IBSS PhD Programme News | Hanhong Feng Completes Viva

Hanhong Feng, a PhD candidate in the Department of Intelligent Operations and Marketing at IBSS, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, has successfully passed his doctoral viva defence and been awarded the degree of PhD in Business.

Hanhong's thesis is titled "Frontline Employee Mindfulness and Its Influence on Customer Service Interactions". Focusing on the diverse experiences frontline employees encounter during service delivery, the thesis conceptualises mindfulness as a context-sensitive individual difference and systematically examines its moderating role in employees' responses to two adverse experiences (boreout and high service-sales ambidexterity requirements) and one positive relational experience (receiving customer gratitude). The findings show that mindfulness shapes how employees appraise external experiences, regulate psychological resources, and adjust behavioural responses, thereby influencing employee well-being, ethical behaviour, coworker support, and service performance. The research extends the nomological network of mindfulness in service research and offers actionable insights for organisations seeking to manage frontline employee experiences effectively.

Reflecting on his doctoral experience at IBSS, Hanhong notes that IBSS and his supervisory team have provided a strong academic platform, enabling him to transform the knowledge, experience, and research questions developed during his undergraduate and master's studies and working experience into substantive academic achievements. Over the past four years, the rigorous doctoral training programmes, guest speeches, workshops, and supporting programmes at IBSS have allowed him to engage closely with leading international scholars and stay abreast of research trends and methodological innovations. He emphasises that IBSS's institutional resources and dedicated supervisory team are instrumental in building highly trained, internationally oriented researchers.

During his doctoral studies, Hanhong produced substantial academic outputs. His paper "Enhancing coworker-directed helping through customer gratitude: The role of authentic pride and mindfulness" was published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management. He presented his research at multiple international conferences, including the Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting, the Asia-Pacific Marketing Academy (APMA) Annual Conference, and the China Marketing Association of Universities (CMAU) Annual Conference. He has also served as a reviewer for the International Journal of Hospitality Management on multiple occasions and contributed as a co-author to the 2025 China Mindfulness Industry Report.

Hanhong was supervised by Dr Daniel Hampson (Primary Supervisor), Dr Pan Li, and Dr Natasha Clennell. Dr Daniel Hampson comments that Hanhong has made outstanding contributions by advancing the theoretical understanding of employee mindfulness while addressing pressing workplace challenges such as employee ambidexterity and burnout. His research bridges rigorous scholarship with practical relevance, offering valuable insights for organisations navigating today's demanding and rapidly changing work environment. Throughout his PhD journey, Hanhong has demonstrated intellectual curiosity, resilience, and a strong commitment to research excellence. He has grown into an independent scholar with a clear research vision, producing work of high academic quality and meaningful real-world impact.

Following graduation, Hanhong intends to continue pursuing academic research while maintaining close collaboration with his supervisory team. Building on his interest in frontline service industries, he plans to investigate the broader implications of economic fluctuations for service marketing and management, while also extending the research developed during his doctoral studies on mindfulness, frontline employee-customer interactions, psychological well-being, and job performance.

By Yifei Wu

Social media editor: Xiaoxuan Chen