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Centre of Development Studies

 

Biography

Professor Nolan is the Director of the Chinese Executive Leadership Programme (CELP), which each year brings CEOs from China’s largest firms to the University of Cambridge for a three-week training programme, taught by a combination of academics and the leaders of international firms. He also held the Chong Hua Professorship of Chinese Development at the University of Cambridge from 2010 -2016.

The Financial Times commented: ‘Nolan knows more about Chinese companies and their international competition than anyone else on earth, including in China’.

Peter Nolan has spoken at the Chinese Government’s annual China Development Forum since its inception in 2000. He has testified at the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission of the US Congress and lectured to the Board of the US-China Business Council. He is a member of the UK Government’s Asia Task Force and the China Council of the World Economic Forum. He holds an honorary doctorate from the Copenhagen Business School.

In 2009 he was awarded the CBE (Commander of the British Empire) ‘for services supporting China’s integration into the global economy’.

Research

Professor Nolan has researched, written and taught on a wide range of issues in economic development, globalisation and the transition of former planned economies. He has researched on comparative development in China and India; on Chinese agriculture; system change in China and the former USSR; poverty, famine, inequality and migration; restructuring large global firms in the era of the Global Business Revolution; the transformation of large Chinese firms since the 1980s; the evolution of China’s political economy; the inter-action between Chinese and the global firms in the era of the Global Business Revolution; and the contradictory character of capitalist globalisation.

Publications

Key publications: 

Nolan, P and T.J. Byres. Inequality: India and China Compared (1976) (with T.J. Byres);Growth processes and Distributional Change (1983)

Nolan, P. The Political Economy of Collective Farms: an analysis of China’s post-Mao rural reforms. Cambridge. Polity Press (1988)

Nolan, P. State and Market in the Chinese Economy. Macmillan Press (1993)

Nolan, P. China’s Rise, Russia’s fall: politics, economics and planning in the transition from Stalinism. Basingstoke: Macmillan (1995)

Nolan, P. Indigenous Large Firms in China’s Economic Reform. London: Contemporary China Institute, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. (1998)

Nolan, P. Coca-Cola and the Global Business Revolution (1999)

Nolan, P. China and the global economy: national champions, industrial policy and the big business revolution. Houndsmill: Palgrave (2001)

Nolan, P.China and the global business revolution. Houndsmill: Palgrave. (2001)

Nolan, P. Transforming China : globalization, transition and development. London: Anthem. (2004)

Nolan, P. China at the Crossroads. Cambridge: Polity Press (2004)

Nolan, P., Chunhang Liu and Jin Zhang. Global Business Revolution and the Cascade Effect: systems integration in the aerospace, beverages and retail industries. Basingstoke: Palgrave. (2007)

Nolan, P. Integrating China: towards the coordinated market economy. London: Anthem. (2007)

Nolan P. Capitalism and Freedom (2007)

Nolan P. Crossroads (2009)

Nolan, P. Is China Buying the World? (2012)

Nolan, P. (1979) "Inequality of income between town and countryside in the People's Republic of China in the mid-1950s." World Development, 7(4/5): 447-465

Nolan, P. (1983) "De-collectivisation of agriculture in China, 1979-1982: a long-term perspective." Cambridge Journal of Economics, 7: 381-403

Nolan, P. and White, G. (1984) "Urban bias, rural bias or state bias? Urban-rural relations in post-revolutionary China." Journal of Development Studies, 20(3): 52-81

Nolan, P. (1990) "Assessing economic growth in the Asian NICs." Journal of Contemporary Asia, 20(1): 41-63

Nolan, P. (1991) "Prospects for the Chinese economy." Cambridge Journal of Economics, 15: 113-124

Nolan, P. and Sender, J. (1992) "Death rates, life expectancy and China's economic reforms: a critique of A.K. Sen." World Development, 20(9): 1279-1303

Nolan, P. (1993) "China's post-Mao political economy: a puzzle." Contributions to Political Economy, 12: 71-87

Nolan, P. (1994) "The China puzzle: 'Touching stones to cross the river'." Challenge, Jan/Feb: 25-31

Nolan, P. (1994) "Democratization, human rights and economic reform: the case of China and Russia." Democratization, 1(1): 73-99

Nolan, P. and Ash, R.F. (1995) "China's economy on the eve of reform." China Quarterly, 144: 980-998

Nolan, P. (1996) "Large firms and industrial reform in former planned economies: the case of China." Cambridge Journal of Economics, 20: 1-29

Nolan, P. (1997) "China's rise, Russia's fall." Journal of Peasant Studies, 24(1-2): 226-250

Nolan, P. and Wang, X. (1998) "Harbin Power Equipment Company and the battle for the Chinese market: sub-contractor to the multinationals or integrated, globally competitive firm?" Competition and Change, 3(4): 417-488

Nolan, P. and Wang, X. (1998) "The Chinese army's firm in business: the Sanjiu group."Developing Economies, 36(1): 45-79

Nolan, P. and Wang, X. (1998) "Reorganising amidst turbulence: China's large-scale industry in the midst of changing international distribution of power, restructuring and globalisation of capitalist big business." Economic and Political Weekly, 33(13): 707-716

Nolan, P. and Wang, X. (1999) "Beyond privatization: institutional innovation and growth in China's large state-owned enterprises." World Development, 27(1): 169-200

Nolan, P. and Hasecic, M. (2000) "China, the WTO and the third industrial revolution."Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 13(2): 164-180

Buck, T., Filatotchev, I., Nolan, P. and Wright, M. (2000) "Different paths to economic reform in Russia and China: causes and consequences." Journal of World Business, 35(4): 379-400

Nolan, P. and Yeung, G. (2001) "Big business with Chinese characteristics: two paths to growth of the firm in China under reform." Cambridge Journal of Economics, 25(4): 443-465

Nolan, P. and Yeung, G. (2001) "Large firms and catch-up in a transitional economy: the case of Shougang Group in China." Economics of Planning, 34(1-2): 159-178

Nolan, P. (2002) "China and the global business revolution." Cambridge Journal of Economics, 26(1): 119-137

Nolan, P., Sutherland, D. and Zhang, J. (2002) "The challenge of the global business revolution." Contributions to Political Economy, 21(1): 91-110

Nolan, P. and Zhang, J. (2002) "The challenge of globalization for large Chinese firms."World Development, 30(12): 2089-2107

Nolan, P. (2003) "Adam Smith and the contradictions of the free market." Challenge, 46(3): 112-123

Nolan, P. (2003) "A new competitive landscape." ECR Journal, 3(1): 17-29

Nolan, P. and Zhang, J. (2003) "Globalization challenge for large firms from developing countries: China's oil and aerospace industries." European Management Journal, 21(3): 285-299

Nolan, P., Shipman, A. and Rui, H. (2004) "Coal liquefaction, Shenhua Group, and China's energy security." European Management Journal, 22(2): 150-164

Nolan, P. and Rui, H. (2004) "Industrial policy and global big business revolution: the case of the Chinese coal industry." Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies, 2(2): 97-113

Nolan, P. (2005) "China at the crossroads." Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies, 3(1): 1-22

Nolan, P., Zhang, J. and Liu, C. (2006) "Global business revolution, cascade effect and the challenges for catch-up for large indigenous Chinese enterprises [in Chinese: quanqiu shangye gemin, pubu xiaoying yiji zhongguo qiye mianlin de tiaozhan]." Journal of Peking University (Beijing da xue xue bao), 43(2): 132-140

Nolan, P. and Zhang, J. (2010) "Global competition after the financial crisis." New Left Review, 64: 97-108

Books, monographs, reports and case studies

Nolan, P. (1983) Growth processes and distributional change in a South Chinese province: the case of Guangdong. London: Contemporary China Institute, School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London.

Nolan, P. and Paine, S. (eds.) (1986) Rethinking socialist economics: a new agenda for Britain. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Nolan, P. and Fureng, D. (eds.) (1990) The Chinese economy and its future: achievements and problems of post-Mao reform. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Nolan, P. and Fureng, D. (eds.) (1990) Market forces in China: competition and small business - the Wenzhou debate. London: Zed Books.

Nolan, P. (1993) State and market in the Chinese economy: essays on controversial issues. Basingstoke: Macmillan.

Fan, Q. and Nolan, P. (eds.) (1994) China's economic reforms: the costs and benefits of incrementalism. Basingstoke: Macmillan.

Chang, H.-J. and Nolan, P. (eds.) (1995) The transformation of the Communist economies: against the mainstream. Basingstoke: Macmillan.

Nolan, P. (2002) Zhongguo qiye xing [Visiting Chinese enterprises]. Beijing: Yejinbu Publishing Company.

Book chapters

Nolan, P. (1982) "Collectivisation in China: some comparisons with the USSR." In Jones, S., Joshi, P.C. and Murmis, M. (eds.): Rural poverty and agrarian reform. New Delhi: Allied Publishers, pp.113-141

Nolan, P. and White, G. (1984) "Urban bias, rural bias or state bias? Urban-rural relations in post-revolutionary China." In Harriss, J. and Moore, M. (eds.): Development and the rural-urban divide. London: Frank Cass, pp.52-81

Nolan, P. (1990) "China's new development path: towards capitalist markets, market socialism or bureaucratic market muddle?" In Nolan, P. and Fureng, D. (eds.): The Chinese economy and its future: achievements and problems of post-Mao reform. Cambridge: Polity Press, pp.106-135

Nolan, P. (1990) "Introduction." In Nolan, P. and Fureng, D. (eds.): The Chinese economy and its future: achievements and problems of post-Mao reform. Cambridge: Polity Press, pp.1-37

Nolan, P. (1990) "Petty commodity production in a socialist economy: Chinese rural development post-Mao." In Nolan, P. and Fureng, D. (eds.): Market forces in China: competition and small business - the Wenzhou debate. London: Zed Books, pp.7-42

Nolan, P. (1990) "Introduction." In Nolan, P. and Fureng, D. (eds.): Market forces in China: competition and small business - the Wenzhou debate. London: Zed Books, pp.1-6

Nolan, P. (1994) "Introduction: the Chinese puzzle." In Fan, Q. and Nolan, P. (eds.):China's economic reforms: the costs and benefits of incrementalism. Basingstoke: Macmillan, pp.1-20

Nolan, P. and Sender, J. (1994) "Death rates, life expectancy and China's economic reform: a critique of A.K. Sen." In Fan, Q. and Nolan, P. (eds.): China's economic reforms: the costs and benefits of incrementalism. Basingstoke: Macmillan, pp.301-341

Nolan, P. (1995) "Europe versus Asia: contrasting paths to the reform of centrally planned systems of political economy." In Chang, H.-J. and Nolan, P. (eds.): The transformation of the Communist economies: against the mainstream. Basingstoke: Macmillan, pp.3-45

Nolan, P. (1995) "Political economy and the reform of Stalinism: the Chinese puzzle." In Chang, H.-J. and Nolan, P. (eds.): The transformation of the Communist economies: against the mainstream. Basingstoke: Macmillan, pp.400-417

Nolan, P. (1996) "The Chinese puzzle: political economy and the reform of Stalinism." In Gills, B. and Qadir, S. (eds.): Regimes in crisis: the post-Soviet era and the implications for development. London: Zed Books, pp.227-242

Nolan, P. (1997) "Post-Stalinist system reform in China and Russia." In Arestis, P., Palma, G. and Sawyer, M. (eds.): Markets, unemployment and economic policy: essays in honour of Geoff Harcourt: vol.2. London: Routledge, pp.150-164

Nolan, P. (1998) "Foreword." In Wang, X. (ed.): China's price and enterprise reform.Basingstoke: Macmillan, pp.xi-xiv

Nolan, P. (2000) "Global business, value chains and developing countries." In Corsten, D. and Jones, D.T. (eds.): ECR in the third millenium: academic perspectives on the future of the consumer goods industry. Brussels: ECR Europe Academic Partnership, pp.14-20

Nolan, P. (2000) "Perspectives on globalization, big business and the emerging countries." In Warner, M. (ed.): Regional encyclopedia of business and management: vol.3: Management in the emerging countries. London: Thomson Learning, pp.94-108

Nolan, P. (2003) "System fragility, industrial policy and China's international relations, with special reference to strategic industries." In US-China Economic & Security Review Commission (ed.): China's industrial, investment and exchange rate policies: impact on the United States. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office

Nolan, P. with Zhang, J. (2004) "The challenge of globalisation for large Chinese firms." In Nolan, P. Transforming China: globalisation, transition and development. London: Anthem Press, pp.233-296

Nolan, P. (2008) "Contradictions of capitalist globalization." In Arestis, P. and Eatwell, J. (eds.): Issues in economic development and globalization: essays in honour of Ajit Singh.Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.115-174

Conference Papers

Nolan, P. and Pitelis, C. (2008) "Industrial policy, resource allocation and wealth creation; perspectives and experiences." In: The internationalisation of Indian and Chinese firms: policy implications of the new globalization from the South, 26 September 2008, Maastricht, Netherlands.

Working papers

Nolan, P. (1992) "Transforming Stalinist systems: China's reforms in the light of Russian and East European experience." Applied Economics Department, Cambridge University, Discussion Papers on Economic Transition (DPET) No.1992/3

Nolan, P. and Xiaofeng, L. (1992) "Privatisation, small firms and the reform of the Stalinist economics: evidence from the Chinese rural non-farm sector." Small Business Research Centre, Cambridge University, Working Paper No.22

Nolan, P. (1995) "From state factory to modern corporation? China's Shougang Iron and Steel Corporation under economic reform." Applied Economics Department, Cambridge University, Amalgamated Series Working Paper No.1996/13

Nolan, P. (1995) "Large firms and industrial reform in former planned economies: the case of China." Applied Economics Department, Cambridge University, Amalgamated Series Working Paper No.1995/16

Nolan, P. (1995) "Joint ventures and economic reform in China: a case study of the Coca-Cola business system, with particular reference to the Tianjin Coca-Cola plant." ESRC Centre for Business Research, Cambridge University, Working Paper No.24

Nolan, P. (1997) "The Chinese army's firm in business: the Sanjiu Group." Cambridge Working Papers in Economics, No.9702. Cambridge: University of Cambridge.

Nolan, P. and Zhang, J. (2002) "The challenge of globalization for large Chinese firms."United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Discussion Paper No.162

 

 

Teaching and Supervisions

Teaching: 

Peter Nolan is the co-ordinator for the core paper on Globalisation, business and development (Paper 4). He supervises a number of MPhil Students in the Centre of Development Studies as well as a large number of students in the Centre of Development Studies and the Judge Business School.

Director of the Chinese Executive Leadership Programme (CELP)
M.A. (Cantab.), M.Sc., Ph.D. (London), CBE
Not taking PhD Students

Staff Photo

Professor Peter  Nolan

Contact Details

+44 (0)1223 339477

Affiliations