Why settle for the familiar when the unknown offers limitless possibilities
Thu, Jan 1 2015
Businessman. Mentor. Global citizen.
William Wei grew up in Beijing, first in a traditional courtyard residence and then in a high-rise condo. The settings couldn’t have been more different, but in both homes, the social fabric was tightly woven, tradition was key and hard work was a given.
William says that education in China is changing, but when he was a student, school was fiercely competitive. He recalls teachers posting student rankings on the blackboard. To stay on top required hard work; and public humiliation was guaranteed for those at the bottom of the list. “The competition was really fierce and I remember doing a lot of work by myself—there was rarely good teamwork.”
While he thinks that the blackboard motivation he knew as a student was far from ideal, growing up in that environment primed him for hard work. And it paid off.
When he left China for Germany in 1999 with a bachelor of arts and scholarship in hand, William applied his work ethic, finishing two master’s degrees in three years before moving to Ireland to complete his PhD. But academic success aside, the lessons he learned during his time as an international student weren’t just in the classroom.
“ Sometimes people hesitate to do things because they feel it is very difficult, but you can stimulate a lot of potential in yourself and do things you didn’t think you could if you just convince yourself to try. ” William Wei
“I cherish the experiences I had as an international student, but I can also remember the culture shock of stepping off the plane in Germany. And the time someone stole my bags with my passport inside. I learned that I could deal with challenges and keep a peaceful mind. Sometimes people hesitate to do things because they feel it is very difficult, but you can stimulate a lot of potential in yourself and do things you didn’t think you could if you just convince yourself to try.”
And no one could accuse William of not trying. He has written close to 90 articles, business cases and conference papers on topics related to international business—from culture and politics to energy-related issues and outward investments from Asia to Canada.
Today William seemingly has one foot firmly planted on each side of the globe—he spends the bulk of his time in Edmonton, but regularly travels to Asia for his research, as a visiting professor and to supervise graduate students at Chinese universities. He says his cultural identity, however, is somewhere in between.
“I was raised in China, so in terms of foods and habits, I like Chinese, but as a Chinese Canadian, I also want to meet people from different backgrounds, learn more about Canadian culture and contribute to the local community.”
Doing so can be more difficult than it sounds. “Most cities in Asia are very high density and, in a way, it makes it easier for people to communicate with each other—you can’t help but see your neighbours when you leave your condo,” William explains. “In Canada, I see a looser connection and more of a division between work and life outside work.”
Bridging two cultures isn’t a unique challenge, but William is looking for different ways—personally and professionally—to find a balance between staying connected to his roots and finding his own place in his Canadian community. He’s reaching out to immigrant family businesses—both large and small—in Edmonton to hear their stories of entrepreneurship. And he empathizes with their experience of adjusting to their new homes.
“As new Canadians we need to think about how we’re using our ties. Are we contributing to our local community? Are we finding ways to meet people with different cultural backgrounds? How can we bring value to Edmonton, Alberta and Western Canada as first-generation immigrants?”
And as William continues to passionately search for answers to his own personal, professional and research questions, he, like most people, is striving to find balance.
William Wei is chair of the Asia Pacific Management program and associate professor in the Bachelor of Commerce program.
