Guoli-Chen-12927_84.jpg

Guoli Chen

Professor of Strategy

This case follows the entrepreneurial journey of Wang Ning, founder of POP MART, the leading player in China's booming pop toy industry. POP MART initially struggled in an unfamiliar market environment but achieved rapid growth after strategically pivoting to innovative IP-based toys and leveraging the blind-box business model, capturing the consumption preferences of Generation Z.

Published 08 Aug 2025

Reference 6987

Topic Strategy

Industry Arts and Crafts Consumer Goods

Region Global

View

The case examines DeepSeek, the Chinese AI startup that shook global markets in 2025 when its groundbreaking models caused Nvidia shares to plummet 17% in a single day while its app surpassed ChatGPT on Apple's App Store. Founded in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, DeepSeek achieved what seemed impossible—creating a world-class AI model at just 1-5% of competitors' costs.

Published 07 Aug 2025

Reference 6993

Topic Strategy

Industry Computer Software Information Technology and Services

Region Global

View

Crazy Maple Studio (CMS) is a Chinese-backed, California-based tech startup in the digital entertainment industry. It has successfully introduced a Chinese storytelling formula rooted in web novels (Chinese: 网络文学) to the global market, with a business model for vertical screen short drama (Chinese: 竖屏短剧/微短剧).

Published 07 Aug 2025

Reference 6935

Topic Strategy

Industry Entertainment Internet

Region Global

View

The case traces Digital China’s transformation from a traditional IT distributor into a data-driven, AI-embedded organization. It examines the company’s multi-year digital journey, emphasizing the pivotal roles of top-down leadership, bottom-up business initiatives, and organizational and talent readiness.

Published 28 May 2025

Reference 6999

Topic Strategy

Industry Computer Software Information Technology and Services

Region Asia

View

FWD is a young home-grown entrant in the Asian insurance market, which is dominated by giants such as AIA, Manulife, Prudential and AXA. Its mission is to change the way people feel about insurance by leveraging technology to create relevant products, make the buying process more efficient, customer- and distributor-friendly, and then scale up the business.

Published 14 May 2025

Reference 6928

Topic Strategy

Industry Insurance

Region Asia

View

FWD is a young home-grown entrant in the Asian insurance market, which is dominated by giants such as AIA, Manulife, Prudential and AXA. Its mission is to change the way people feel about insurance by leveraging technology to create relevant products, make the buying process more efficient, customer- and distributor-friendly, and then scale up the business.

Published 14 May 2025

Reference 6928

Topic Strategy

Industry Insurance

Region Asia

View

FWD is a young home-grown entrant in the Asian insurance market, which is dominated by giants such as AIA, Manulife, Prudential and AXA. Its mission is to change the way people feel about insurance by leveraging technology to create relevant products, make the buying process more efficient, customer- and distributor-friendly, and then scale up the business.

Published 14 May 2025

Reference 6928

Topic Strategy

Industry Insurance

Region Asia

View

Headquartered in Japan, NEC Corporation is a leader in IT and network technologies with more than 125 years of history. This three-part case study focuses on one of its country affiliates, NEC-India, which had been operating for over 70 years and had a unique role in NEC’s business.

Published 26 Aug 2024

Reference 6859

Topic Leadership & Organisations

Industry Computer Networking Information Technology and Services

Region Asia

View

Headquartered in Japan, NEC Corporation is a leader in IT and network technologies with more than 125 years of history. This three-part case study focuses on one of its country affiliates, NEC-India, which had been operating for over 70 years and had a unique role in NEC’s business.

Published 26 Aug 2024

Reference 6859

Topic Leadership & Organisations

Industry Computer Networking Information Technology and Services

Region Asia

View

Headquartered in Japan, NEC Corporation is a leader in IT and network technologies with more than 125 years of history. This three-part case study focuses on one of its country affiliates, NEC-India, which had been operating for over 70 years and had a unique role in NEC’s business.

Headquartered in Japan, NEC Corporation is a leader in IT and network technologies with more than 125 years of history. This three-part case study focuses on one of its country affiliates, NEC-India, which had been operating for over 70 years and had a unique role in NEC’s business.

Published 26 Aug 2024

Reference 6859

Topic Leadership & Organisations

Industry Computer Networking Information Technology and Services

Region Asia

View

Strategic leadership and corporate governance , Organizational growth (e.g., Mergers and acquisitions, Globalization, Innovation, IPOs), Sustainability and CSR, Chinese management