to the original aspiration. Although the time of visit to Lehman Optoelectronic was short, the students gained a lot and still wished for more.

On the afternoon of August 24, the students visited the national intelligent manufacturing demonstration factory of Honor. At the welcoming ceremony, the senior executives introduced the development story, innovation and R&D capabilities of Honor after its establishment. They told about the new vision and mission of Honor, and said that Honor is committed to becoming a global landmark technology brand and creating a smart new world for everyone! The students were very lucky to witness the whole process of a mobile phone production line, from the original SMT PCB, to mobile phone assembly, testing and packaging testing, and to the final packaging of finished products. Honor's intelligent manufacturing factory is equipped with a lot of automation equipment, which greatly reduces the number of production line operators. 75% of the processes of the production line are completed by automation equipment, and more than 40% of the equipment comes from its own R&D. Every 28.5 seconds, a flagship product goes off the production line. The introduction of abundant automation equipment has changed manufacturing into "intelligent manufacturing", and the numerous process optimization and improvement stories reflected the all-out effort of Honor in upgrading the production line. In the subsequent post-visit salon interaction, senior executives and students discussed the future of the mobile phone industry and the core competitiveness of Honor. The enthusiastic interaction and in-depth question & answer improved the students' cognitive and thinking abilities.

On August 26, the six-day CLGO South China Travel and Visit to Chinese Manufacturing Industry officially came to an end. Although the trip was short, it was wonderful. In this South Travel Event, the students not only had a deeper understanding of the operation and management of outstanding manufacturing enterprises, but also had closer contact with partner enterprises and alumni enterprises of SJTU. Only when theory is combined with practice can we realize the strategy of "Two types of scholarship, horizontal (academic) and vertical (industry), reinforcing each other and connecting theory with practice".