China currently has the fastest super-computer on earth, the largest growing middle-class for consumer products, and the greatest potential to challenge the economic, political, and technological dominance of the West. To many international investors, however, China remains a mysterious place that they need to know more about in order to do business with and to anticipate her regional and global impact.

The conference will feature presentations by an international group of leading scholars from Asia, Europe, and North America. Each has submitted an extended abstract of their proposed paper for a double-blind peer review. The manuscripts selected for presentation cover an interesting range of topics, with each addressing an important aspect of the conference theme. The help with the further develoment of these papers, we have invited a number of senior academic colleagus to attend the conference and provide feedback on the presentations. They will also participate in a keynote panel discussing future directions for reseach on China business, international competitiveness, and globalization.