The CCC pursues research across multiple domains related to China and welcomes collaboration from academics specializing in China management and economics.
Academic Research: Encompasses both theoretical development and empirical investigation across diverse subject areas
Practice-Oriented Research: Spans public policy analysis, global comparative indices, case study development, and normative scholarship—all designed to yield actionable insights for business practitioners, policymakers, executive education, and pedagogical application
The CCC additionally provides thesis supervision for bachelor, master, and doctoral candidates conducting research on China management and economics topics.
中国能力中心在与中国相关的多个研究领域开展研究，并欢迎专注于中国管理学和经济学的学者进行合作。
学术研究： 涵盖多个学科领域的理论发展和实证研究
实践导向研究： 涉及公共政策分析、全球比较指数、案例研究开发和规范性学术研究——旨在为商业从业者、政策制定者、高管教育和教学应用提供可操作的洞见
此外，中国能力中心还为从事中国管理学和经济学主题研究的学士、硕士和博士研究生提供论文指导。
Research by the China Competence Center strives to support those engage in Sino-Swiss relationship be it in the areas of business, investments or even policymaking.
For instance and regarding the Sino-Swiss FTA, in 2017, the CCC and the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) established a long-term partnership and held a formal signing ceremony. The CCC was honored that the ceremony was attended by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Doris Leuthard, and the Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland, Geng Wenbing. Subsequently, the Shanghai Customs College joined the collaboration.
中国能力中心的研究致力于支持参与中瑞关系的各方，无论是在商业、投资，还是政策制定领域。
例如，在中瑞自由贸易协定（FTA）方面，2017 年，中国能力中心与对外经济贸易大学（UIBE）建立了长期合作伙伴关系，并举行了正式签约仪式。中国能力中心深感荣幸，该仪式由瑞士联邦主席多丽丝·洛伊特哈德 (Doris Leuthard）和中国驻瑞士大使耿文兵出席。随后，上海海关学院也加入了该合作项目。
The research analyzing the Sino-Swiss Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and its effectiveness has provided empirical evidence to policymakers in both countries. The findings indicate that the FTA has generated mutually beneficial outcomes for both sides. The methodologies employed are at the forefront of academic research and meet the highest standards of scholarly rigor.
A second comprehensive study, conducted on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the FTA, was presented at a major event hosted at the University of St. Gallen. The findings were unveiled at SQUARE, the University of St. Gallen’s learning and engagement center, in the presence of His Excellency WANG Shiting, Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland. The presentation was followed by a discussion with representatives of Swiss business and political leaders.
关于中瑞自由贸易协定（FTA）及其实施成效的研究，为两国政策制定者提供了扎实的实证依据。研究结果表明，该协定为双方带来了互利共赢的积极成果。所采用的研究方法处于学术前沿，体现了高度严谨的学术标准。
在协定签署十周年之际开展的第二项综合性研究，作为一项重要活动在圣加仑大学举行。研究成果于圣加仑大学 SQUARE 在中国驻瑞士大使王世廷阁下的见证下正式发布，并随后与瑞士工商界及政界代表进行了深入讨论。
Further details are available here:
更多详情请参阅：
https://www.unisg.ch/de/newsdetail/news/10-jahre-freihandelsabkommen-zwischen-der-schweiz-und-china/
The Swiss in China Survey 2025 was conducted over the course of one year under the academic leadership of the China Competence Center (CCC), with support from many Swiss institutions as well as the Swiss and Chinese Chambers of Commerce in both Switzerland and China. The report was honored with a foreword by Ambassador Krystyna Marty Lang, Ambassador of Switzerland to the People’s Republic of China.
《2025 年在华瑞士企业调查》历时一年完成，由中国能力中心（CCC）担任学术牵头单位，并得到众多瑞士机构以及瑞士与中国商会的支持。本报告荣幸由瑞士驻中华人民共和国大使 Krystyna Marty Lang撰写序言。
A number of the Center’s research projects extend beyond academic publication and contribute meaningfully to global thought leadership. Selected research findings actively enter the public discourse, shaping debates on economic development, elite systems, sustainability, trade, and international relations.
Through contributions to leading international platforms, the CCC translates rigorous academic research into accessible, business- and policy-relevant insights. Below are two examples of such thought leadership contributions, published in Project Syndicate and FT Chinese.
中心的多项研究成果不仅停留在学术发表层面，也积极参与全球思想引领。部分研究成果进入公共讨论领域，影响着关于经济发展、精英体系、可持续发展、贸易以及国际关系等议题的辩论。
通过在国际权威平台发表文章，中国能力中心将严谨的学术研究转化为面向商业与政策实践、具有现实意义的洞见。以下列举了发表于 Project Syndicate 和 FT 中文网 的两个思想引领案例。
PDF download at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6034854
PDF download at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5241721
PDF download at: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/125013
PDF download at: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm
PDF download at: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/124997
PDF download at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4593483
PDF download at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3849665
PDF download at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4452247
PDF download at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3715794
PDF download at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4418550
• Empirical research that provides deep contextualisation of China management and entrepreneurship practice needed to understand actual practice in relationship to the distinct economic, ethical, social and political conditions in which it occurs. Meta-studies might also play an important role here, by drawing on more relatively narrowly defined empirical research to develop more detailed pictures of practices with single industries or within single professions, for example.
• Conceptual and review research that develop mid-range theory (Merton, 1968) informed on the one side by deep contextualisation of practice and on the other side by an awareness distinctly Chinese narratives, and their underlying ontological and epistemological assumptions.
• Conceptual or review papers that seek to universalise Chinese management and entrepreneurship practices, and make these relevant outside their native context, possibly through synthesis of distinct Asian and traditional Western theory.
As a result of our research positioning, our broad areas of inquiry are:
CHINA MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Documenting the nature of Asian Management and Entrepreneurial practice, including organisational issues, stakeholder relationships, governance and ethics, its impact on PRC economic growth.
ESSENTIALIST CHINA MANAGEMENT THEORIES
Explore the appropriateness of general (Western) theory versus theories specifically grounded in distinctly China sociologies, philosophies and religions for explaining management and entrepreneurship in Asia. We welcome thesis topics that rest on thought-provoking essentialist assumptions.
PERFORMANCE COMPARISONS AND LESSONS FOR THE OTHER
Studies of the ‘other’ can highlight the nature of the self. In the third theme, observations and theorising grounded in China management and entrepreneurship theory and practice are used suggest policy and practice guidelines (to improve performance) for European practice and European business engagement with Asia.
Within these broad themes, a variety of specific topics may be addressed, including:
• ODI from China: Characteristics and Performance
• Top Teams in management, entrepreneurship and other areas: Characteristics and Performance
• Asian Management and Entrepreneurship: Differences with, and consequences for European Theory and Practice
• Questions of practice and conceptualisation of business practice
• Chinese Top Management Teams, their modus operandi and organizational characteristics such as teamness or hierarchies
• Chinese entrepreneurs, their approaches, biases and heuristics, through frameworks such as the varieties of capitalism
• Varieties of capitalism (VoC): Modelling the Systems of China
• The Financial Crisis: Strategies for Recovery from China
• National Business Models: Unique Mercantilism, export-orientation and trade surpluses as destabilizing factors for markets and firms
• Business Models at Firms: Description and Innovation
• National Innovation Systems in China
• Country and regional specialisation, such as the China IT or automotive sector, and their Western counterparts: cooperation and competition
• China consumers and their impact on manufacturing and the service sector
• The role of the state in shaping managerial and entrepreneurial practice
• Made in Europe vs. Made in China vs. Made Together
• Factor based growth vs. efficiency based growth vs. innovation based growth in China
• The modus operandi of Chinese diasporas, the value of family, social and political networks
• How does the European market (and its economic and monetary union) affect strategy formulation of old and new Chinese firms?
• Institutional elements and the structure of opportunity in Chinese entrepreneurship
• Entrepreneurship of last resort: images, myths and metaphors of Chinese entrepreneurs
• Chinese conglomerates and family firms: reorganization, governance, decentralization, minority shareholders, international partnerships and transparency.
