PhD Students
For more information on PhD admissions, click on the link below.
Chunxi Liu
I am a Ph.D. candidate jointly supervised by the College of Industry-Entrepreneurs and the HeXie Management Research Centre at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, as well as the Institute of Population Health at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom. My research lies at the intersection of educational psychology and leadership studies, where I explore how psychological factors influence leadership practices and organizational change within educational settings. Specifically, I am interested in understanding the psychological dynamics that shape educators’ behaviors, motivations, and sense of belonging in evolving institutional environments. Ultimately, my goal is to bridge theory and practice by offering insights that can inform institutional transformation, distributed leadership development, and sustainable educational reform in both Chinese and international contexts.
Research Interests
Distributed leadership; Teacher Digital Literacy; Teacher Well-being
Supervisor Team
Primary Supervisor: Dr. Peng Liu
Co-Supervisor: Prof. Youmin Xi, Prof. Gayle Brewer
Jingwen Xia
My research focuses on improving ESG performance through organisational learning. This research aims to adopt and apply HeXie Management Theory to propose an effective organisational learning approach, which conceptualises elements and relationships pertaining to ESG learning and performance.
Research Interests
ESG (environmental, social, and governance); Organisational learning; Sustainable Development
Supervisor Team
Principal Supervisor: Dr. Peng Liu
Co-Supervisor: Prof. Youmin Xi; Dr. Urmila Thakur (UoL)
Xingyu Zhou
I am a doctoral student exploring tacit knowledge transfer during intergenerational succession in Chinese family businesses, with a particular focus on its impact on successors, especially female successors. The study explores the culturally specific mechanisms and content of tacit knowledge transfer, addressing the unique challenges faced by female successors in family businesses. The research intersects education, sociology, and management to provide a comprehensive understanding of this process.
Research Interests
Family business; Intergenerational succession; Tacit knowledge; Role identity; Female leadership
Supervisor Team
Primary Supervisor: Dr. Peng Liu
Co-Supervisor: Prof. Youmin Xi, Dr. Chao Fang
Xuan Li
I am a Ph.D. candidate jointly supervised by the College of Industry-Entrepreneurs and the HeXie Management Research Centre at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, as well as the Institute of Population Health at the University of Liverpool. My research lies in Educational Technology and Management, integrating expertise in education, psychology, technology, and organizational ecosystems. Core research investigates student engagement, learning/teaching innovation, and education ecosystem dynamics, with an applied focus on HeXie Management Theory for sustainable institutional development.
Research Interests
Student Adaptability; Teacher’s Transition; Educational Ecosystem
Supervisor Team
Principal Supervisor: Dr. Peng Liu
Co-Supervisor: Prof. Youmin Xi; Prof. Gayle Brewer; Dr. Caroline Hands
Yajing Liu
I am a Ph.D. candidate jointly supervised by the College of Industry-Entrepreneurs and the HeXie Management Research Centre at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, as well as the Institute of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom.
Research Topic
Bridging the Digital Divide: Research on Effective Governance Strategies for the Older Adults Care Ecosystem in the Digital Intelligence Era
Supervisor Team
Primary Supervisor: Prof. Youmin Xi
Co-Supervisor: Dr. Peng Liu, Prof. Susan Pickard
Yige Li
I am a Ph.D. candidate jointly supervised by the College of Industry-Entrepreneurs and the HeXie Management Research Centre at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, as well as the Institute of Population Health at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom. My research lies at the intersection of educational psychology and ESL (English as Second Language) strategies in Sino-foreign universities.
Research Interests
ESL in Sino-Foreign University; AI in English Language Learning; Teacher Development
Supervisor Team
Primary Supervisor: Prof. Youmin Xi
Co-Supervisor: Dr. Peng Liu, Dr. Caroline Hands
Yuan Yue
I am a PhD student jointly supervised by the College of Industry-Entrepreneurs and the HeXie Management Research Centre at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, as well as the Institute of Population Health at the University of Liverpool. My research focuses on communication and conflicts in the intergenerational succession process of family businesses. In particular, to around three key elements: conflict foci, communication strategies, and succession effectiveness. Focus on how conflict foci change, how communication as a conflict management strategy adapts and evolves, and how these factors interact to shape succession effectiveness. The overall approach emphasizes process, dynamics, and context, as well as practical implications for family business management.
Research Interests
Family business; intergenerational succession; communication; conflict; innovation and entrepreneurship
Supervisor Team
Primary supervisor: Dr. Peng Liu
Co-Supervisors: Prof. Youmin Xi; Dr. Leonardo De Pascalis
Zhicheng Hu
My research focus on the relationship between entrepreneurs’ subjective resource perception and their resourceful behaviors. I hope I can contribute to the development and application of HeXie management theory.
Research Topic
Two Paths from Entrepreneurial Scarcity to Resourcefulness: Mindfulness Intervention and HeXie Ecosystem
Supervisor Team
Principle Supervisor: Prof. Lei Liang
Co-Supervisor: Dr. Barbara Mezes; Dr. Peng Liu; Dr. Li Pan; Dr. Yue Xu
PhD Students