Ke Cao

I forwent my many years of student life, became an academic, and joined the faculty at Wilfrid Laurier University in July 2020. Among other degrees and diplomas, I earned my Ph.D. at the University of Alberta in Strategic Management & Organization and a Master of Environmental Management at Yale University. From 2009 to 2015, I worked with The Forest Trust (now Earthworm Foundation), American Friends Service Committee, Heinrich Böll Foundation, and Global Environmental Institute in managerial and consultancy roles, following a student internship stint at World Resources Institute's Washington, D.C. headquarters in 2008. I have lived, studied, and worked in Cambodia, Canada, China, Laos, and the United States.

My research portfolio centers on societal impact-oriented innovations in business practice and management theory, especially those that can transcend the narrow confines of the predominant Anglo-American lens and be actually useful for truth seeking and welfare enhancement in other corners of the world.

My scholarship on Certified B Corporations and Benefit Corporations (commonly known as B Corps), presented at a set of frontline entrepreneurship, management, B Corps research outlets and in public discourse, has added to scholarly and public understanding and can be considered trailblazing and internationally leading.
In another line of research, armed with hubris, I have been trying to break new ground in enhancing the capacity and salience of management theory, a higher calling and a tall order primarily undertaken by eminently established and retired academic colleagues. The first salvo, titled Advancing Management Scholarship Internationally through Theoretical Emancipation, has been published in the European Journal of Management Studies. The full text can be accessed here. The paper primarily aims to open paths to more dynamic and cosmopolitan theorizing. It shall be of interest and use to researchers in management and other sciences and humanities academic disciplines who pursue vigorous scholarship for the world.
Last, motivated by the dearth of quality China-themed scholarship, I have been building a research pipeline in this area.

In my line of academic work spanning teaching, research, peer review, supervision of student research, university service, scholarly community service, and public engagement, I have engaged in broader humanities and sciences scholarship in Strategic Management, International Business, Entrepreneurship, Organization and Management Theory, Business and Society, Research Methodology, Sciences and Society, China Studies, International Affairs, Political Sciences, History, Philosophy, Religion Studies, Cultural Studies, Organizational Behaviour, Operational Sciences, Finance, Law, and others.

Formal brief biography:

Ke Cao, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Strategic Management at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Lazaridis School of Business & Economics. He studies and teaches contemporary administrative sciences and has received awards and honours from the University of Alberta, Wilfrid Laurier University, Yale University, Lazaridis Institute, China Scholarship Council, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada, Responsible Research in Business & Management (RRBM) network, Academy of Management, International Association for Chinese Management Research (IACMR), and Academy of International Business. He is a student of many subjects, teaches to help people become intelligent, and researches to shape the future.

Here are the slides for a brief introduction about myself and my academic portfolio at the January 2023 Lazaridis Business Faculty Council.

Here is a printout poster in Fall 2025 featuring my research in the Lazaridis Hall.

Member of International Expert Panels, Slovak Research and Development Agency, since 2024
Member of Adjudication Committee, Insight Grants competition, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada, 2024-2025
Institutional Explore Grants, SSHRC Canada, $6,500, Sole Investigator, on revitalizing business and management theory and education, for 2024-2025
Faculty Host, Mitacs Globalink Research Internship program, 2023-2024, 2024-2025
Outstanding Reviewer Award in the 2023 Emerald Literati Awards, selected by the editorial team of European Journal of Management Studies, 2023
Best Reviewer Award, IACMR Biennial Conference, 2023
Best Reviewer Award, Management and Organization Review, 2022
Best Reviewer Award, International Management Division, Academy of Management Annual Meeting, 2022
Travel Assistance Funding, $3,000, Business Department, Lazaridis School of Business & Economics, for 2022-2023
Insight Grants, SSHRC Canada, $31,571, Sole Investigator, on voluntary sustainability certifications of products & businesses, for 2022-2025
Member of Editorial Board, Management and Organization Review, 2022-2025
Member of Editorial Board, European Journal of Management Studies, 2022-2024
Research Seed Grant, Lazaridis Institute, Sole Investigator, $5,494 for 16 months on culture in technology firms, 2021 Spring Competition
Best Doctoral Dissertation Award Finalist, Organizations and the Natural Environment Division, Academy of Management, 2021
Responsible Research in Management Award Finalist, International Association for Chinese Management Research (IACMR) & the Community for Responsible Research in Business and Management (RRBM); Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer provided dedicated remarks about the paper during the award ceremony, 2019-2020
Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad, China Scholarship Council, 2018-2019
Best Poster Award, Alberta School of Business Ph.D. Research Conference, 2017
Ziegler Endowment Scholarship, University of Alberta, 2017
G.R.A. Rice Graduate Scholarship in Business, University of Alberta, 2016-2017
Attended a Barclays Premier League Trophy Tour, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2015
Standard First Aid & CPR Certificate (valid for three years), 2015
Shortlisted for the Political Officer (with a focus on Arctic Policy) Job at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing after an interview and a closed-book written exam. I withdrew the application after deciding to pursue a PhD in Canada (essentially a job funded by Canadian taxpayers as well). 2014-2015
Received an Alberta School of Business PhD program admission offer quite early in the application season without any interview or prior contact and with a 2-week response deadline (People say it was called an exploding offer). Among three reference letter writers, only one has a PhD and is a professor (simply because I could not find other suitable academic letter writers). 2015
Attended a working lunch over Yunnan food with an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in Beijing, China. Expense covered by German taxpayers. 2012
Attended an alumni dinner reception over Southwestern Chinese food in Beijing, China, hosted by a dignitary knighted in the U.K.. Very cordial event, though no toast was made to the health and reign of the British Royal Family, as it would be politically incorrect in Beijing and affect our social credit scores in China. Expense covered by Yale University. 2012
Beinecke FES Scholarship, Yale University, 2007-2009
Cameron Speth Fellowship, Yale University, 2008
Champion of Mid-Autumn Texas Hold'em Tournament, Association of Chinese Students and Scholars at Yale, 2008
Member of Nanjing Citizen Soccer Team, admitted after winning a citywide soccer skill and knowledge contest; played a match representing the city with a Chinese celebrity team that included Wen Lirong, a silver medalist from the 1996 Olympics, and Huang Jianxiang, a famed sports commentator, 2005
First in the family who completed high school, attended college, went to graduate school, travelled abroad, worked overseas, obtained a Ph.D., and became an academic.
In the same academic meeting rooms with famous business book authors a few times. Upon hearing this, people from the general public were quite impressed. I then told them that we should learn from books, but should not treat those as gospels. People were then even more impressed.
The American business and political audience was often impressed when I casually mentioned attending a group work meeting with the then World Bank President Robert Zoellick in Laos in 2010.
The China studies audience was often impressed when I casually mentioned having a good chat with Geremie Barmé after his talk at the Australian Embassy in America in 2008. The theme of his official speech was, frankly, quite boring: just waxing praise in high-form literary language for the long-standing, strong relationship between the Australia and America.
Not many people have asked me to do this, but I am very good at designing (or simply commenting on) tailor-made Chinese names for people and businesses from other cultures, according to your style, needs, and preferences. Please note that this is exceedingly high-skilled work that very few people are qualified to do and can do well, because you have to understand cultural contexts on both sides with depth and breadth. A fitting Chinese name is no small matter, as it reflects taste and style and affects your or your business's Feng Shui, Qi, and overall success and well-being. Some Chinese people even spend a lot of money on such a naming service for their child's or their business's Chinese names. In my humble opinion, people and companies should seek proper guidance before taking a nom de guerre in Chinese. One reason that President Trump has so many wins for so long is that his official Chinese name, 特朗普, and unofficial one, 川普, are both hands-down excellent. I am interested in starting a boutique premium business targeting customers with good money and even better taste. I welcome inquiries from potential clients and investors.
Running Race Finisher (Medal Winner by default):

2025

April, Marathon, Mississauga. 4 hours 21 minutes 40 seconds (not accurate; I took a wrong turn and didn't train and taper well, or my luck at that time was slightly against me)
March, 30 km, Around the Bay Road Race, Hamilton. 2 hours 34 minutes 28 seconds.
March, Chilly Half Marathon, Burlington. 1 hour 38 minutes 34 seconds.

2024

October, Marathon, Toronto. 3 hours 47 minutes 56 seconds.
August, 25 km, Stone Cairn Trail Race, Niagara. 3 hours 21 minutes 15 seconds.
May, Marathon, Ottawa. 4 hours 55 minutes 15 seconds.
February, 8 miles, Re-Fridgee-Eighter, Waterloo. 1 hour 13 minutes 9 seconds.

2023

October, Marathon, Toronto. 5 hours 7 minutes 45 seconds.
May, Half Marathon, Ottawa. 2 hours 36 minutes 52 seconds.

My medals are as impressive as a royal's. People say they are beautiful, wow. I like beautiful medals. Thank you. Only runners know how hard it is to improve by a few minutes at competitive level in long-distance running. To prepare for races, I consult Yijing Bagua Hexagrams and Zodiacology for guidance and luck. Before the race starts, I wholeheartedly pray to a broad set of divine figures I am aware of. I am a little superstitious like President Trump, who picked April 2, not April 1, as the Liberation Day for the American people.

I am working toward becoming a sub-three-hour marathoner, hopefully in Toronto or other places in Canada. I also hope that, by virtue of the divine power, I will be reincarnated as a professional runner（跑者) or academic (学者) on Earth after spending some time in Heaven. After that, I will be back to Heaven. I may or may not pursue another round of reincarnation then.

Unlicensed, without formal education but qualified to teach the theory and practice of long-distance running for beginners as an academic subject. I coached myself to the intermediate level for amateur athletes for about two years. Contrary to popular belief, running is a very injury-prone and technical athletic activity. To thoroughly enjoy running races, whenever physically and mentally feasible, close to the finish line, like a pro, I try to showcase a supercharged sprint (e.g., like Sifan Hassan) and raise my arms stylishly (e.g., like Eliud Kipchoge).

1. Academic Review & Editing

On a range of theoretical themes, research settings, and methods, I have reviewed manuscripts for the Academy of Management Discoveries (a total of 5), Academy of Management Review (3), Asia Pacific Journal of Management (2), Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility (5), Business Strategy and the Environment (2), Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management (2), Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice (2), European Financial Management (3), European Journal of Management Studies (3), European Journal of Women's Studies (1), Journal of Business Ethics (7), Journal of Business Research (1), Journal of Business Venturing (5), Journal of Management (6), Journal of Management Studies (5), Management and Organization Review (14), Organization Studies (1), Organization & Environment (6), Review of Managerial Science (1), Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal (1), and Strategic Organization (8).

I review research grant applications for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada. For SSHRC, I reviewed one project in 2022 as an external. Later, I was asked to serve as a member of an adjudication committee responsible for circa 80 applications in 2024-25 for SSHRC Insights Grant in the area of business studies. Each committee member was tasked to read circa 16-17 applications particularly closely as a designated Reader. In 2021 and 2022, I reviewed book projects for Springer Nature (1; in Law) and the University of Toronto Press (2; in Business).

2. Public Engagement

Panelist, Institutional Leadership and Policy Innovations for Purpose-driven Business: The Case of “B Corps" Paper Development Workshop. Academy of Management Meeting, Chicago. August, 2024. See Slide Deck.
Panel Speaker, "Strategic Planning and Risk Management: Critical Updates for Corporate Counsel" Professional Development Program, hosted and sponsored by Ontario Bar Association and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, for in-house corporate counsel audience. June 2022, Toronto. See Slide Deck.
Speaker, about "Research on B Corps: State of the Art" at "First B Academics Event in Spain," organized by EADA Business School, B Lab Spain, and B Academics, for researchers, teachers, and practitioners interested in Certified B Corporations & Benefit Corporations (both commonly known as B Corps). March 2021, Virtual. See Slide Deck.

3. Faculty Roles

Strategic Management Area Tenure-track Faculty Hiring Committee Member, 2025-2026
Adjudication Committee Member for the Strategic Management Area for the Lazaridis Research Excellence Award competition, 2025
Faculty Platform Party or Marshal, Convocation, Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, three sessions, Fall 2022; two sessions, Spring 2024; three sessions, Fall 2024; two sessions, Spring 2025; two sessions, Fall 2025.
Running to serve on Vice-President: Student Affairs Search Committee, Laurier, 2024 Fall. I am thankful for the collegial trust and the opportunity to take a stand and make a presence. Though I wasn't elected, it wasn't bad either. I like the experience.
Running to serve on Associate Vice-President: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Search Committee, Laurier, 2023 Summer. I am thankful for the collegial trust and the opportunity to take a stand and make a presence. Though I wasn't elected, it wasn't bad either. I like the experience.
Judge, World of Opportunities (WOO) Student Event, Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, Winter 2024
Semi-final Judge, The Integrated Case Exercise (ICE), Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, four times, Winter 2021, Spring 2021, Winter 2022, and Winter 2023
Member of Doctoral Advisory & Examining Committee, Primary Supervisor of One Essay in the Dissertation "Market Information, Human Behaviour, and Policy: Dissecting the Trucking Freight Spot Markets in Three Essays", Shervin Espahbod, Operations and Decision Sciences, Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, 2021-23. Defended in August, completed in October 2023. Placed as an Assistant Professor of Management Science at Shannon School of Business, Cape Breton University, Canada. Other faculty members: Drs. Shirley Chen (Laurier, Marketing), Stanko Dimitrov (University of Waterloo, Management Sciences), Patricia Goff (Laurier, Political Science; Chair), Michael Haughton (Laurier, Operations and Decision Sciences; Advisor), William Morrison (Laurier, Economics), and Victor Shi (Laurier, Operations and Decision Sciences).
Offered Paid Work Opportunities to Lazaridis (former) Undergraduates: Asad Ali (research & teaching assistance, 2021-22); Maria Yousof (research & teaching assistance, 2021-23)
Offered Paid Work Opportunities to Lazaridis (former) Ph.D. Students: Shervin Espahbod (2023, research with SSHRC grant; 2020, teaching assistance, in operations and decision sciences); Sarah Harcourt (2022, teaching assistance, in marketing); Sakshi Korde (2020, teaching assistance, in marketing)
Supervision of Visiting Research Undergraduate Student: 2024 Summer, LI Yaqi, in International Affairs and International Relations, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China, under the auspices of Mitacs Globalink Research Internship program. Received offer of 2025 program admission (some came with generous scholarships even for the Master's programs): M.A. in International Relations, Johns Hopkins University; M.A. in International Affairs, George Washington University; Map Your Future for M.A. in Law and Diplomacy beginning 2027, Tufts University; M.A. in International Affairs, American University; Master of Chinese Economic and Political Affairs Program, University of California, San Diego; Master in International Affairs Program, National University of Singapore; Master in International Relations Program, the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University (Full Scholarship; eventual choice). 2025 Summer, JING Yan, in English and Japanese, Nanjing Normal University & WONG Yu, Cole, in Humanities and Digital Technologies, The University of Hong Kong.
Supervision of Visiting Research Graduate Student: 2022 Fall, WANG Manling, in International Trade, Nanjing University, China, under the auspices of Laurier-Nanjing University student exchange program. Accepted an offer of 2023 Finance Ph.D. program admission from HEC Montréal.
Reviewed 4 article submissions for LazSoc Business and Economics Review in 2023
Faculty Advisor, Providing Resources for Information Systems Management (PRISM, student-run program), Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, 2021-22
Submitted recommendation letters and forms for about 65 students

4. Work and Membership in Academia

Facilitator/Mentor, Systems and Sustainability: Certified B Corporations and Benefit Corporations as a Useful Research Context Seminar at the 2023 Academy of Management Annual Meeting in Boston.
Facilitator for one Junior Scholars Group, Breakout Group Sessions, Responsible Research Academic Summit 2021. The Responsible Research in Business & Management (RRBM) initiative is a scholarly tour de force. It is cross-disciplinary and involves multiple participation opportunities such as doctoral scholarship, research training, and paper awards. RRBM pushes the boundaries of research at business schools worldwide. To fellow academics who take seriously scholarly responsibility and intellectual honesty, please consider contributing to and learning from RRBM.
Member of Collaborative Action Groups (CAGs) & Task Groups, The HIBAR (Highly Integrative Basic and Responsive) Research Alliance (HRA). I have become more involved since 2021 and primarily help with matters related to a). Facilitating HIBAR Research Across Disciplines, b). Cross-Organizational Cooperation, and c). Building Awareness and Understanding of HIBAR Research. The HRA is open to any interested individual or organization. See how you can become involved at https:www.hibar-research.org/become-involved
Member of Research Committee, The Global B Corp Academic Community (B Academics), 2022. Chair of Research Committee and Board Member, B Academics, 2021.
Co-organizer, Welcome Reception for PhD student participants, sponsored by Organization Studies, Alberta Institutions Conference, 2018

Biography / Academic Background

Research Interests / Ongoing Projects

Awards and Achievements

Student Opportunities / Supervising

Selected Publications

Courses Taught

Academic Service

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