Chinese Business History Public Lecture

Capitalism and Resilience

2024-11-21 18:002024-11-21 20:00Asia/Hong_KongCapitalism and Resilience

Chinese Business History Public Lecture
Capitalism and Resilience

Professor Geoffrey Jones (Harvard Business School)

Date/Time: November 21, 2024 (Thu) 18:00-20:00 HKT

Venue: May Hall, The University of Hong Kong
Language: English
Enquiry: (Email) ihss@hku.hk

    2024-11-21 18:002024-11-21 20:00Asia/Hong_KongCapitalism and Resilience

    Chinese Business History Public Lecture
    Capitalism and Resilience

    Professor Geoffrey Jones (Harvard Business School)

    Date/Time: November 21, 2024 (Thu) 18:00-20:00 HKT

    Venue: May Hall, The University of Hong Kong
    Language: English
    Enquiry: (Email) ihss@hku.hk

      Overview

      Title:

      Capitalism and Resilience

      Speaker:

      Professor Geoffrey Jones (Harvard Business School)

      Date/Time:

      November 21, 2024 (Thu) 18:00-20:00 HKT

      Venue:

      Lecture Hall, G/F, May Hall, The University of Hong Kong (Map)

      Language:

      English

      Enquiry:

      Title:

      Capitalism and Resilience

      Speaker:

      Professor Geoffrey Jones (Harvard Business School)

      Date/Time:

      November 21, 2024 (Thu) 18:00-20:00 HKT

      Venue:

      Lecture Hall, G/F, May Hall, The University of Hong Kong (Map)

      Language:

      English

      Enquiry:

      Abstract

      Capitalism is a remarkable system which has re-invented itself throughout history. It has proved capable of co-existing with entirely different political and economic contexts. Firms are much more fragile institutions than the capitalist system, although there are prominent examples of resilience, very occasionally for hundreds of years. Business historians have typically assumed that firm growth and survival are positives for society, while the failure of a firm is a problem which needs explaining and is bad for society. This lecture argues that historically the correlation between firm survival and societal good is not automatic. The lecture will discuss cases when corporate resilience is, in the words of the economist William Baumol, productive for society, but also unproductive and even destructive. It will consider historically firms based in both China and the Global South and developed countries.

      ABOUT THE SPEAKER

      Geoffrey Jones is the Isidor Straus Professor of Business History at the Harvard Business School in the United States. He holds the degrees of MA and PhD from Cambridge University in Britain. Professor Jones researches the history, impact and responsibility of global business, and has a special interest in the business history of emerging markets. Professor Jones’s more recent books include Beauty Imagined: A History of the Global Beauty Industry (Oxford University Press, 2010), Profits and Sustainability. A Global History of Green Entrepreneurship (Oxford University Press, 2017) and Deeply Responsible Business. A Global History of Values-Driven Leadership (Harvard University Press, 2023). He is a Fellow of the Academy of International Business and an International Fellow of the British Academy.

      About the Series

      This monthly webinar series features the newest research on the history of Chinese business and entrepreneurship. If you have any questions about this webinar series or would be interested in giving a talk, please contact Professor John D. Wong  (jdwong@hku.hk) or Professor Ghassan Moazzin (gmoazzin@hku.hk).

      Light refreshments will be served for registered participants attending the seminar in person.

      POSTER