Meet Our New Staff!
Dr Alexandra KALININA - Lecturer
Brief introduction
I’m Alexandra, but feel free to call me Alex! Originally from Moscow, I studied in Switzerland (Bern), worked in India (Kolkata – if you also love curry, let’s grab lunch sometime!), and moved to Hong Kong in 2014 to pursue my PhD in Management at CityU.
Since then, I’ve been teaching at CityU, Lingnan, and now I’m happy to have joined PolyU. My industry background is in business development and marketing, mainly in tech start-ups and innovation-driven environments. This year, I’ll be teaching Strategic Management and CSR, but I also enjoy teaching International Business and innovation-related subjects.
Research/teaching interests
My current research interests are evolving toward how AI can be used in the classroom to support self-directed learning and promote lifelong learning — still shaping the focus, but that’s the direction I’m heading in!
Fun Fact
I’ve been living in Hong Kong for over 10 years… and still can’t speak Cantonese (too hard!). The only phrase I know well is siu pang yau (小朋友 – “little friends”) because I kept hearing it at my son’s school. I recently attended his S1 orientation and learned that the school is actively encouraging students to use AI in learning. So I guess I’ll have to keep interviewing him to stay updated on what works for the younger generation before bringing it into my classes — research at home, so to speak 😊
Looking forward to meeting you all!
Prof. Shangwen YI - Assistant Professor
Brief introduction
Prior to PolyU, I received my Ph.D. in Marketing and Behavioural Science from the University of British Columbia and B.S. in Psychology from Beijing Normal University. I was also a visiting researcher at the University of Michigan.
Research/teaching interests
My research delves into attribute framing and linguistic features in marketing communications, with a particular focus on pricing promotions and business-to-investor pitching. I investigate the effectiveness of promotion architecture design, such as capped and threshold promotions, and employ automated text analysis to examine costly and costless signals in startup pitches and their influence on investors' decisions. Moreover, I explore methodology issues in digital marketing, currently conducting a review on A/B testing methodologies on social media platforms, including Google Ads and Meta Ads. My work has been published in the Journal of Marketing and the International Journal of Research in Marketing.
Fun Fact
In my leisure time, I immerse myself in language acquisition, currently learning French and Cantonese. I also enjoy hiking, skiing, and playing badminton. Additionally, I was the captain of the Sauder softball team, the "Commerce Cubs" at UBC.
Prof. Kun WANG - Assistant Professor
Brief introduction
I’m an Assistant Professor of Management in the Department of Management and Marketing at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. I completed my PhD at the UCL School of Management, University College London. My research looks at how social relationships and networks shape the way people work together and their career outcomes. You can find my work in journals like Academy of Management Journal and Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior.
Research/teaching interests
I’m now studying how people adjust their social strategies—when to bring others together, when to keep them apart—and what that means for performance. I also study how organizational practices can promote fairness in hiring, evaluation, and leadership. In teaching, I enjoy helping students make sense of behavioral science concepts and apply them to real-world challenges.
Fun Fact
I love trying new things. I've gone skydiving, traveled/lived in more than 15 countries, and I meditate regularly to stay calm and focused (especially helpful during deadlines!).
