Lan Xiaohuan

Lan Xiaohuan is a professor at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and the author of *置身事内* (Inside the System), a book on China's economy and government that has sold over 3 million copies globally . His path to prominence was unplanned: the book originated during the pandemic as a project born of circumstance, and his broader turn toward field research, writing, and manufacturing observation represented a departure from standard academic tracks . In the podcast, he described his career as a series of non-strategic choices—"at the time, just wanted to do it"—rather than mapped-out planning, and framed his work as a way of "experiencing" life rather than pursuing conventional professional milestones . His research method emphasizes being "present" (在场): traveling, observing firsthand, and grounding understanding in specific contexts rather than macro narratives . He is currently working on a next book examining China's role in global manufacturing and supply chains .