The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) was established by the Singapore government as a post-secondary principal provider of vocational and technical education (VTE). This case study chronicles ITE's transformation from a public education institution that was plagued by social stigma into an award-winning institution. It relates how in Singapore, VTE and ITE were destigmatized through a multi-pronged approach that encompassed social marketing, industry partnerships, strategic planning, and government support.

This case covers the ten-year development of Shenzhen's innovation landscape from 2008 when China hosted the Summer Olympics and launched its nationwide 3G mobile network to 2018, which marks the 40th anniversary of the nation's economic reform. Specifically, it identifies the confluence of global and China-specific factors that transformed Shenzhen from a shanzhai (copycat) hub to startup haven, such as the rise of mobile internet and the adoption of automation in Shenzhen factories, as well as the "Made in China 2025" and "Chinese Dream" visions promoted by the government. The case discusses how the decades-old practice of shanzhai may not be a flaw but a feature crucial to Shenzhen's innovative vitality. It returns to the idea of innovation as a web to be woven, "layer by layer, with every business deal brokered among its firms, and with every inventive idea sketched out by its army of makers". It poses several questions revolving around the idea of shanzhai. Is it something so undesirable that it has to be exorcised from Shenzhen? Or is it the basis of which innovation, Shenzhen style, flourishes and spreads?

This case describes the organisational developmental journey of ZTE from a labour-intensive manufacturing company to a high-tech intensive telecommunication giant. ZTE was regarded as one of the innovative state-owned companies. Over the years, it had developed capabilities across carrier network, enterprise, and consumer fields. This Case provides an understanding of what type of external environment would provide a window of opportunity for a company to catch up fast. It also provides the internal factors of how ZTE handled the challenge of innovation and deployment of technology capabilities. Though the Company was recognised for its innovation, a breaking crisis was facing ZTE due to its "short cut" innovation approach in core technologies. The current development was paralysed because of the denial of access to US technology, which is a symptom of how dependent they are on external sources of technology.

This case examines the development of Shenzhen through three key phases of its economic journey that span almost 40 years, starting with its humble beginnings as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). We analyse the city's evolution and push towards innovation via Porter's Diamond Theory and its four interrelated factors of national comparative economic advantage: firm strategy, structure and rivalry; related supporting industries; demand conditions; and factor conditions. In understanding Shenzhen's economic transformation, we should, in particular, appreciate the important role and commitment of the Chinese government in driving economic development and innovation through setting and articulating economic direction; attracting talent; providing physical infrastructure; making policy adjustments; and building a presence on the global platform. We end by projecting the threats that Shenzhen may face in sustaining its future growth.

This case compares the impact of disruptive forces on the logistics industry in Singapore and Hong Kong, and the two government responses in terms of strategic repositioning. This case is important for executives recommending the siting of additional investment dollars particularly between the two cities.

This case presents the ascent of SenseTime, a Chinese company powered by facial recognition technology and became the world's most valuable artificial intelligence (AI) startup. Based in Shenzhen, SenseTime aspired to lead AI innovation to power the future. It offered a variety of business solutions across industries that went beyond facial recognition. Enabled by its high-performance deep learning supercomputing system, it deployed and developed solutions quickly to more than 400 partners and clients. Moving forward, SenseTime planned to expand to more vertical industries and go abroad. How could this young company deepen its technological edge, broaden its industry applications, and sustain fast growth for the long term?

This case focuses on the economic landscape of the Chinese city of Chongqing from 2007, the year when its municipal economy began a decade-long ascent even as China's economic growth had slowed down, especially since the 2008 global financial crisis. The case examines the policies that Chongqing's government took to promote economic growth, as well as the socio-political and economic context surrounding them. It also highlights the challenges and opportunities that Chongqing faced at the end of 2017, and will have to deal with in its near future against the background of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This case is suitable for a China-specific course as a "context case" on local and regional development. It may also be suitable for teaching the BRI initiative. This case could illustrate how Chinese provinces are adjusting their policies to the BRI, as well as the implications for businesses from the adjustment.

City transformation is complex. This case study examines the combination of policies and management decisions undertaken by Mr Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) in transforming Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. Jakarta had been facing serious urban development issues that affect the economy and political stability of Indonesia. Despite well-laid out plans where he aimed to alter the oft-regarded corrupt and incapable bureaucracy in Jakarta into a clean, capable and efficient administration, Ahok faced many leadership challenges when implementing large-scale transformation of major city in a developing country.

When Meituan merged with Dazhong Dianping in 2015, the company was no longer the fledgling startup it was in 2010. Founded by Tsinghua alumnus Wang Xing, the newly-formed Meituan-Dianping was valued at US$18 billion, joining an exclusive club of "decacorns," or startup "unicorns" worth at least US$10 billion. Soon, the company's first post-merger fundraising amassed US$3.3 billion, the highest amount the world had ever seen at that point. Our case describes how Meituan-Dianping grew from a simple group-buying website to a diverse online platform that offered products and services ranging from airfare to food delivery. It focuses on Wang's rationale and ethos, particularly how they informed and shaped Meituan and subsequently Meituan-Dianping's strategy. It describes the challenges of entrepreneurship and tech innovation, focusing on management and leadership in a dynamic and intensely competitive environment. It also highlights the considerations behind choosing the right business model during a firm's formative period, illustrating how the firm's positioning (e.g., "Meituan is not a Groupon clone") may influence talent recruitment and even fundraising efforts. Our case is suitable for graduate management/business and executive development programmes that include entrepreneurship, tech innovation, or strategy, as well as those with an international focus, especially on China.

This case presents the phenomenal rise of Ant Financial Services, which started as Alipay, and has since grown to become the world's largest Fintech company. Seeing itself as a Techfin rather Fintech company, Ant Financial leverages cutting edge technology to provide accessible finance to the underserved SMEs and individuals. This case highlights the dynamic evolution of its business model and its ecosystem. The case also brings up the key challenges that Ant Financial has to deal with, i.e., the intensely competitive Fintech landscape, the viability of its ambitious strategy for inclusive finance, and the transferability of its success beyond China.

Spencer Theodore Fung slowly closed the covers of the 2016 Analyst Presentation report he had just reviewed. The hazy Hong Kong skies of March 2017 reflected his mood. His third year as Chief Executive Officer of Li & Fung Limited (LF), Spencer wondered how to convince analysts used to 17% CAGR, that 2016 results were reasonable in light of the company's re-positioning. Opportunities abound, but would they believe and give him time? With a war chest of almost US$1 billion and gearing of only 27%, how should he roll out the next three-year plan? 2016, the 110th anniversary of Li & Fung's luminous existence, may mark the dawn of a new horizon...

For the last 50 years, the Economic Development Board (EDB) has been one of the key pillars of Singapore's economic success. The story of EDB's strategies through each period of Singapore's development is well documented. However, much less has been written about EDB the institution - the EDB strategy, leadership, culture, and mindset that allowed EDB to make the necessary shifts to innovate and create economic value for Singapore. This case study describes the development of EDB the institution, against the backdrop of Singapore's economic development.

In 2016, two years after leading OCBC through its largest acquisition of Wing Hang Bank, Group CEO Samuel Tsien settled into his flight home from a townhall meeting with his new colleagues in Hong Kong. Addressing them in Cantonese, he felt that the session went well, and that the cultural fit was good. Tsien continued the OCBC tradition of being sensitive to the concerns of staff in the acquired entities and their local business and regulatory requirements, even as OCBC integrated them to group standards in finance, compliance, audit and risk management. In the previous decade, OCBC had also acquired Bank NISP in Indonesia, and ING Asia Private Bank (IAPB) to spur the group's regional growth. Looking back, Tsien was satisfied that OCBC had successfully integrated them to achieve its strategic intent. Key executives in the acquired banks had stayed with the new owner. Major customers were successfully retained and had expanded their business with the OCBC Group. The growth trajectory of the acquired banks accelerated and new horizons opened. How did OCBC execute its acquisition strategy? What was its approach to integrating its acquisitions?

This case features the development of KargoCard, a Shanghai-based prepaid gift card startup, from its inception in 2008 until late 2015/early 2016 when it received news of a potential buyout by a global player. It illustrates the challenges of entrepreneurship, particularly management and leadership in dynamic and foreign business environments. In particular, this case highlights the considerations in pursuing different growth strategies. This case is suitable for graduate-level management, business, and executive development programmes that include entrepreneurship and/or tech innovation components. It is also targeted at similar programmes with an international, Asia Pacific, or especially a China focus.

The case charts the growth of Blk71 and related developments in Singapore's startup scene. It explores the factors that came together to help the startup hub grow from 2011 to 2015. The focus is on how a startup ecosystem can be nurtured; in particular, why Blk71 and government schemes from the late 2000s took off when earlier schemes have met with limited success.

This case discusses how Singapore's Ministry of Education set out to make the education system even more student-centric and sharpen the focus on holistic education - centred on values and character development.

With anaemic trade growth and weakened demand in shipping, port and terminal operator PSA International saw a drop in its profits in 2016. PSA was faced with two major challenges -- increase port productivity and maintain strong returns in an era of capital abundance and low interest rates.

The case chronicles the development of Temasek Holdings, an investment company owned by the Singapore government from its inception in 1974 to 2015. It describes the different roles undertaken by the company in Singapore's economic transformation. Temasek functioned by the philosophy that its portfolio companies' decision-making process had to demonstrate transparency and accountability, which were brought about by institutionalizing good corporate governance practices, and not through its own participation in the management of the entities.

On 18 Feb 2011, paper made from stone rolled off from a factory in the city of Huaibei, makingTethia Lungmeng Environmental Friendly Products Co. Ltd. (TLM天象龙盟) the first company to produce commercial stone paper in China. TLM's founder and chairman, Kong Ling Fa, (孔令发) gave his visitors his stone paper business card and put one business card into a glass of water. Half an hour into the conversation, he pulled out the card, shook off the water and passed it around. The stone paper business card felt the same as ordinary paper and yet was completely waterproof. Stone paper is paper made from limestone, which is an abundant raw material. Kong felt that he was breaking new ground with this new material, and that it had commercial potential. He believed that stone paper's potential goes beyond replacing traditional paper. How readily would consumers accept it? How should TLM promote the value and potential of stone paper? Which markets should he target? Should TLM focus on China or reach out to more developed countries in the West? What would be the appropriate business model? TLM licensed the technology from Taiwan and had exclusive rights only in Anhui province. Although TLM was the first to produce stone paper commercially, three other companies were in the process of starting up production. How should TLM exploit its first-mover advantage? How should TLM develop the resources and strategic capabilities to ensure success? How could it leverage on the reputation and experience that Kong and TLM had accumulated over the years? Was it sustainable?

Supplement to case NTU087. AAC Technologies Holdings Inc., headquartered in Shenzhen, was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2005. The case describes AAC's transformation from a small Chinese family business into a leading global technology solutions provider in the mobile devices industry. The focus is on how the founders developed the company's strategic capabilities through R&D and acquisitions to win major customers and integrated its technological leadership strategy with industry trends and developments, and hence poised to seize market opportunities.