On September 20, 2025, the “China Industrial and Business Management Research Annual Forum (2025) — ‘AI+’ Enterprise Innovation”, was successfully held at Liaoning University (LNU). The forum was hosted by the Economic Management Journal Press of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, organized by the Business School of LNU, and co-organized by the Small and Medium Enterprises Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Science. The forum brought together experts and scholars from over 40 universities, academic journals, and publishing houses, including the Institute of Industrial Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Beijing Normal University, Central University of Finance and Economics, Jilin University, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Liaoning University, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Dalian University of Technology, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing Jiaotong University, Shihezi University, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Capital University of Economics and Business, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, and Nanjing Audit University, along with publishers such as Economic Management Publishing House and Mechanical Industry Press. Faculty and students from the Liaoning University Business School participated actively. The forum conducted in-depth discussions centered on the theme of “‘AI+’ Enterprise Innovation”.
Professor Huo Chunhui, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Committee and Vice President of Liaoning University, delivered a welcome speech at the opening ceremony. He introduced the development and construction of Liaoning University and its Business School, expressing hope that scholars would deeply explore academic research on “AI+” in the field of enterprise innovation, promote the close integration of industry, academia, and research in the digital economy era, converge ideas through exchange, and reach consensus through discussion.
Researcher Liu Jianli, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Business and Management Journal and Director of the Editorial Department of the Institute of Industrial Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, addressed the forum on behalf of the host. She urged scholars to delve into the core academic theories related to the conference theme, summarize experiences and innovate theories based on practical frontiers, aiming to produce high-quality, forward-looking research outcomes.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Professor Han Liangliang, Dean of the Business School of LNU.
The first part of the keynote speeches was chaired by Researcher Zhou Wenbin, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Business and Management Journal.
Professor Wang Yonggui, President and Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of Zhejiang Gongshang University, delivered a keynote report titled “Research on Marketing Intelligence for New Quality Productive Forces”. Based on an analysis of global trends in marketing intelligence, Professor Wang summarized practical challenges in the application and governance of intelligent marketing from an industry-academia-research integration perspective, proposing countermeasures and suggestions to promote the high-quality development of marketing intelligence in China from technical, institutional, security, collaborative, and evaluative dimensions.
Professor Rui Mingjie from Fudan University presented a keynote report titled “Industrial Innovation Efficiency of Enterprises”. Taking the integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation as a starting point, Professor Rui defined innovation led by entrepreneurs as industrial innovation. Drawing on successful cases of industrial innovation practice in China, he proposed the important thesis that innovative enterprises are the successful actors in industrial innovation and the key entities for enhancing industrial innovation efficiency.
Professor Huo Chunhui, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Committee and Vice President of Liaoning University, delivered a keynote report titled “The Theoretical Logic of Chinese Enterprises’ Digital-Intelligent Strategy Under the Digital Paradox”. Starting from the digital paradox in the AI era and reviewing the evolution of corporate digital-intelligent strategy against the backdrop of epochal change, Professor Huo proposed the academic concept of enterprise digital-intelligent strategy, constructed a theoretical logic framework around it, and suggested practical pathways.
The second part of the keynote speeches was chaired by Professor Xu Yekun, Deputy Dean of the Business School of LNU.
Professor Lu Yao from the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University delivered a keynote report titled “Reshaping Corporate Governance: Past, Present, and Future”. Based on a review of the historical evolution of corporate systems, capital markets, and corporate governance models, Professor Lu characterized the current state of corporate governance from the perspectives of the macro-environment and internal/external mechanisms, finally outlining future trends in corporate governance against the backdrop of the digital-intelligent economy.
Professor Jiao Hao from the School of Economics and Business Administration at Beijing Normal University presented a keynote report titled “AI Agent-Driven Management Transformation and Suggestions for Conducting Contextualized Research in China”. After explaining the connotations and characteristics of AI agents, Professor Jiao discussed the new sources of competitive advantage for enterprises driven by AI agents and the resulting management transformations. He proposed a co-evolutionary path for the integration of AI technology with China's unique institutions and culture from a context-embedded perspective.
Professor Li Xueling, Deputy Dean of the School of Business and Management at Jilin University, delivered a keynote report titled “Digital Transformation of Manufacturing Scenarios via Industrial Digital Platforms: Theoretical Framework and Future Agenda”. Based on the practical background of scenario digital transformation, Professor Li analyzed research progress at the intersection of industrial digital platforms and manufacturing digital transformation. She proposed an integrated framework based on the CIMO logic for industrial scenarios and further outlined future research agendas.
Parallel sub-forums were divided into five thematic sessions: “‘AI+’ and the Development of New Quality Productive Forces”, “AI Empowering Enterprise Innovation Practices”, “AI Empowering Theoretical Innovation in Business Management”, “Industrial Innovation in the AI Era”, and “Corporate Ethics and Governance in the AI Era”. The forum received over 120 paper submissions, from which the organizers selected 32 for presentation in the sub-forums. Participants shared their latest research findings and engaged in lively academic discussions centered on the forum's theme, with discussants providing insightful comments.
