IBSS PhD Candidate Mingli Huang Publishes in International Journal of Consumer Studies (ABDC-A)

Mingli Huang, a PhD candidate in Marketing at the International Business School Suzhou (IBSS), Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, has published a new paper in the International Journal of Consumer Studies, an ABDC-A ranked journal. The paper, titled “Responding to Competitor Praise: How Downgrading Praise Shapes Consumer Responses Across Cultures,” is co-authored with her principle supervisor Dr Daniel Hampson and IBSS co-supervisor Dr Yining Yu.

The study explores a timely question in digital marketing: how should a brand respond when a competitor praises it on social media? Across a field observation and three experiments involving 974 participants from China and the US, the research finds that downgrading competitor praise—minimizing the praise while still conveying agreement and modesty—can enhance brand outcomes by increasing consumers’ perceived social closeness to the brand.

Importantly, this effect emerged in China but not in the US. The findings suggest that brands can strategically use downgraded responses to strengthen consumer-brand relationships, particularly in collectivist cultural settings. The paper offers new insights into brand-to-brand communication and provides practical guidance for marketers seeking to communicate effectively on social media.

Mingli Huang’s research interests include brand linguistics, brand-to-brand interactions, digital marketing, financial decision making, and marketing communication. She also has extensive teaching experience, contributing to undergraduate modules in Consumer Behaviour, Principles of Marketing, Corporate Communication, Services Marketing, and International Marketing.

The publication reflects IBSS’s continued commitment to impactful research in marketing and international business.

【About the IBSS PhD programmes】

The IBSS PhD programmes at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University offer an excellent opportunity for students seeking doctoral study at a young, dynamic and academically strong business school. Founded in 2013, IBSS is the largest English-language business schools in China and is among an elite and prestigious group of business schools worldwide to hold Triple Crown accreditation from AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA. IBSS brings together a highly international body of academic staff, with all holding overseas doctoral degrees and/or international work experience, and offers prospective students access to a strong pool of potential supervisors in a vibrant, research-led academic environment.

PhD students at IBSS study in a highly international environment and benefit from joint supervision involving XJTLU and the University of Liverpool, UK, gaining broad academic support and diverse international perspectives. IBSS offers doctoral research opportunities across a broad range of areas in business, including accounting, economics, finance, strategy, organisation, marketing, operations, and data-driven business research, among other fields. Prospective applicants are warmly encouraged to explore the webpages and academic staff profiles of each department to identify research areas and potential supervisors that best match their own research interests.

We welcome outstanding applicants to apply through the online application system: https://single.xjtlu.edu.cn/cform/#/coordinateStandard/layout?uri=4c6c9b004cda49b8bbfeae67a945d046.

If you have any questions regarding the application system, please contact: DoctoralStudies@xjtlu.edu.cn. For enquiries about the IBSS PhD programmes, please email: IBSS.PhD@xjtlu.edu.cn