Dr. Eric Thun

Biography

Eric Thun is an Associate Professor at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, specializing in Chinese business studies and international business. His primary research interests revolve around the dynamics of competition in emerging markets, particularly focusing on the geographical shifts in consumption that pose challenges and opportunities for firms. Thun’s research highlights the unique position of emerging markets as rapidly growing sectors, which face distinct price constraints and institutional differences demanding innovative approaches in various aspects including design, purchasing, and organization. His work employs a combination of macro and micro industrial data to evaluate firm strengths across sectors and to explain the competitive advantages of Chinese firms against foreign competitors. Over the past five years, he has explored sectors such as automobiles, construction equipment, machine tools, motorcycles, and telecommunications, augmenting aggregate statistics with extensive firm-level field research in China. He authored the notable book 'Changing Lanes in China: Foreign Direct Investment, Local Governments and Auto Sector Development' in 2006, revisiting the topic in a 2011 article for the Journal of International Business Studies. Thun's academic journey includes a BA from Princeton University and a doctorate from Harvard University, alongside a postdoctoral fellowship at MIT. He has been with Saïd Business School since 2005 and is also a Fellow at Brasenose College.

Research Interests

Experience