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Congcong Zheng, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Management

Professor Zheng researches about decision making process, learning and related firm behaviors among entrepreneurial firms. Her work extends the behavioral theory of the firm (March and Simon, 1958; Cyert and March, 1963) in organizational theory and entrepreneurship field. The questions that interest her are: what are the motivations of a particular type of strategic behavior (such as internationalization, branching, product diversification or acquisition) among young entrepreneurial firms? What is the difference between and linkage of entrepreneurial team learning and the lead entrepreneur's individual learning? How do firms learn from environmental, social, and organizational experiences? How do managers' previous experience, biases, and political dynamics among management team affect the decision making process and subsequent firm behavior? How do entrepreneurial firms allocate managerial attention among various activities and how does such allocation affect the firms' short-term performance and long-term survival?

She utilizes multiple research methods in her work, including experiments, cases, and survey methods.

Context-wise, she is interested in high technology industries and cultural industries (popular music industries and independent motion picture industry). She has studied emerging market settings including China, India, and Mexico.

Professor Zheng has presented at numerous academia conferences and has published in two refereed books. Her academic articles have appeared or are forthcoming at Journal of World Business, Management International Review, Journal of Small Business Management, Group and Organization Management, and Journal of Entrepreneurial Education. Prior to academia, Zheng was a consultant in BDA China Ltd., specializing in advising clients on market entry and investment decisions in China's Internet and Telecom sector. She holds a BS in Business Administration from University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in China and Ph.D. from London Business School.

Selected Publications:

1. Musteen, M., Rhyne, L., & Zheng, C. Asset or Constraint: Corporate Reputation and the Base of the Pyramid. Forthcoming at Journal of World Business.

2. Zheng, C. Isomorphic Influences and Aspiration: Reference Group Choice in Entry Mode Decision. Forthcoming at Journal of International Business Research. 

3. Guiney, J. and Zheng, C. Community Building as Institutional Entrepreneurship: Exploring the Emergence of a Popular Music Community.  Forthcoming at Entrepreneurial Executive.

4. Zheng, C. & Prislin, R. Beyond Risk Propensity – the Influence of Evaluation Period and Information Relevance on Risk Taking Behavior. Forthcoming at Journal of Entrepreneurship Education.

5. Wood, E., Khavul, S., Perez-Nordtvedt, L., Prakahya, S., Velarde, R., and Zheng, C. 2011. Strategic Commitment and Timing of Internationalization from Emerging Markets: Evidence from China, India, Mexico and South Africa. Journal of Small Business Management,49 (2): 252-282.

6. Francis, J. and Zheng, C. 2010. Learning Vicariously from Failure: The Case of Major League Soccer and the Collapse of the North American Soccer League. Group and Organization Management,35(5):542-571.

7. Francis, J., Zheng, C., and Mukherji, A. 2009. An Institutional Perspective on Foreign Direct Investment: A Multi-Level Framework. Management International Review, 49(5):565-584. 

The information on this page represents that of Congcong Zheng and not necessarily that of
San Diego State University. Congcong Zheng takes full responsibility for the information presented.

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© San Diego State University Last updated: January 24, 2012 1:56 PM "The statements found on this site are for informational purposes only. While every effort is made to ensure that this information is up to date and accurate, official information can be found in the university publications." Please contact nkavanau@mail.sdsu.edu for any website-related issues.