Yu Zhang

Professor of Strategy

China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)

699 Hong Feng Road, Shanghai, 201206, China

 Tel: +86 21 2890 5624, Email: yu.zhang@ceibs.edu

Education

PhD, INSEAD, 2008.

Ph.D. in Management, Major: Strategy and Management

Dissertation Title: Strategy and Performance under Earnings Pressure

M.Sc. in Management, INSEAD, 2005.

Major: Strategy and Management

Master of Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2002.

Major: Business Management

Bachelor of Economics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1999.

Major: International Finance

Minor: Automatic Controlling

Professional Positions

Professor of Strategy, CEIBS (2022 - present).

Associate Professor of Strategy, CEIBS (2017 – 2022).

Assistant Professor of Management, CEIBS (2015 - 2017).

Assistant Professor of Strategy, Paul Merage School of Business, UC Irvine (2008 – 2015).

Research Interest

Strategy and Capital Market, Corporate Governance, Competitive Strategy

Teaching Interest

Strategic Management, Industry and Competitive Analysis, Innovation and Competition, Strategic Renewal and Transformation

Awards and Honors

Teaching Excellence Award. CEIBS (2023)

Power of One Service Excellence Award for Faculty Members. CEIBS (2021)

Research Excellence Award. CEIBS (2020)

Research Excellence Award. CEIBS (2017)

Celebration of Teaching Dean’s Honoree Award, Undergraduate Division, UC Irvine (May 2014) 

Winner, BlackRock/NACD (National Association of Corporate Directors) “Global Challenge for Innovation in Corporate Governance”. (May 2013).

Booz Allen Hamilton/SMS PhD Fellowship, Strategic Management Society. (October 2006).

Best Symposium Proposal Award, OMT Division, Academy of Management. (August 2006).

RESEARCH

Publications

Journal Articles, Peer-Reviewed

1. Zhang, Y., Gimeno, J. (2010). Earnings Pressure and Competitive Behavior: Evidence from the US Electricity Industry. Academy of Management Journal, 53(4), 743-768.

2. Zhang, Y., Zhang, Y., Gimeno, J. (2016). Earnings Pressure and Long-Term Corporate Governance: Can Long-Term-Oriented Investors and Managers Reduce the Quarterly Earnings Obsession? Organization Science, 27(2), 354–372.

3. Bromiley, P., Rau, D., Zhang, Y. (2017). Is R&D Risky? Strategic Management Journal, 38(4): 876–891. *

4. Gong, Y., Zhang, Y., Xia, J. (2019). ""Do Firms Learn More from Small or Big Successes and Failures?". Journal of Management, 45(3), pp. 1034–1056. *

5. Currim, I., Lim, J., Zhang, Y. (2017) “Commitment to Marketing Spending under Pressures from Analysts’ Earnings Expectations: Does it lead to Higher Stock Market Performance?”. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 46(3), pp.431-452. *

6. Zhang, Y. and Gong, Y. (2018). “Stock Return or Sales Growth? Multiple Performance Feedback and Strategic Investments under Securities Analysts’ Earnings Pressure.” Journal of Management Studies, 55: 1356-1385.

7. Wiersema, M., Ahn, A., & Zhang, Y. (2020). “Activist Hedge Fund Success: The Role of Reputation”. Strategic Management Journal, 41(13), 2493-2517.

8.   Yu, T., Guo, W., Gimeno, J., & Zhang, Y. (2022). “Glue or Gasoline? The Role of Inter-organizational Linkages in the Occurrence and Spillover of Competitive Wars”. Academy of Management Journal. 65(1), 304-330.

(Papers with *: the authors contributed equally)

Conference Proceedings, Peer-Reviewed

9. Zhang, Y., Xia, J., Gong, Y. Analyst Pressure and Corporate Down-scoping:  A Balanced-power Approach. In Academy of Management Meeting Best Paper Proceedings. (2014).

10. Zhang, Y., Gong, Y. Strategic Investment under Earnings Pressure: the Role of Performance Feedback. In Academy of Management Meeting Best Paper Proceedings. (2013).

11. Zhang, Y., Gimeno, J. Shareholder Time Horizons, CEO Incentives, and Strategic Price Competition under Earnings Pressure. In Academy of Management Meeting Best Paper Proceedings. (2010).

12. Zhang, Y., Gimeno, J. Milking the Cash Cow: Earnings Pressure and Competitive Behavior in the U.S. Electricity Industry. In Academy of Management Meeting Best Paper Proceedings. (2007).

13. Zhang, Y. Capital Structure and Competitive Behavior: The Effect of Equity Financing and Earnings Pressure. In Academy of Management Meeting Best Paper Proceedings. (2005).

Research Grants

CEIBS Faculty Research Grant, CEIBS. (RMB570,000, January 2019 – present)

CEIBS Faculty Research Grant, CEIBS. (RMB130,000, October 2016 – December 2019)

CEIBS-Cathy Capital Research Grant, CEIBS. (RMB270,000, January 2016 – present)

Council on Research, Computing and Library Resources, UC Irvine. ($3,500, January 2013 - 2015).

John & Marilyn Long U.S.-China Institute for Business & Law, UC Irvine. ($5,000, July 2011 - 2014).    

Don Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, UC Irvine. ($7,500, June 2011 - 2014).

Council on Research, Computing and Library Resources, UC Irvine. ($3,500, January 2011 - November 2011).

Professional Memberships

Academy of Management, Strategic Management Society.

TEACHING

Courses Taught

At CEIBS:

Company Specific Program, Strategic Thinking (2016 - present)

Middle Manager Development Program, Strategic Thinking (2016 - 2019)

Finance MBA, Strategic Management. (2016, 2019 – present)

Executive MBA, Strategic Management. (2016 - present)

Executive MBA, Industry and Competitive Analysis. (2022 - present)

Finance MBA, Industry and Competitive Analysis. (2022 - present)

Full Time MBA, Industry and Competitive Analysis. (2016 - present)

Full Time MBA, Strategic Management. (2015 - 2017)

At UC Irvine:

Full Time MBA, Business Dynamics. (2011 - 2015)

Full Time MBA, Managing Innovative Organizations. (2008 - 2015)

Full Time MBA, Strategic Management (2009 - 2010)

Undergraduate MGMT 110, Strategic Management. (2009 - 2014)

Teaching Materials Developed

At CEIBS:

TIDIY Ceramics: Transforming a Traditional Manufacturing Business (with Chi Zhang)

Bilibili: From Niche to Mainstream? (with Iris Xue)

Chobani vs. Danone: The Battle for Greek Yogurt

Hupu,com: Fighting or Partnering with BAT? (with Zhu Qiong)

Strategic Change at Groupon.com (with Chen Dengbiao)

Evolution of Symphony Orchestra Industry (with Peter Moran)

Doctoral Committee and Supervising

At UC Irvine:

2014 - 2015, Scott Mitchell, Member (Strategy, University of Kansas)

2013 – 2014, Joern Kleinhans, Faculty Advisor (Strategy)

2013 - 2014, Hannah Oh, Member (Marketing, University of Nebraska, Omaha)

2011 - 2013, Joshua Hernsberger, Member (Strategy, University of West Kentucky)

2010 - 2012, Fei Kang, Member (Accounting, California State University, Pomona)

2010 - 2012, Sujung Choi, Member (Finance, Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology, Korea)

SERVICE

Department Service

At CEIBS:

Brownbag series coordinator, Strategy and Entrepreneurship Area (Sep 2015 - 2017).

At UC Irvine:

Member, Strategy Area Search Committee. (2009 – 2010, 2011, 2014).

School/College Service

At CEIBS:

Member, Faculty Evaluation Committee (2022 - present).

Member, Academic Staff Evaluation Committee (2017 – 2022).

At UC Irvine:

Member, Master Program Committee. (August 2013 – August 2014).

Member, Undergraduate Program Committee. (August 2011 – August 2014).

Member, PhD Committee. (August 2008 - August 2011, August 2014 – June 2015).

University Service

At UC Irvine:

Member, Board on Undergraduate Scholarships, Honors, and Financial Aids. (March 2012 - 2015).

Professional Service

Editorial Board Member, Strategic Management Journal (Jan 2017 – present).

Editorial Board Member, Academy of Management Perspectives (2015 – 2018).

Ad Hoc Reviewer, Academy of Management Journal, Strategic Management Journal, Organization Science, Administrative Science Quarterly, Strategy Science.