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Dr Hongzhi Gao

Profile

Dr Hongzhi Gao is Associate Professor in the School of Marketing and International Business (SMIB), Victoria University of Wellington. Dr Gao received his MCom (Masters of Commerce) in Marketing with distinction in 2004 and PhD in Marketing in 2009 from Otago University. He was Senior Lecturer at SMIB 2009-2018, and Research Fellow and Lecturer at the Marketing Department of Otago University 2008-2009.

Before coming to New Zealand, Dr Gao was as a chief analyst of foreign loans and risk management for Jilin Provincial Government in China. He was responsible for a number of international projects funded by the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and governments of different countries. Dr Gao received a New Zealand Postgraduate Study Abroad Award in 2005 and the Early Career Researcher award from the Marketing Department of Otago University in 2007. He was the recipient of the Emerging Researcher Grant from the Asia New Zealand Foundation in 2008 and the recipient of the Peking University New Zealand Centre Visiting Fellowship in 2014.

Dr Gao’s publications appear in journals such as Journal of World Business, Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of International Marketing, Long Range Planning, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Marketing Management, Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, European Management Journal, Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, Appetite, the British Food Journal, and Journal of Business Communication. Dr Gao has been on the editorial review board of Industrial Marketing Management since 2012 and Journal of International Marketing since 2015.. His teaching covers a wide range of marketing and international business subjects, including pricing and channel management (200-level), innovation and new product development (300-level), and international and export marketing (300-level), SME Internationalisation and Export Management (200-level), Applied International Business Research Project (300-level), Advanced International Strategy (400-level), Cross-Cultural Management (400-level) and Advanced International Business (400-level).

Apart from his current role in the School, Hongzhi is now holding a senior research fellow position (former Associate Director 2009-2012) at the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre, a multi-university program based at Victoria University of Wellington involving Otago, Canterbury, AUT, Waikato and Auckland as partners. Hongzhi’s current roles in the Centre are mainly facilitating business-related research of China, organising national and regional symposia on marketing and business management relating to China, engaging with the New Zealand business community to promote trading relations with China.

Dr Gao has devoted the last ten years to researching New Zealand firms' marketing and business strategies in China. He has provided consulting service and academic advice for many New Zealand firms with regard to China, including New Zealand Post, Ata Rangi and Obiqo.

Current research projects

  • Guanxi gatekeeping in Chinese-Western business relationships
  • Corporate response strategies in food safety crises in China
  • Value co-creation in SME export strategy
  • Value co-creation in brand social media engagement

Competitive grants

August 2016, as the main associate investigator, together with Professor ZHANG Jing (Huazhong University of Science & Technology–principal investigator), awarded a grant of RMB 560,000 (approximately $ 110,000; approval no: 71672068) from the Chinese National Natural Science Fund on the topic of “A Study of the Linkages Among Business Network Characteristics, Value Appropriation Capability and Customer Relationship Performance in an Industrial Marketing Context”.

August 2014, as a core member of the research team, together with Professor ZHANG Hongxia (Peking University–principal investigator), awarded a grant of RMB 640,000 (approximately over NZ$ 120,000) from the Chinese National Natural Science Fund for a period of four years starting from January 2015 to December 2018 (approval no: 71472008). This research will investigate the process and two opposing outcomes of consumer scapegoating, demise versus rebirth, in the aftermath of a multi-brand product harm crisis.

November 2013, PI, Victoria University of Wellington—Faculty of Commerce Team Research Grant, NZ$ 15,000, investigating food branding in social media in China (Co-PI: Dr Mary Tate)

September 2012, as the main associate investigator, together with Professor ZHANG Jing (Huazhong University of Science & Technology – principal investigator), awarded a grant of RMB 550,000 (approximately over NZ$ 100,000) from the Chinese National Natural Science Fund for a period of four years starting from January 2013 to December 2016 (approval no: 71272125). This research will investigate the relationship among resource integration, value co-creation and brand performance in the context of industrial services.

September 2010, Victoria University of Wellington, awarded a Teaching & Learning grant of NZ$ 3,000 from the Victoria University of Wellington—Faculty of Commerce and Administration (FCA).

July 2010, Victoria University of Wellington, awarded a Faculty research grant of NZ$1,247 from the FCA.

Victoria University of Wellington—Faculty of Commerce and Administration (FCA) Research Grant of NZ$10,000, November 2009.

University of Otago - Department of Marketing Research Fund NZ$5000, October 2009 (Associate Professor John Knight, principle investigator, Dr Hongzhi Gao, associate investigator).

University of Otago Out-of-Season Research Grant of NZ$ 24,029 September 2008.

Emerging Researcher Grant (February intake) of NZ$ 5,000 by Asia New Zealand Foundation in March 2008.

Postgraduate Study Abroad grant of NZ$ 7,000 by Education New Zealand August 2005.

Otago PhD Postgraduate Scholarship 2005-2008 (totaling NZ$ 60,000).

Otago International Master Postgraduate Scholarship 2002-2004 (totaling US$ 15,000).

Postgraduate supervision (Masters/Phd)

Completed 4 Masters supervision.

Currently supervising 1 PhD student (close to completion).

Recent internet publications

Gao, H. & Ren, M. (2020 May), Beyond travel, a trans-Tasman bubble is an opportunity for Australia and NZ to reduce dependence on China, The Conversation (6 May 2020); retrieved from: https://theconversation.com/beyond-travel-a-trans-tasman-bubble-is-an-opportunity-for-australia-and-nz-to-reduce-dependence-on-china-137062 ;(impact of this piece: it has gained over 18,800 read by 3 June 2020, as recorded by The Conversation. It has been re-published by ABC (the most influential media in Australia) and the South China Morning Post (one of the most influential media outlets in Asia). A number of interviews with Australian and New Zealand medias have resulted from this piece).

Gao, H. & Guo, I. (2019 Nov.) NZ remains unscathed by US-China trade war, but that’s no reason for complacency, The Conversation; retrieved from: https://theconversation.com/nz-remains-unscathed-by-us-china-trade-war-but-thats-no-reason-for-complacency-125710

Gao, H., Guo, I. & Soliman, T. (2019 April) How to get ready as the US-China trade war spills over to other countries, The Conversation; retrieved from: https://theconversation.com/how-to-get-ready-as-the-us-china-trade-war-spills-over-to-other-countries-114361

Recent media interviews or quotes

Interviewed on Radio NZ The Panel programme on the topic, “Trans-Tasman bubble plans underway” 28 May 2020; retrieved from https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/thepanel/audio/2018748399/trans-tasman-bubble-plans-under-way.

Interviewed by Katie Kenny from Stuff for Sunday Times on 10 May 2020; retrieved from: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/121452229/beyond-travel-what-will-a-transtasman-bubble-mean-for-nzs-economy

NZ Science Media Centre used excerpts from our trade bubble piece published by The Conversation for their story on expert reaction to the prospect of an Australia-New Zealand travel bubble on 7 May 2020; retrieved from:  https://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2020/05/07/tourism-in-a-trans-tasman-bubble-expert-reaction/.

Interviewed by Newshub on 12 Feb 2020 about an in-group culture perspective of hate speeches or racist comments on social media; retrieve from: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/02/university-professor-calls-for-social-media-users-to-speak-up-against-hate-speech-on-chinese-message-board.html

Refereed journal articles

Chen, S., Wright, M., Gao, H., & Liu, H. (2020 acceptance). The effects of brand origin and country-of-manufacture on consumers’ institutional perceptions and purchase decision-making, International Marketing Review (IMR: 2018 journal impact factor: 3.447; rated "3" in the ABS journal ranking list; "A" in the ABDC list).

Gao, H., & Ren, M. (2020). Overreliance on China and dynamic balancing in the shift of global value chains in response to global pandemic COVID-19: an Australian and New Zealand perspective. Asian Business & Management, 1-5; retrieved from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41291-020-00121-3 (2018 journal impact factor: 1.231)

Zhang, X., Zhang, H., Lei, J., & Gao, H. (2020). Can companies survive a multi-brand crisis? Research on consumer scapegoating. Sustainability, 12(10), 3990-4004; retrieved from: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/10/3990.

Becher, S. I., Gao, H., Harrison, A., & Lai, J. C. (2019). Hungry for Change: The Law and Policy of Food Health Labeling. Wake Forest Law Review, 54(5), 1305-60.

Du, M., Gao, H., & Zhang, J. (2019). Toward a guanxi-bases view of structural holes in sales gatekeeping: a qualitative study of sales practice in China. Industrial Marketing Management, 76, 109-122 (IMM: 2018 journal impact factor: 4.779; an “A*” rated journal in the Australian Business Deans’ Council journal ranking list).

Gao, H., Tate, M., Zhang, H., Chen, S., & Liang, B. (2018). Social media ties strategy in international branding: An application of resource-based theory. Journal of International Marketing, 26(3), 45-69 (JIM: 2018 journal impact factor: 3.375; rated "3" in the ABS journal ranking list; "A" in the ABDC list)

Gao H, Ren, M, & Miao, Q (2018). Toward A Yin-Yang Balancing Perspective of Relational (Guanxi) Gatekeeping in International Exchange Relationships in China, Journal of International Marketing, 26(2), 22-42 (JIM: 2018 journal impact factor: 3.375; rated "3" in the ABS journal ranking list; "A" in the ABDC list)

Gao, H., Ren, M., Zhang, J., & Sun, R. (2016). Network gatekeeping in SME exporters' market entry in China. International Marketing Review, 33(2), 276-297 (IMR: 2018 journal impact factor: 3.447; rated "3" in the ABS journal ranking list; "A" in the ABDC list).

Gao, H., Zhang, H., Zhang, X., & Knight, J. G. (2015). Spillover of distrust from domestic to imported brands in a crisis-sensitized market. Journal of International Marketing, 23(1), 91-112 (JIM: 2018 journal impact factor: 3.375; rated "3" in the ABS journal ranking list; "A" rated in the ABDC list).

Seo, Y. & Gao, H. (2015). Towards a value-based perspective of consumer multicultural orientation. European Management Journal, 33(1), 30-36 (EMJ: 2018 impact factor: 2.985).

Liu, A. H. & Gao, H. (2014). Examining relational risk typologies for guanxi boundary spanners: Applying social penetration theory to guanxi brokering. Journal of Marketing Theory & Practice, 22 (summer), 271-83 ("B" rated in the ABDC list).

Gao, H., Knight, J. G., Yang, Z., & Ballantyne, D. (2014). Towards a gatekeeper perspective of insider-outsider relationship development in China. Journal of World Business, 49 (July), 312-20 (JWB: 2018 impact factor is 5.789; one leading journal in International Business; rated "4" in the ABS list and "A" in the ABDC list).

Liu, Annie H., Gould, A. Noel, Rollins, Minna, & Gao, Hongzhi (2014). Role conflict and ambiguity confronting transnational business networkers: Contrasting social stigma and relational risks for Chinese and Western boundary spanners. Industrial Marketing Management, 43(6), 911-19 (IMM: 2018 journal impact factor: 4.779; an “A*” rated journal in the Australian Business Deans’ Council journal ranking list).

Gao, H., Knight, J. G., Zhang, H., & Mather, D. (2013). Guilt by association: Heuristic risks for foreign brands during a product-harm crisis in China. Journal of Business Research, 66, 1044-51 (JBR: 2018 impact factor is 4.028; an “A” rated journal in the Australian Business Deans’ Council journal ranking list).

Gao, H., Knight, J. G., Zhang, H., Mather, D., & Tan, L. (2012). Consumer scapegoating during a systemic product-harm crisis. Journal of Marketing Management, 28(11-12), 1270-1290 (JMM: 2018 impact factor is 2.392; an “A” rated journal in the Australian Business Deans’ Council journal ranking list).

Gao, H., Ballantyne, D., & Knight, J. (2012). Guanxi as a gateway in Chinese-Western business relationships. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 27(6), 456-67 (JBIM: 2019 journal impact factor: 2.36; "A" rated journal; one of the internationally recognized leading journal in business to business marketing).

Gao, H.(2011). Changing the rules of the game in the new era of global competition the Chinese way (book review). Thunderbird International Business Review, 53(4), 539-542 (2019 journal impact factor: 1.89; "B" rated journal in the ABDC list).

Gao, H., Ballantyne, D., Knight, J. (2010). Paradoxes and guanxi dilemmas in emerging Chinese-Western intercultural relationships. Industrial Marketing Management, 39 (2), 264-72 (IMM: 2018 journal impact factor: 4.779; an “A*” rated journal in the Australian Business Deans’ Council journal ranking list).

Knight, J., Mitchell, B., & Gao, H. (2009). Riding out the Muhammad cartoons crisis: Contrasting strategies and outcomes. Long Range Planning, 42, 6-22 (LRP: 2018 impact factor is 3.363, an "A" rated journal in the Australian Business Deans Council journal ranking list).

Knight, J. & Gao, H. (2009). Chinese gatekeeper perceptions of Genetically Modified Food in China: Perceptions of gatekeepers, British Food Journal, 111 (1, special issue on; Chinese Food Marketing), 56-69 (BFJ: 2019 impact factor: 2.09; one of the major food journals).

Knight, J. G., Gao, H., Garrett, T., & Deans, K. (2008). Quest for social safety in imported foods in China: Gatekeeper perceptions, Appetite, 50(1), 146-57 (Appetite: 2018 impact factor is 3.501; “A” rated in the ABDC list).

Gao, H., Darroch, J., MacGregor, A., & Mather, D. (2008). Signalling corporate strategy in IPO communication: A study of biotechnology IPOs on the NASDAQ, Journal of Business Communication 45 (1), 3-30 (2018 impact factor is 3.501; “C” rated in the ABDC list).

Gao, H.& Knight, J. (2007). Pioneering advantage and product-country image: Evidence from China, Journal of Marketing Management, 23 (3-4), 367-385 (JMM: 2018 impact factor is 2.392; an “A” rated journal in the Australian Business Deans’ Council journal ranking list).