PhD Defence Chuqiao Zhou
In her dissertation, Exploring the Role of Context and Interpretative Dynamics in Large-Scale Cross-Cultural Collaborations, ERIM’s Chuqiao Zhou studied how contexts and interpretative dynamics affect the processes of large-scale cross-cultural collaborations. Going against the majority of organizational research approaching the same topic, Chuqiao argued that organizations do not operate in a vacuum. Different kinds of context can give rise to different organizational activities and have further implications for research. In particular, hostile contexts include societal criticisms towards certain groups of organizations and can further impact the decision-making processes of these organizations. Nevertheless, the role of context is still insufficiently studied in the field of cross-cultural management. This dissertation contributes to the existing literatures by underscoring the significant yet neglected role of contexts and their interactions with actors’ interpretations.
Chuqiao defended her dissertation in the Senate Hall at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) on Thursday, 8 June 2023. Her supervisors were Dr. Mirjam D. Werner (EUR) and Prof. Dr. Tal Simons (EUR). Other members of the Doctoral Committee were Prof. Dr. Joep Cornelissen (EUR), Dr. Jochem Kroezen (EUR), Dr. Merieke Stevens (EUR), Prof. Dr. Rebecca Piekkari (Aalto University), and Dr. Stefan Heusinkveld (Radboud University Nijmegen).
About Chuqiao Zhou
Chuqiao Zhou was born in Harbin, China. She joined ERIM and started her PhD in Organization Theory at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, in 2016. Before starting her PhD track, she obtained a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Financial Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, China.
Drawing on inductive approaches, Chuqiao is strongly motivated to explore the institutional processes in transnational and unconventional context and the dynamics between actors and institutional contexts. She is also interested in exploring the role of emotions at multiple levels in these processes. Her doctoral dissertation focuses on studying the interaction of Chinese and Western organizations by delving into the dialogues and narratives at multiple levels and understanding how organizations make sense of, respond to, and shape their business environment over time. Chuqiao has presented her research work at multiple international conferences, such as European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) Colloquium, Academy of Management Annual Meeting (AOM) and Annual University of Edinburgh Business School Paper Development Workshop. She will pursue her academic career as a qualitative researcher and a theory builder and start her new chapter as a Postdoctoral fellow at W. P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University in Tempe, United States.
Thesis Abstract
Contrary to how the majority of organizational research approaches the topic, organizations do not operate in a vacuum. Contexts in fact are an important part of cross-cultural collaboration. Though prior literature addresses the influence of cultural differences on cross-cultural management, the role of contexts is still under-theorized and seen as a given in this field of literature. However, different kinds of contexts can lead to different organizational activities and have further implications for research. Hostile contexts, for example, include societal criticisms towards certain groups of organizations and can further impact the decision-making processes of these organizations. It is fundamental, therefore, to gain insight into the ways in which contexts affect the processes of cross-cultural collaboration, how organizations interpret the contexts that they are embedded in, and how their interpretations in turn shape the contexts and further affect their practices.
This dissertation contributes to the existing literatures by foregrounding the overlooked but critical role of contexts and its interactions with actors’ interpretations. First, by looking into the micro-dynamics of institutional translation processes, this dissertation theorizes a more nuanced understanding of how translators interpret and react to hostility and how a hostile context interacts with the translation processes of organizations. Second, this dissertation contributes to the literature of megaprojects by emphasizing the impact of sociopolitical context and to the literature of framing by investigating the progressive interactions between discourses.
View photos of Chuqiao's PhD Defence
Photos: Chris Gorzeman / Capital Images
