Speaker：Du Fachun
First Workshop on
Prof. Liu Shizhe, Chief Editor of Ethno-National Studies, chairing the workshop
Dr. Chen Guangjin, Deputy Director-General of
Mr. Matthew Erie, PhD Candidate,
Group photo in CASS IEA
Beijing, July 12, 2008
Prof. & Dr. Zhang Jijiao
Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Vice-Secretary-General, Organizing Committee for IUAES World Congress
A conference on “Enterprise Anthropology: Empirical and Applied Research” was held in Beijing on July 12, 2008, which co-organized by the Organizing Committee for the IUAES World Congress and the Journal of Ethno-national Studies (under the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences).
Prof. Bernard P. Wong, Director of Center for Urban Anthropology, US San Francisco State University, wrote a congratulation letter for the conference. He said that one of the most fascinating topics facing the process of globalization is the role of culture in entrepreneurial pursuits in the modern economy. Many anthropologists and sociologists are attempting to pursue a further study on it. I am glad to note with appreciation that the conference topic represents a state of the art effort in uncovering the dynamic interplays between culture and economic enterprise.
In the conference 17 participants are from the following 10 academic institutions: US Cornell University, Beijing Normal University, Zhejiang University, Zhongshan (Sun Yat-sen) University, Institute of Sociology at CASS, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology at CASS, Graduate School at CASS, China University of Political Science and Law, North China Electric Power University, Central University for Nationalities and three companies.
With the situation of business globalization, demand for enterprise anthropologists is increasing stimulated by a growing need for anthropologists who can approach human behavior. During the conference, 10 presentations included the following topics/aspects:
Empirical study and applied research of Enterprise Anthropology
Theories and methodology of corporate organization and enterprise culture
Consumer behavior and marketing research
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) studies
Anthropological knowledge applied in product designing, human resource management and international marketing management of the companies
Ethnic entrepreneurship
The role and development of the different kinds of companies (private corporate, state owned company and international company)
Enterprise anthropology in Japan ( I met three Japanese enterprise anthropologists in Beijing on May 8, 2008. )
All participants are very excited about the field of enterprise anthropology and consider it as a field, which will be testifying the value and role of anthropology in the times of the market globalization, and will be employing many more anthropologists in the future.
In order to promote the development of Enterprise Anthropology in China and around the world, 8 Panels will be held during the 16th Congress of IUAES. There are:
1) Enterprise Anthropology: Review and Prospect
2) The Comparative Study of Corporate Cultures in East Asia in the Global Age
3) Consumer Behavior and Credit Research: The Role of Anthropology in Enterprise Development
4) Enterprise Anthropology: The Chinese in Hi-tech Companies of Silicon Valley
5) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): An Anthropological Approach
6) Ethnic Entrepreneurs in China and Southeast Asia
7) Minority Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development
8) The Role of Social Network in Asian Business
With the situation of business globalization, demand for enterprise anthropologists is increasing stimulated by a growing need for anthropologists who can approach human behavior.