| 12:15 – 12:30 |
Registration |
| 12:30 – 12:35 |
Welcome Remarks
Ir Prof. T.C. Edwin CHENG
Dean, Faculty of Business
Fung Yiu King – Wing Hang Bank Professor in Business Administration
Chair Professor of Management
|
| 12:35 – 13:05 |
Lunch |
| 13:05 – 13:40 |
Smart Retail: Leveraging Emerging Technologies and Social Dynamics
Dr Xiaomeng GUO
Associate Professor, Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies
|
| 13:40 – 13:55 |
Q&A Session
Prof. Mike LAI
Associate Dean (Academic Support), Faculty of Business
Interim Head, Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies
Chair Professor of Shipping and Logistics
|
| 13:55 – 14:00 |
Photo-taking |
| 14:00 |
End of Luncheon |
About the Talk
Emerging technologies—such as artificial intelligence (AI), extended reality, and big data analytics—are revolutionising the retail industry by transforming consumer experiences and innovating business paradigms. These advancements are also reshaping social dynamics, with digital communities empowering consumers to share opinions and influence purchasing decisions. To succeed in this rapidly evolving retail environment, it is crucial to address the following questions: How to effectively harness new technologies and social dynamics to deepen customer engagement and boost profitability? And how should retail and operational strategies be adapted to thrive in the era of AI? We explore these questions from several perspectives within specific business contexts, including: (1) the impact of AI detection and live-streaming on managing product returns; (2) the influence of consumer social interactions on operational strategies, e.g., quality design, pricing, and information disclosure; (3) the strategic role of platform strategies for consumer data sharing in competitive product design. Our findings provide valuable managerial insights for managers seeking to leverage emerging technologies and social dynamics to refine strategies and strengthen competitiveness in the era of smart retail.
About the Speaker
Dr Xiaomeng Guo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies at the PolyU Faculty of Business. Dr Guo received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physics from Tsinghua University, and her PhD degree in operations management from Washington University in St. Louis. Her research interests include the operations–marketing interface, socially responsible operations, and supply chain management. Her research work has been published in flagship journals, including Management Science, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Journal of Marketing Research, and Production and Operations Management. Dr Guo has secured six competitive research grants from the Hong Kong Research Grants Council as a primary investigator and has also participated in a Major Project funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Dr Guo has received several prestigious academic awards, including the Best Conference Paper Award from ISCOM, the Outstanding Paper Award from BOM Sector of the Operations Research Society of China, the PolyU Young Scholar Research Innovation Award, etc.
