Shaomin Li

Shaomin Li is a Chinese-American sociologist, economist, academic, author, and artist. He is a professor of Management and International Business, Eminent Scholar, and Chair of the Department of Management at Old Dominion University (ODU).^[1]

Shaomin Li
Born	1956 Beijing, China
Nationality	Chinese American
Occupation(s)	Sociologist, economist, academic, author, and artist
Notable work	The Rise of China, Inc.: How the Chinese Communist Party Transformed China into a Giant Corporation
Academic background
Education	B.A. in Economics M.A. in Sociology M.A. in Sociology Ph.D. in Sociology
Alma mater	Peking University State University of New York University at Albany Princeton University
Thesis	(1988)
Academic work
Institutions	Old Dominion University

Li's research focuses on the global business environment, with specific emphasis on governance dynamics in rapidly transforming societies. He has authored 18 books, including Together or Separate Checks, Carry On the Revolution to the End?: Propaganda Posters in China, and East Asian Business in the New World: Helping Old Economies Revitalize, and has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles. He received the Outstanding Faculty Award from The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia for his contributions to teaching, research, and public service.^[2]

Li is the Executive Editor of Modern China Studies.^[3]

Education

Li obtained his Baccalaureate degree in Economics from Peking University in 1982 and went on to complete a master's degree in Sociology from the State University of New York at Albany in 1984. He then received a master's degree in sociology from Princeton University in 1987 and a Ph.D. degree in sociology from Princeton University in 1988. Subsequently, in 1989, he served as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Fairbank Center for East Asian Research at Harvard University.^[4]

Career

Following his post-doctoral research, Li began his academic career as a visiting professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 1993, and was appointed as an associate professor in the Faculty of Business at the City University of Hong Kong in 1996.^[5] Since 2005, he has been serving as a professor of Management and International Business at ODU and has also held an appointment as an Eminent Scholar there since 2012. Additionally, as of 2022, he has been holding an appointment as the Chair of the Department of Management at Old Dominion University (ODU).^[4]

Li served as the Director of the Board and President of the Center for Modern China Foundation, United Nations Advisor to China in 1993, and as an expert witness at US Congress on China's reform.^[6] Co-founding iEast.com, he served as its CEO and also held the position of Director at AT&T EastGate Services in Berkeley Heights.^[7]

Political and intellectual dialogue

Li has contributed to China's prosperity as a public intellectual and was among the pioneers who co-organized open letters for Chinese students, as highlighted in a feature by The New York Times.^[8] Moreover, he was the first to advocate for China to learn from Taiwan's political and economic reforms during the late 1980s, an idea supported by a piece published in The Wall Street Journal titled "So Taiwan Was Right All Along".^[9] In 1990, he co-founded the Center for Modern China Foundation and Modern China Studies^[10] and his donation record to the Tiananmen students in 1989 is now on permanent display in The June 4th Memorial Museum in New York.^[11] His advocacy for political and economic development in Taiwan, and his criticism of the Chinese Communist Party, led to his secret arrest in China in 2001.^[9][12] During those challenging times, he received a supporting letter from President Bush, further highlighting his work and beliefs.^[13]

Art work

As an artist, Li's life took a transformative turn when he was assigned to paint a memorial portrait for Mao Zedong's funeral during his time in the army.^[14] Most of his artwork was focused on collecting and studying the propaganda posters, and the collection of these posters was exhibited at Chrysler Museum of Art.^[15][16] In the book, titled Carry On the Revolution to the End"?: Propaganda Posters in China he explored how Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party used art, specifically propaganda posters, to shape and advance their revolution during the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, while also analyzing the persuasive and distorted elements within these posters.^[17] Additionally, he served as a Political Cartoonist and presented his observations on how Western nations approach business with a focus on rule-oriented practices as opposed to relying on relations in East Asia through a cartoon-illustrated volume titled Together or Separate Checks? Why the East and West conduct business in different ways.^[18]

Research

Li is most known for his work in the fields of China's demographics, governance environment, bribery and corruption, and economic behavior, which has been featured twice in The Economist.^[19][20] Additionally, his editorials have appeared in The Wall Street Journal,^[21] The Financial Times,^[22] The New York Times,^[23] and Forbes.^[24]

China's demographics and its rise

During his early career as a researcher, Li worked on the demographics of China, its socio-economic reforms,^[25] and its rise. He demonstrated the dire consequences of the one-child policy in China and proposed the idea of implementing a two-child policy to overcome them.^[26][27] In his book, The Rise of China, Inc., he explained how the Chinese Communist Party's absolute power and unique approach have transformed China into a corporate nation, challenging state-firm relationships, impacting multinational business strategies, and prompting counter measures against China's expansion.^[28][29] Together with Ansley J. Coale, he highlighted the impact of age misreporting in China on the accurate calculation of mortality rates, particularly at very high ages.^[30] He also developed a theory of institutional change to analyze China's transition towards capitalism^[31][32] and presented an institutional and environmental approach to evaluate firm performance in China's industrial market.^[33] In related research, he examined the impact of the relationship between Chinese governments and firms,^[34] as well as market liberalization on firm performance during China's economic transition through institutional changes such as decentralization of control, ownership restructuring, and industrial policy.^[35] In addition, he explored how state-owned enterprises and non-state firms in China deploy resources and formulate strategies, leading to different performances during the economic transition.^[36]

Governance environment, bribery and corruption

Another significant area of Li's research has been focused on analyzing the impact of the governance environment on the economic stability of a country. In 2003, he introduced a cost-based theoretical framework that compared relation-based and rule-based governance in strategic management and international business, offering insights into industry structure, management systems, innovation, and international flows, while providing policy recommendations.^[37] In his work, titled Managing International Business in Relation-Based versus Rule-Based Countries, he provided a summary of research spanning the past decade, focusing on how distinct governance environments at the national level influence business operations and management.^[38] He examined how the governance environment of a country affects the working relationships between expatriate managers and local employees in relation-based economies,^[39] the choice between direct and indirect investment,^[40][41] and trade flows.^[42]

Li also investigated several aspects of bribery and corruption and demonstrated how it affects the dynamics of the country at both economic and political levels, particularly in China.^[43] Exploring the globalization of bribery and corruption in weak institutional environments, his book, Bribery and Corruption in Weak Institutional Environment, offered insights into governance dynamics and the symbiotic relationship between corruption and dictatorships.^[44] He further examined a novel type of corruption called state-sponsored bribery by China, proposed policies to curb it,^[45] and argued that China will likely experience stagnation in both economic and political development due to the authoritarian trap caused by corruption and the absence of the rule of law.^[46] Furthermore, he presented a dynamic model to explain the bribery behavior of firms, considering factors such as the regulatory environment, firm behavior, and inter-firm competition in bribing.^[47]

Awards and honors

• 2008 – Outstanding Faculty Award, Commonwealth of Virginia^[2]
• 2023 – Honorable Mention in Excellence in Opinion Writing, Society of Publishers in Asia^[48]

Personal life

Li is married to Amy, and together they have a daughter named Diana.^[49] He is the son of Li Honglin, who played a significant role in the Chinese Communist Party to herald the post-Mao opening up and reforms in the 1970s and 1980s.^[50]

Bibliography

Selected books

• Modern China Studies: Contemporary Chinese Visual Culture and Cultural Translation (2015) ISBN 978-1514759233
• Modern China Studies: China as a Potential Superpower (Modern China Studies) (2016) ISBN 978-1539690696
• "Carry On the Revolution to the End"?: Propaganda Posters in China (2018) ISBN 978-1983548284
• Bribery and Corruption in Weak Institutional Environments: Connecting the Dots from a Comparative Perspective (2019) ISBN 978-1108492898
• The Rise of China, Inc.: How the Chinese Communist Party Transformed China into a Giant Corporation (2022) ISBN 978-1316513873

Selected articles

• Pan, Y., Li, S., & Tse, D. K. (1999). The impact of order and mode of market entry on profitability and market share. Journal of International Business Studies, 30, 81–103.
• Judge, W., Li, S., & Pinsker, R. (2010). National adoption of international accounting standards: An institutional perspective. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 18(3), 161–174.
• Park, S. H., Li, S., & Tse, D. K. (2006). Market liberalization and firm performance during China's economic transition. Journal of International Business Studies, 37, 127–147.
• Lattemann, C., Fetscherin, M., Alon, I., Li, S., & Schneider, A. M. (2009). CSR communication intensity in Chinese and Indian multinational companies. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 17(4), 426–442.
• Li, S., Li, S., & Zhang, W. (2000). The road to capitalism: Competition and institutional change in China. Journal of Comparative Economics, 28(2), 269–292.

References

1. "Provost's Spotlight to Shine on Eminent Scholar Shaomin Li". Old Dominion University.
2. "Li, Shaomin". SAGE Publications Inc. July 8, 2023.
3. "Editorial Team". www.modernchinastudies.org.
4. "Shaomin Li - Old Dominion University". 21 August 2022.
5. "Li Shaomin speaks on detention in China". Princeton University.
6. "ODU's Shaomin Li Co-Authors Op-Ed on Threat to Chinese Firms". Old Dominion University.
7. "HRW: Chinese Academics Detained: Biographies of the Detained Scholars". www.hrw.org.
8. Ravo, Nick (26 January 1987). "CHINESE STUDENTS DEFEND OPEN LETTER". The New York Times.
9. Shaomin, Li (April 4, 2001). "So Taiwan Was Right All Along". Wall Street Journal – via www.wsj.com.^{[non-primary source needed]}
10. "Introduction". modernchinastudies.org.
11. "六 四 紀 念 館". 六 四 紀 念 館.
12. Rosett, Claudia (June 7, 2001). "Business as Usual?". Wall Street Journal – via www.wsj.com.
13. "H.Res.160 - 107th Congress (2001-2002): Calling on the Government of the People's Republic of China to immediately and unconditionally release Li Shaomin and other American scholars of Chinese ancestry being held in detention, calling on the President of the United States to continue working on behalf of Li Shaomin and the other detained scholars for their release, and for other purposes. | Congress.gov | Library of Congress".
14. "Art of the Revolution: Propaganda posters collected by a Chinese-American professor on display at the Chrysler". March 22, 2018.
15. "The Art of Revolution". Chrysler Museum of Art.
16. "Chrysler Museum of Art | Politics Becomes Art in Exhibition of Chinese Propaganda Posters". Chrysler Museum of Art. February 12, 2018.
17. Li, Shaomin (2018). 'Carry On the Revolution to the End'?: Propaganda Posters in China. ISBN 978-1-983548-28-4. S2CID 158782005.^{[non-primary source needed]}
18. "With Cartoon-Illustrated Book, ODU's Li Explains West/East Biz Culture". Old Dominion University.
19. "Tangled web". The Economist.
20. "The greatest leap forward". The Economist.
21. Li, Shaomin (May 22, 2002). "Making Mr. Tung More Dictatorial". Wall Street Journal – via www.wsj.com.^{[non-primary source needed]}
22. "Guest post: why a China 2-child policy would have worked". Financial Times.
23. Shaomin, Li (10 September 2001). "Opinion | Jailers Who Thrive on Silence". The New York Times.^{[non-primary source needed]}
24. Park, Seung Ho; Li, Shaomin (2015-05-14). "Can China Reach Full Potential Of Internet Technologies?". Forbes.
25. Shaomin Li (August 1989). "China's Population Control and Socio- economic Reforms: The Chinese Dilemma". China Report. 25 (3): 219–235. doi:10.1177/000944558902500301. S2CID 220874494.
26. Li, Shaomin (September 1989). "China's population policy: A model of a constant stream of births". Population Research and Policy Review. 8 (3): 279–300. doi:10.1007/BF00125405. S2CID 153324508.^{[non-primary source needed]}
27. Li, Shaomin (January 1, 2014). "From Heresy to Policy: My Prescription for China's Population Policy 25 Years Ago". Modern China Studies. 21 (2).^{[non-primary source needed]}
28. Cravotta, Leonora. "A Deal With the Dragon - The American Spectator | USA News and PoliticsThe American Spectator | USA News and Politics". The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.
29. Pan, David (2022). "The Invisible Hand of the Chinese Communist Party". Telos. 2022 (199): 99–105. doi:10.3817/0622199099. S2CID 249853660.
30. Coale, Ansley J.; Li, Shaomin (1 May 1991). "The Effect of Age Misreporting in China on the Calculation of Mortality Rates at Very High Ages". Demography. 28 (2): 293–301. doi:10.2307/2061281. JSTOR 2061281. PMID 2070900. S2CID 28991153.^{[non-primary source needed]}
31. Li, Shaomin; Li, Shuhe; Zhang, Weiying (June 2000). "The Road to Capitalism: Competition and Institutional Change in China". Journal of Comparative Economics. 28 (2): 269–292. doi:10.1006/jcec.2000.1653.^{[non-primary source needed]}
32. Li, Shaomin; Nair, Anil (June 2007). "A Comparative Study of the Economic Reforms in China and India: What Can We Learn?". Global Economic Review. 36 (2): 147–166. doi:10.1080/12265080701374099. S2CID 154619033.^{[non-primary source needed]}
33. Li, Shaomin (March 1998). "Success in China's Industrial Market: An Institutional and Environmental Approach". Journal of International Marketing. 6 (1): 56–80. doi:10.1177/1069031X9800600107. S2CID 220298577.^{[non-primary source needed]}
34. Tan, Justin; Li, Shaomin; Xia, Jun (July 2007). "When iron fist, visible hand, and invisible hand meet: Firm-level effects of varying institutional environments in China". Journal of Business Research. 60 (7): 786–794. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2007.03.003.^{[non-primary source needed]}
35. Park, Seung Ho; Li, Shaomin; Tse, David K (January 2006). "Market liberalization and firm performance during China's economic transition". Journal of International Business Studies. 37 (1): 127–147. doi:10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400178. S2CID 14451759.^{[non-primary source needed]}
36. Li, Shaomin; Xia, Jun (January 2008). "The Roles and Performance of State Firms and Non-State Firms in China's Economic Transition". World Development. 36 (1): 39–54. doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2007.01.008.^{[non-primary source needed]}
37. Li, Shaomin; Park, Seung Ho; Li, Shuhe (February 2004). "The Great Leap Forward". Organizational Dynamics. 33 (1): 63–78. doi:10.1016/j.orgdyn.2003.11.005. S2CID 155927396. SSRN 904336.^{[non-primary source needed]}
38. Li, Shaomin (2009). Managing International Business in Relation-Based versus Rule-Based Countries. Business Expert Press. ISBN 978-1-60649-085-3.^{[non-primary source needed]}
39. Maurer, Steven D.; Li, Shaomin (March 2006). "Understanding expatriate manager performance: Effects of governance environments on work relationships in relation-based economies". Human Resource Management Review. 16 (1): 29–46. doi:10.1016/j.hrmr.2006.02.001.^{[non-primary source needed]}
40. Li, Shaomin; Filer, Larry (March 2007). "The effects of the governance environment on the choice of investment mode and the strategic implications". Journal of World Business. 42 (1): 80–98. doi:10.1016/j.jwb.2006.11.006. S2CID 154676751.^{[non-primary source needed]}
41. Wu, Jun; Li, Shaomin; Selover, David D. (October 2012). "Foreign Direct Investment vs. Foreign Portfolio Investment: The Effect of the Governance Environment". Management International Review. 52 (5): 643–670. doi:10.1007/s11575-011-0121-0. S2CID 255305996.^{[non-primary source needed]}
42. Li, Shaomin; Samsell, Darryl P. (January 2009). "Why Some Countries Trade More Than Others: The Effect of the Governance Environment on Trade Flows". Corporate Governance: An International Review. 17 (1): 47–61. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8683.2008.00715.x. S2CID 154942279.^{[non-primary source needed]}
43. "Why China Thrives Despite Corruption". Old Dominion University.
44. Li, Shaomin (2019). Bribery and Corruption in Weak Institutional Environments: Connecting the Dots from a Comparative Perspective. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-49289-8.^{[non-primary source needed]}
45. Li, Shaomin (22 July 2021). "Leading by bribing: evidence from China". International Journal of Emerging Markets. 16 (6): 1026–1047. doi:10.1108/IJOEM-11-2019-0887. S2CID 219934822.^{[non-primary source needed]}
46. Li, Shaomin (January 1, 2017). "Assessment of and Outlook on China's Corruption and Anticorruption Campaigns: Stagnation in the Authoritarian Trap". Modern China Studies. 24 (2).
47. Li, Shaomin; Ouyang, Ming (September 2007). "A Dynamic Model to Explain the Bribery Behavior of Firms". International Journal of Management. 24 (3): 605–618, 620. ProQuest 233230284.^{[non-primary source needed]}
48. "The SOPA 2023 Awards for Editorial Excellence" (PDF).
49. "HRW: Chinese Academics Detained: Testimony for Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives". www.hrw.org.
50. "A Brief Biography of Li Honglin". www.modernchinastudies.org.