Prof
Shaowei
He
Professor of International Business
Faculty of Business and Law
Staff Profile
Prof Shaowei
Shaowei He joined the University of Northampton in 2008 after obtaining his PhD in Economic Development from the University of Birmingham. He conducts research based on the phenomenon of the rise of Chinese enterprises and their overseas investment. This enables him to investigate issues of strategy and management (e.g., parent-subsidiary relationship, internationalisation strategy, legitimacy etc), international relations, regional development, human resource management, and law (e.g., FDI screening). He is currently exploring the interactions between Chinese investors (in EV and batteries in particular) and stakeholders in Hungary.
Shaowei has received research grants from Leverhulme/British Academy and British Council. His work has appeared in leading academic journals such as Journal of World Business, Human Resource Management and Human Resource Management Review.
Shaowei was the Research and Enterprise Lead for the Faculty of Business and Law between 2021 and 2023 and in that role he helped to strengthen a more inclusive and supportive research culture as well as a stronger engagement with the external community. Shaowei led the China and Emerging Economies Centre as its Director between 2016 and 2022 during which he developed the centre to be a cross-country collaboration platform.
He has advised a wide range of businesses and organisations such as the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Silverstone Circuits Ltd., Lincolnshire County Council, and Northamptonshire Borough Council. In 2016 he was appointed Ambassador for International Exchange by the Hunan Provincial Government of China.
Undergraduate
- BUS3029 Operating in Emerging Market
Postgraduate
- STRM092 Contemporary Issues in Business
Shaowei has successfully supervised five PhD students through to completion.
Shaowei has a range of research projects based on the phenomenon of the rise of Chinese enterprises and their overseas investment.
Research funding:
- 2019 British Council (PI, £30,000): UK-China Outward Mobility Internationalisation Partnership Fund.
- 2015 Leverhulme/British Academy Small Research Grant (PI, £10,000): Emerging economy multinational enterprises’ acquisitions in developed countries and capability upgrading in their acquired firms: a multiple case study in the UK.
- 2014 British Council Researchers Link Programme (PI, £35,000): The impact of emerging economies and their multinational enterprises on the world economy.
- 2011 Santander University Award, Santander, £2,500.
- 2011 University of Northampton Chancellor’s Fund, £1,000.
- 2009 British Council PMI2 initiative (PI, £35,000): Enhancing students’ entrepreneurial competences in an international environment.