Learning from BYD: Key Takeaways from an EMBA Executive Visit

Recently, Dawson Chi, Founder of Yuanda Stone, participated in the Xiamen University EMBA Executive Study Tour and visited BYD, including its premium new energy vehicle brand Yangwang.
Rather than focusing on products or market scale, the visit highlighted several principles that define long-term competitiveness.

Key Observations from BYD

• Strategic discipline over short-term returns
  BYD’s development path reflects a clear refusal to chase immediate market gains. Long-term investment in core technologies and execution capabilities has been prioritized over quick wins.

• Technology as a structural advantage
  Continuous technological accumulation — rather than isolated innovation — has formed a competitive barrier that is difficult for others to replicate.

• Execution consistency matters
  Strategy alone is not enough. The alignment between technological vision and manufacturing execution plays a critical role in sustaining leadership.

Reflections on Traditional Industries

The visit also prompted reflection on innovation within traditional industries.
Innovation does not always require disruptive breakthroughs. In many cases, application-driven innovation delivers more practical value:

• Replacing labor-intensive processes with digital and intelligent systems

• Improving efficiency while reducing energy consumption

• Minimizing human error and quality deviation through automation

These improvements may appear incremental, but collectively they create significant competitive advantages.

Looking Forward

For traditional industries, the key question is not whether to innovate, but how to apply technology effectively.
At Yuanda Stone, this perspective reinforces our focus on practical, technology-enabled improvement rather than disruption for its own sake.