The 13th BEST Alliance Symposium, an alliance of major business schools in East Asia, was held on November 8 at Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management. Representatives of the three universities, including Liu Quiao, Dean of Peking University; Emi Osono, Dean of the Hitotsubashi ICS; Hongsuk Yang, Vice Dean of Academic Affairs; and Byungjoon Yoo, Vice Dean of Student Affairs at the SNU Business School, attended the event.

Since its establishment in 2011, the BEST Alliance Symposium, hosted annually on a rotating basis by the three universities, has emerged as a major platform for promoting cooperation for management education and research in East Asia. This year’s symposium was an opportunity to reflect on the achievements during the past 13 years, share successful cases of joint research and exchange programs, and discuss visions for the future.

In the morning session, participants reviewed BEST Alliance’s key accomplishments and explored various examples of cooperation, including joint research projects, MBA dual degree programs, and the “Doing Business in Asia (DBIA)” summer program. Participants also established a renewed vision to strengthen the drive to foster talent, enhance academic and international cooperation, and build a stronger foundation for the Best Alliance’s future.

In the afternoon session, participants shared their research findings. Representing Seoul National University was Professor Sun Hyun Park, who presented an article titled “Governance of Trade Associations in Emerging Markets - A Comparative Case Study in China” with his co-author, Professor Yanlong Zhang from Peking University. Professor Kiwan Park from Seoul National University and co-author Professor Satoko Suzuki presented “Cross-cultural empirical research on consumer acceptance of avatar robots in the retail and service contexts: Evidence from Japan and South Korea.” Professor Stephen Hwang from Hong Kong Baptist University and co-author Professor Theresa Seung Ah Cho from Seoul National University presented on the topic of “CEO regulatory focus, Decision Frames and Earnings Management” through a pre-recorded video.

The symposium’s final session was a panel discussion moderated by Professor Jack Chiang from the Guanghua School of Management. Professor Byungjoon Yoo from Seoul National University, Professor Fujikawa Yoshinori from Hitotsubashi University, and Professor Qiaowei Shen from the Guanghua School of Management participated as panelists to discuss common challenges in East Asia, such as aging and changing talent needs and AI integration, and how international cooperation can address such issues.

Background and Goals of the BEST Alliance

The BEST Alliance is a consortium of East Asian business schools first suggested by the Seoul National University Business School and formally established in 2011 after a year of consultation. The Alliance runs joint research, student exchange, and CEO training programs to strengthen exchange and cooperation between South Korea, China, and Japan and foster future Asian leaders.