On July 18th, Professor Zhang Jingyun led students to the headquarters of Nei Liansheng in Qianmen Dashilar for a research visit. The general manager of Nei Liansheng, Cheng Xu, warmly received the visiting teachers and students. Nei Liansheng, established in 1853 (the third year of the Qianlong Emperor in the Qing Dynasty), has a history of 171 years. In 2006, the China General Chamber of Commerce awarded Nei Liansheng the title of "China's First Cloth Shoe Brand." In 2008, the "Nei Liansheng Thousand-Layered Bottom Cloth Shoe Making Skills" were listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.

1. Exploring the Source of Cultural and Creative Product Story Creativity: The Integration of Tradition and Modernity

On the first floor of the headquarters, students were attracted by the cultural and creative products of Nei Liansheng. These products skillfully combine traditional cultural elements with modern creative designs, carrying profound cultural heritage and showcasing modern aesthetic trends. Mr. Cheng introduced to the students the origins and stories of the hand-painted Buddhist Arhat shoes, tiger-head shoes, swallow spring cultural shoes, and series of IP cooperation with "Museum Chinese Characters," such as the "Feng Tiao Yu Shun" collaboration with "Museum Chinese Characters," which is inspired by the oracle bone script "today's rain" and "wind from all directions," an ancient "weather forecast." The hand-painted "Swallow" series of cloth shoes was specially made to echo the application of Beijing's central axis for World Heritage status. The swallow, also known as the building swallow, is scientifically named the Beijing Swallow and is designated as the city bird of Beijing. It has the longest migration route in the world, flying from the Old Summer Palace in Beijing to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa every year. "Swallows are known for their homecoming instincts, no matter how far they migrate, they can always return accurately. Some people preparing to study abroad or travel long distances choose this shoe, symbolizing a safe return," said Mr. Cheng.

2. Experiencing the Journey of Digital Transformation: Technology Empowering Traditional Craftsmanship

Through the bustling lobby, students entered the "Da Nei Gong Bao Coffee" shop on the second floor of the Nei Liansheng headquarters. The simple and elegant wooden decoration, combined with soft lighting, created a warm and refined atmosphere. Chinese classical elements such as paper lanterns and couplets complement each other, exuding a strong Chinese charm. The names of the coffee, "Beiping Orange Air," "Beijing Flavor Cold Brew," and "Candied Hawthorn Latte," quietly attracted the students' attention. Overlooking the bustling Dashilar commercial street from the terrace, the prosperity of the city is in full view.

Subsequently, the group moved to the "Da Nei Shan Hai" exhibition room on the second floor, officially entering the interview research phase. General Manager Cheng Xu first introduced to the students the process of Nei Liansheng's digital transformation. From the initial attempt at e-commerce in 2009 to the current regular live-streaming sales, Nei Liansheng has broken free from the shackles of traditional concepts and actively embraced the opportunities and challenges brought by digitalization. Nei Liansheng is also actively exploring the application of new materials and automation technology in traditional craftsmanship to improve product performance and production efficiency. Mr. Cheng also talked about the confusion and problems in Nei Liansheng's digital transformation, sparking deep thinking among the students. At the end of the interview, General Manager Cheng also fully affirmed and recognized the series of case results of Nei Liansheng made by the research team.

3. Tour of the Chinese Cloth Shoe Museum: The Historical Memory of Every Stitch and Thread

After the interview, Mr. Cheng took us to visit the Beijing Cloth Shoe Culture Museum on the third floor. As soon as we entered the museum, the 3000-year history of foot wrapping leather to the development of shoes displayed on the ground instantly attracted the students' attention, as if every step was stepping into the long river of history. The immersive dynamic digital effect of the three-dimensional surround film vividly shows the historical evolution of cloth shoe culture. The museum displays more than 300 pieces of cloth shoes and related collections from the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China period, from the unique significance of cloth shoes in the Oriental cultural context to their important role in people's daily lives, each exhibit carries rich historical information, reflecting the aesthetic changes contained in the shoes. There is also a special "black technology" here that can make ancient paintings move, that is, the three-screen projection combined with digital interactive technology. Students tried one after another, and through the interactive experience, they seemed to become explorers discovering the mysteries of history.

Through this field investigation, students gained an in-depth understanding of Nei Liansheng's practices and achievements in digital transformation, cultural and creative product development, and cultural heritage. They not only obtained first-hand data for case studies but also witnessed the persistence and innovation of a traditional brand in modern society, and personally felt the difficulties of the development of a century-old brand in the context of the new era.

The Business School of Beijing Technology and Business University has a profound foundation for school-enterprise cooperation with Nei Liansheng. Nei Liansheng is a comprehensive practice cooperation unit for marketing in the Business School. Not long ago, General Manager Cheng Xu was also hired as an external practice mentor for the MBA program of the Business School. The case developed by the teachers and students of the Business School has won many awards: one teaching case won the second prize of the "Outstanding Developer" case competition of the 6th China Business Administration Case Library; two teaching cases were included in the China Management Case Sharing Center; the student team's plan won the gold award of the 4th Chinese Public Relations Competition; the Sanlitun pop-up store project participated by the teachers and students won the silver award in the corporate communication category of the 15th China Best Public Relations Case Competition.

Facing the digital and intelligent environment, business education is facing new challenges and opportunities. The Business School of Beijing Technology and Business University is actively exploring a case-driven digital practice teaching model to improve the level of teaching and scientific research, and cultivate practical and innovative business talents, contributing to the economic and social development of the society.