May 10, 2021. Shanghai — CEIBS Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour Michelle Xue Zheng has been named one of the Best 40-Under-40 Business School Professors of 2021 by Poets & Quants.

Prof. Zheng joined CEIBS in 2015 and teaches Organizational Behaviour, Leadership Journey, and Managerial Decision Making across Boundaries. She has introduced numerous innovative teaching techniques to her classes to create more interactive and immersive learning experiences. Her current research includes how emotions and power influence leaders’ behaviours and how power and status shape the effectiveness of apologies and forgiveness in workplace conflict resolution.

In addition to being a well-respected faculty member in the MBA programme at CEIBS, Prof. Zheng’s research has demonstrated how business school professors can and do contribute to greater societal good. Her research has been featured in publications such as Forbes, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic.

In a recent study, Prof. Zheng and her co-authors examined whether mindfulness could neutralise the negative impact of COVID-19 stressors on employees’ sleep duration and work engagement. As part of their research, they conducted a field experiment in Wuhan, China, during the 2020 lockdown, in which they induced a state of mindfulness by asking participants to practice mindfulness continuously for ten days. They also conducted a 10-day daily diary study in the UK. Their results have suggested that mindfulness is an evidence-based practice that can effectively neutralise the negative effects of COVID-19 stressors on sleep and work outcomes. Moreover, Prof. Zheng says she hopes this research can help those who have suffered from the COVID-19 crisis.

Poets & Quants is a leading source for in-depth reports and information on global business schools and MBA education. The Best 40-Under-40 Business School Professors list is based on evaluations of the teaching and research abilities of nominees. Selected scholars are the world’s most talented young professors currently teaching in MBA programmes “in terms of research prowess, teaching chops, and impact they have on current students, former students, colleagues, business education research, and society and the world in general”.

CEIBS Assistant Professor of Marketing Hyun Young Park, Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour Sebastian Schuh and Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour Emily David have made the list in previous years.