In 2018 I completed my PhD in Economics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the Tinbergen Institute. One major strand of my research examines the impact of development aid in challenging operational environments, for which I spent time in Kabul interviewing relevant stakeholders. Another strand of my research is focused on political economy of finance. Presently I teach artificial intelligence and machine learning, business ethics, and corporate finance to management professionals at CEIBS.

PUBLICATIONS

Aid Fragmentation and Corruption 

w/ Austin Wright (Chicago) and Yun Xiao (Gothenburg)

Review of Economics and Statistics, forthcoming

Losing Hearts & Minds: Aid and Ideology (featured on TEDx)

Journal of Conflict Resolution, 2023

Surprise Election for Trump Connections (featured on UN-PRI, NZZ)

w/ Nadia Massoud (Melbourne Business School), Mario Schabus (Michigan State), and Yifan Zhou (Fanhai)

Journal of Financial Economics, 2021

The Dynamism of Partially State-Owned Enterprises in East Asia (Internet Appendix)

w/ Richard Carney (CUHK-Shenzhen), Wai-Man Liu (ANU), and Phong Ngo (ANU)

Journal of Corporate Finance, 2021

Cognitive Visual Commonsense Reasoning Using Dynamic Working Memory

w/ Xuejiao Tang (Leibniz), Xin Huang (Maryland), Wenbin Zhang (Maryland), Qiong Hu (Auburn), Zhen Liu (Guangdong), and Ji Zhang (Queensland)

DaWaK: Big Data Analytics and Knowledge Discovery, 2021

Board Connections and Crisis Performance: Family, State, and Political Networks

w/ Richard Carney (CUHK-Shenzhen) and Xiang Li (Boston College)

Journal of Corporate Finance, 2020

Conflict and Counterinsurgency Aid: Drawing Sectoral Distinctions (featured on VoxEU, VoxDev)

Journal of Development Economics, 2019

War and Social Attitudes 

w/ Elena Nikolova (University College London)

Conflict Management and Peace Science, 2018

Community Preferences, Insurgency, and the Success of Reconstruction Spending

w/ David Scoones (University of Victoria)

Defence and Peace Economics, 2015

Hearts and Minds Cannot be Bought

Economics of Peace and Security Journal, 2014

Changes to the Ownership and Control of East Asian Corporations between 1996 and 2008: The Primacy of Politics 

w/ Richard Carney (CUHK-Shenzhen)

Journal of Financial Economics, 2013 (FAMe synopsis)

WORKING PAPERS

Terrorist Propaganda

w/ Kai Gehring (Bern), Sarah Langlotz (Goettingen), Rossella de Sabbata (Bern), and Austin Wright (Chicago)

Abstract: This paper leverages granular survey data from within the conflict theater of Afghanistan to investigate how plausibly exogenous exposure to Islamic State (IS) propaganda influences views towards local and international forces. We study two mediums of terrorist propaganda, exploiting high-frequency time variation in global distribution of IS videos and plausibly exogenous signal penetration of a prominent IS radio tower in Afghanistan. Our findings suggest violent video and radio content undermines public support for IS and its key opponents, while increasing demand for international forces to remain in country. By contrast, videos depicting a capacity for IS governance boost their support.

Religion and P2P Lending

w/ Lingxiao Liu (Manchester), Oliver Rui (CEIBS), and Hua Zhang (CEIBS)

R&R: Journal of Business Ethics

Abstract: Prevailing theory suggests corporate culture can be influenced by religious social norms. Firms in religious locales have been found to be more environmentally responsible, exhibit fewer financial reporting irregularities, take fewer risks, and face a lower cost of debt financing. We leverage data on loan applications through a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform in China to examine whether private borrowers also benefit from religious association. Our data suggests individual borrowers residing in prefectures with a high density of Buddhist temples or Christian churches are more likely to receive loans through the platform, and also receive funding more quickly. Information on local institutions, macroeconomic conditions, and borrower characteristics permits us to explore important sources of effect heterogeneity. Our findings indicate the benefits of religious association to borrowers are strongest in information-poor contexts, shedding light on a potential mechanism underlying our main results.

WORK IN PROGRESS

The Global Geographic Range of Generative AI Gains 

w/ Mario Schabus (Monash)

Abstract: Organizations leveraging generative AI may enhance process efficiency, automate workflows, improve planning/forecast accuracy, and introduce new capabilities within products or services. The extent to which a company can benefit from generative AI will depend on its AI-readiness in terms of data assets, product market, and workforce composition. But these firm-level characteristics are only part of the story. Around the world, countries are releasing strategic plans for effective and responsible embrace of AI technology. Meanwhile, major intergovernmental organizations (including MDBs and IFIs) are offering guidance for developing countries to capitalize on generative AI. But the prevailing operating environment for businesses in developing nations may be relatively less conducive to AI adoption. We depict the cross-country landscape of AI-related institutions (e.g. regulatory frameworks, human capital, innovation environments), and identify their role in mitigating or amplifying the economic opportunities provided by generative AI to individual companies. The empirical exercise holds significant policy relevance for developing and developed nations navigating the new technological frontier.

Information Campaigns and Vulnerability to Human Trafficking

w/ Sabina Albrecht (headspace), Xhezaira Guleksi (FAU), Catherine Masters (Nottingham), and David Smerdon (Queensland)

Abstract: This project seeks to develop and implement an information provision field experiment to combat human trafficking in Nepal. Despite a recent surge in awareness, rigorous research on the issue is sparse due to a lack of quality data. Aside from socioeconomic factors, 'lack of information' is often cited as a root cause of vulnerability to human trafficking. We partner with a local NGO which operates prevention and rehabilitation programs to gain insights into the information environment of trafficking victims. We leverage the NGO’s extensive field experience to design various information campaigns and measure their impact on knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices of at-risk individuals.