Dr Yanni Yan and Dr Choo-sin Tseng, Associate Professors of the Department of Marketing (MKT) at City University of Hong Kong (CityU), outperformed participants from 23 countries to clinch the Best Paper Award at the Fifth Annual International Business and Economy Conference 2006 (IBEC 2006). This is the first time scholars from Hong Kong have been honoured with this award since the First

This award demonstrates CityU’s international competitiveness in research and underlines how CityU experts excel in their own research areas, making substantial contributions to Hong Kong and the world.

The IBEC 2006, held in Hawaii from 5 to 8 January, attracted more than 100 submissions from 23 countries. The theme was “Emerging Issues in the Global Economy”. Only 50 papers were accepted and among the eight papers short-listed for the Best Paper Award, the paper from CityU was ranked highest.

Dr Tseng said: “We are delighted that our efforts in making contributions to the academic theory of marketing and international business bear fruit. One of the big rewards is that we can enhance CityU’s reputation on the international stage through this award.”  

The award-winning paper, co-authored by Dr Yan and Dr Tseng, is entitled “A study of Resource Competitiveness in High-tech Firms.” The paper confirms that a firm’s organizational control, such as its corporate culture, organizational formalization and business strategy, has a significant mediating effect on firm-specific advantages and performance.

“This paper suggests that a broadened perspective is needed for considering the relationship between resources, control and performance for a firm to generate better performance,” Dr Yan said.

The paper was reviewed and ranked by a panel of 20 world-renowned professors from the US, Denmark, Korea and Hong Kong. Reviewers said the paper could have “positive impacts on international research of business and economy” and it has been invited for submission to the Journal of International Business and Economics.

“It is very encouraging that our paper will be published in an international journal, which is a platform for us to share our research findings and knowledge with experts all over the world,” Dr Yan said. She thanked CityU and MKT for supporting her research since her arrival at CityU in 1999.

The first IBEC was held in 2002. It is held every year to provide a forum for scholars to present, examine, discuss and exchange ideas relevant to emerging business and economic issues in the global economy. It also aims to promote the renewal and creation of professional ties between participants. Issues discussed this year included resource management, knowledge management, human resources management, financial and economic issues, and marketing services.