Portrait of Dr Li Cunningham

Dr Li Cunningham

Associate Professor in Human Resources Management

Bayes Business School , Faculty of Management

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About

Overview

Dr Li Xue Cunningham is an Associate Professor in Management and Program Director for BSc Business Management Cluster, Bayes Business School (formerly Cass). Previously, she was an RCUK Research Fellow at Centre for Asian Business and Management, Bayes (formerly Cass).

Before Dr Cunningham embarked on her research career, she worked as a manager for several large Chinese corporations in international business. Dr Cunningham’s main research, scholarship and teaching interests lie in the areas of international and comparative human resource management, gender and diversity management, private enterprise business and development, and AI in education. Her work has been published in the International Journal of Human Resource Management, Asia Pacific Business Review, Personnel Review, International Handbook of Entrepreneurship and HRM, Handbook of Technology Management and Management through Collaboration as well as presented at the Academy of Management, British Academy of Management, and International Industrial Relations Association conferences.

She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). She gained her BA (Hons) in Economics (First Class Honours) from Nanjing University, China, and Ph.D. in Management Studies from Bayes (formerly Cass), City, University of London.

Qualifications

  • Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy, Higher Education Academy UK, United Kingdom, June 2024
  • PhD in Management, Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), United Kingdom, September 2002 - June 2007

Postgraduate training

    Employment

    • Associate Professor in Management, City, University of London, United Kingdom, November 2024 - present
    • Academic Director, BSc Business Management Cluster, Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), City, University of London, United Kingdom, August 2021 - present
    • Senior Lecturer, City, University of London, United Kingdom, April 2021 - November 2024
    • Visiting Fellow, YangTze Industrial Economic Institute of Nanjing University, China, March 2019 - present
    • Lecturer in Management, Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), City, University of London, United Kingdom, September 2012 - April 2021
    • Deputy Director, Centre for Asian Business and Management, Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), City, University of London, United Kingdom, January 2008 - May 2016
    • RCUK Research Fellow, Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), City, University of London, United Kingdom, September 2007 - August 2012

    Administrative role

    • Program Director, BSc Business Management Cluster, Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), City University London, September 2021 - present

    Fellowships

    • RCUK Research Fellowship, Cass Business School, October 2007 - October 2012

    Memberships of professional organisations

    • Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS), May 2023 - present

    Award

    • City University London (2022). City Connects Community Fund
      a project with purpose to enhance, expand and pilot new initiatives designed to develop students' sense of belonging and community to support their engagement in BM UGs Induction programs.

    Languages

    Chinese (Mandarin) (can read, write, speak, peer review) and English (can read, write, speak, peer review)

    Expertise

    Primary topics

    • Asian Business & Management
    • Human Resource Management
    • Management
    • Small Business Management

    Additional topics

    • Family Businesses
    • Gender & Diversity Management
    • Organizational Behaviour
    • International Business

    Industries

    • manufacturing

    Geographic Areas

    • Asia
    • Asia - Southeast
    • Europe

    Research

    Research topics

    Chinese Management

    Entrepreneurship and SMEs' developement

    Gender and Diversity Management

    Comparative Human Resource Management

    Private enterprises in China

    Publications

    Chapters (2)

    1. Xue Cunningham, L. (2012). SMEs in Selected Economies in East Asia. In Warner, M. (Ed.), Managing across diverse cultures in East Asia : issues and challenges in a changing globalized world Routledge. ISBN 0415680905.
    2. Xue Cunningham, L. and Rowley, C. (2008). Human Resource Management in Small and Medium Enterprises in Jiangsu, China. In Barrett, R. and Mayson, S. (Eds.), International Handbook of HRM and Entrepreneurship (pp. 285-301).

    Conference paper and proceedings

    1. Cunningham, L. and Holtham, C. (2022). Enhancing engagement and inclusivity through activities codesigned with undergraduates - a case of induction week for business management. 14th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies 4-5 July, Palma, Spain.doi:10.21125/edulearn.2022.1023

    Journal articles (5)

    1. Xue Cunningham, L. (2011). SMEs as motor of growth: A review of China's SMEs development in thirty years (1978–2008). Human Systems Management, 30(1-2), pp. 39-54
    2. Xue Cunningham, L. (2010). Managing human resources in SMEs in a transition economy: evidence from China. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 21(12), pp. 2120-2141
    3. Xue Cunningham, L. (2010). Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in China: A literature review, human resource management and sugestions for further research. Asia Pacific Business Review, 16(3), pp. 319-337
    4. Xue Cunningham, L. and Rowley, C. (2008). The development of Chinese small and medium enterprises and human resource management: A review. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 46(3), pp. 353-379

      [publisher’s website]

    5. Rowley, C. and Xue Cunningham, L. (2007). Human Resource Management in Chinese Small and Medium Enterprises: a review and research agenda. Personnel Review, 36(3), pp. 415-439

      [publisher’s website]

    Other

    1. Cunningham, L.(2011). HRM development in China: a longitudinal study.

    Professional activities

    Editorial activity (4)

    1. International Journal of Human Resource Management, Referee, 2010 - present.
    2. Human Resource Managment, Referee, 2009 - present.
    3. International Small Business Journal, Referee, 2009 - present.
    4. Asia Pacific Business Review, Book Reviews Editor, 2008 - 2014.

    Events/conferences (2)

    1. EDULEARN22. (Conference) (2022). Invited speaker.
      Paper: Enhancing engagement and inclusivity through activities co-designed with undergraduates - a case of induction week for business management
      Author: Cunningham, L
      Co-authors: Holtham, C
    2. The 12th annual Learning at City Conference 2022. (Conference) City University London (2022). Invited speaker.
      Paper: Transforming academic-based undergraduate induction 2019-2022: enhancing student engagement
      Author: Dr Li Cunningham
      Co-authors: Rich, M; Holtham, C