2526T1 Shenzhen/Course
| HOME | | COURSE | | ITINERARY | | ROLE | | TEAM | |
Shenzhen has earned its reputation as the Silicon Valley of the East through a combination of innovation, entrepreneurship, and dynamic connections to China, Asia, and the world. This study mission will delve into the unique tech culture of Shenzhen and explore its approach to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. From Entrepreneur Forums to University incubators, we will cover the ecosystem and support structure that has enabled Shenzhen to thrive. How does a city compete in a rapidly growing economy, facing challenges such as intellectual property issues and intense competition? Despite these hurdles, Shenzhen continues to be resilient, producing successful companies like Huawei, Tencent, DJI, and BYD. We will investigate the environment by visiting start-ups in technology, hardware manufacturing, social media, and other industries in Shenzhen.
Shenzhen's startup scene is vibrant and diverse, with companies like DJI, a leader in drone and camera technology, and WeBank, an online-focused private commercial bank, showcasing the city's innovative spirit. Other notable startups include HeyTea, known for its unique cheese tea beverages, and UBTech Robotics, specializing in artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics. These companies exemplify the entrepreneurial energy that drives Shenzhen's economy.
Culturally, Shenzhen is a melting pot of traditions and modernity. The city hosts numerous cultural events, such as the International Cultural Industry Expo, and has been awarded the UNESCO title of "Design City". The city's culture is influenced by the Punti and Hakka ethnic groups, blending southern and northern cultural elements2. If time permits we will visit include the vibrant art district of OCT-LOFT, the historical Dapeng Fortress, or the Shenzhen Museum, which offers a glimpse into the city's history.
The city's integration into the global system has been a key factor in its rapid development, transforming it from an impoverished fishing village to a leading global metropolis. Shenzhen's startup ecosystem ranks #18 globally and #3 in China, with top unicorns like SHEIN and DJI raising significant funds. Adding to its strategic advantage, Shenzhen's proximity to Hong Kong enhances its global connectivity. The seamless connection between Shenzhen and Hong Kong through multiple border crossings, such as Luohu Port and Futian Port, facilitates easy access for international business and travel. This connection allows for a smooth flow of talent, capital, and ideas between the two cities, further boosting Shenzhen's status as a global innovation hub.
We will visit the heart of China's tech industry, Shenzhen, and immerse in its unique culture by exploring startups, ventures, and government support structures. We will have the opportunity to speak to entrepreneurs and ask questions about their process, challenges, risks, and rewards of starting up a new business.
This course will help students
- Introduce to the entrepreneurship scene.
- Develop an understanding of the factors and ecosystem leading to a start-up.
- Aspire to be entrepreneurs and apply their findings to their own venture.
- Understand how to start a technology company.
- Build relationships with the companies we visit.
- Students will form their own teams on first day of class.
- Student teams will need to source for organization to visit.
Students will be assessed on planning, sourcing organization, in class and during the trip activities and conduct. Here is the grading criteria:
- Skills - I am better able to collaborate effectively with people of other cultures.
- Knowledge - I have gained new perspectives on intercultural, societal, and global issues.
- Network - I have broadened my network to include more contacts overseas.
- Attitude - I am better able to appreciate our interconnected world, where actions in one place have implications elsewhere.
- Attitude - I am more motivated to do my part in tackling societal and/or global issues.
- Other benefits and takeaways from your exposure to the rest of the world.
This course will be a pass/fail. To pass, you will need to get at least a B-. The grade breakdown is listed below.
| No | Time Frame | Topics | Assessment Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pre-Trip | Organization sourcing | Team | 20% |
| 2 | Plan trip | Individual | 20% | |
| 3 | Trip | Discussion and Presentation | Individual | 20% |
| 4 | Trip role/helping others | Individual | 20% | |
| 5 | Reflection | Individual | 10% | |
| 6 | All | Wiki, Blog & Photos | Individual | 10% |
Here are the assignments:
- Pre Trip
- Teams are to source for organizations to visit. Research on the organization.
- Ecosystem: background, industry, culture, ecosystem, research universities, politics, aspiration, etc. Compare ecosystem to Singapore.
- Company/founder culture/trait such as connections (companies, country, customer focus), support environment (government, business, infrastructure, society, market maturity, reputation), and personality/company culture (integrity, leadership, competitiveness, entrepreneurship, savviness, creativity, innovativeness, dynamicity, risk taking, commitment to technology, excellent communication, team spirit, fun seeking, etc). Research on this by reading books, websites or interviews. Come up with examples of company events when this trait is vital to the company. Explore this trait in some of the organization we will visit.
- Organization: background, motivation, challenges, investments/employee stock ownership plan/intellectual property, strategy/business model/IPO, culture/personalities/politics/connections, etc. Students to prepare a company brief that is due before the trip.
- SMU Library Basic ReseachTSM. You may contact XIA Wei <weixia@smu.edu.sg> if you need to get SMU library resources while doing your research.
- Individual will be assessed based on the quality of your contributions in the role you play, getting organization, helping out with the trip planning and execution.
- Teams are to source for organizations to visit. Research on the organization.
- During the Trip
- Teams will ask questions, when the opportunity presents itself. Each team will introduce their company, present the focus and recommend improvements. Each team will have a backup team to support them (taking photos, questions, follow up, etc)
- Individuals will keep a journal/blog/diary/tweet (with video, photo, links, etc.) on the discussion and company visits. Focus on learning points and reflections. Compile your journal in the individual reflection page.
- Post Trip
- Reflection on your research
- Key takeaways (2) or learning points from the organization
- Quotes from presenter/senior management/owner/founder
- Recommendation on how the trip can be improved further
All acts of academic dishonesty (including, but not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, facilitation of acts of academic dishonesty by others, unauthorized possession of exam questions, or tampering with the academic work of other students) are serious offences. All work (whether oral or written) submitted for purposes of assessment must be the student’s own work. Penalties for violation of the policy range from zero marks for the component assessment to expulsion, depending on the nature of the offense.
When in doubt, students should consult the instructors of the course. Details on the SMU Code of Academic Integrity may be accessed at http://www.smuscd.org/resources.html.
There will be several classroom meetings to organize the course, trip and research. Students will meet in classroom to present their research findings. The teams are required to update their progress using the wiki.
| Class (Week) | Topics | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course introduction, team formation and organization assignment. | Roles, Teams and Organisation. Team and group photos. |
| 2 | Organization groupings for each team and trip planning | Trip itinerary and Organisation Grouping. |
| 3 | Inspiration from Guests! | |
| 6 | Confirm visits. | Sector Research and Contact (reorganise grouping). |
| Week 8: Break. | ||
| 11 | Present organization and itinerary (first come first serve) | Itinerary confirmation |
| 12 | Present organization and itinerary (as needed) and class bonding | Itinerary confirmation & Group lunch. |
| 17 | Reconfirm itinerary with companies | Company brief due |
| 18 | Visit company. | Reflection |
