Prof. Hongbo Cai | Digital Economics | Best Researcher Award

Director at Financial office of Beijing Normal University, China

Prof. Hongbo Cai is a distinguished economist and academic leader at Beijing Normal University, serving as a Professor at the Business School and holding key administrative roles including Director of the Financial Office and former Vice Dean. With a rich academic background and extensive research contributions, Prof. Cai’s work spans international trade, labor and environmental economics, and digital economic transformation. His scholarly output includes publications in top-tier international journals and leading Chinese academic outlets, alongside leadership in major national research projects.

Publication Profile

Scopus

Educational Background 🎓

Ph.D. in Economics
Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
September 2004 – June 2009
Bachelor of Arts in Economics
Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
September 2000 – July 2004

Professional Experience 💼

Director, Financial Office, Beijing Normal University
December 2023 – Present
Vice Dean, Business School, Beijing Normal University
July 2019 – April 2024
Professor, Business School, Beijing Normal University
August 2018 – Present
Associate Professor, Business School, Beijing Normal University
August 2013 – July 2018
Assistant Professor, Business School, Beijing Normal University
August 2009 – July 2013

Research Interests 🔬

International Trade
Digital Economics
Labour Economics
Environmental Economics

Research Projects and Grants

Prof. Cai has been Principal Investigator (PI) on several national-level funded research projects, including:

Major Project, China National Social Science Foundation (21&ZD086)
2022–2024
China National Science Foundation Projects
2022–2024 (72073013)
2018–2022 (71773007)
2015–2017 (71403024)

Awards and Honors🏆✨

Leadership of major national research grants from China’s top academic funding bodies indicates high recognition in the academic community.
Multiple publications in top Chinese economic journals such as 经济研究, 管理世界, and 中国工业经济 highlight scholarly prestige.
Appointment to senior roles including Vice Dean and Director of Financial Office demonstrates institutional recognition and trust.

Conclusion🌟

Prof. Hongbo Cai is a highly accomplished economist whose academic, administrative, and research excellence makes him a leading figure in China’s economics research community. His scholarship is not only academically rigorous but also policy-relevant, addressing vital issues such as digital transformation, labor dynamics, environmental sustainability, and trade. With extensive national funding, influential publications, and leadership experience, Prof. Cai is well-positioned for academic awards, policy advisory roles, and future scholarly impact.

Publications 📚

🧳 Migrants and exports: Decomposing the link
📘 Journal of World Business, 56(2), 101166, 2021.
👥 Co-authors: Meng, Y. & Chakraborty, S.

🏢 Employee Ownership and Firm Digital Transformation
📘 British Journal of Management, 2024.
👥 Co-authors: Dong, M., Choi, Y., Ma, P., & Cui, L.

💼 Competition in the Labor Market: The Wage Effect of Employer Concentration in China
📘 Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, 2024.
👥 Co-authors: Liu, J., Carl Lin.

🏙️ Administrative Division Adjustment and Environmental Pollution: Evidence from City-County Mergers in China
📘 China Economic Review, 84, 102141, 2024.
👥 Co-authors: Ma, H., Zou, J., Zhang, L.

🌱 Unveiling the Green Path: How Urban Openness Reduces Pollution
📘 Journal of Environmental Management, 370, 122378, 2024.
👥 Co-authors: Zhong, C., Liu, L., Xue, R., Shan, Y.

🏘️ Capitalization of Social Infrastructure into Housing Values
📘 Economic Modelling, 107, 105706, 2022.
👥 Co-authors: Ouyang, Y., Yu, X., Li, Z.

🔄 Are We in a De‐Globalization Process? Evidence from Global Trade (2007–2017)
📘 Global Challenges, 5(8), 2000096, 2021.
👥 Co-authors: Li, X., Shen, C., Chen, Q.

💡 Tax Incentives and Heterogeneous Innovation in Enterprises
📘 Economic Research Journal, 2025.
👥 Co-authors: Tang Chengjian, Mao Jian.

📦 Application of Digital Technology and Export Performance of Enterprises — A Case Study of Enterprises in Zhongguancun National Innovation Demonstration Zone
📘 Management World, 2024.
👥 Co-author: Han Jinyong.

🔗 Tax Incentives, Supply Chain Spillovers, and Digital Transformation
📘 Economic Research Journal, 2023.
👥 Co-authors: Tang Chengjian, Han Jinyong.

🌐 How Does the “Belt and Road” Initiative Promote Trade Development in Ethnic Minority Regions? — A Complex Network Perspective
📘 Management World, 2021.
👥 Co-authors: Ti Huiying, Lei Cong.

👴 Population Aging and the Transformation of Urban Export Trade
📘 China Industrial Economics, 2022.
👥 Co-author: Han Jinyong.

🏦 Tax Avoidance Motives, Mechanisms, and Scale of Chinese Enterprises’ Outward Foreign Direct Investment: Theory and Evidence
📘 The Journal of World Economy, 2022.
👥 Co-authors: Ouyang Yanyan, Li Zijian.

🚚 The Emission Reduction Effect of Enterprise Relocation — Also on the “Pollution Haven Hypothesis” and the “Porter Hypothesis”
📘 Economic Perspectives, 2022.
👥 Co-authors: Han Jinyong, Zhong Tenglong.

🛣️ Transportation Infrastructure Upgrades and the Location Choices of Polluting Enterprises
📘 China Industrial Economics, 2021.
👥 Co-authors: Zhong Chao, Han Jinyong.

🏦 The Establishment of Urban Commercial Banks and the Formation of Zombie Enterprises
📘 China Industrial Economics, 2020.
👥 Co-authors: Song Yanfei, Ma Hongqi.