Dr Li Xiao

Li Xiao is currently working as an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Leicester School of Business. She holds, or has held, a honorary professorship. Prior to this appointment, she was Deputy Director for the Lancaster China Management Centre at Lancaster University Management School and a Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at the University of Exeter Business School. Li's research concentrates on entrepreneurial finance, early-stage high-tech ventures, institutional changes, and network ties in the context of transition economies. Her work articulates the interplay between evolving entrepreneurial activity and improving regulatory institution, and has significant theoretical, industry and policy impact. Her research is of international standing and recognition. She has actively sought and secured research grants and demonstrated a strong record of gaining research funding. She is currently a Review Board member of Entrepreneurship and Regional Development.

Selected Published Journal Articles

Xiao L. and Alistair A. (2021) The Evolution of Chinese angels: social ties and institutional development, British Journal of Management, 33(1). 69-87.

Xiao L. (2020) “How Lead Investors Build Trust in the Specific Context of A Campaign: A Case Study of Equity Crowdfunding in China”, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, 26(2), 203-223.

Xiao L. and North D. (2018) “The Role of Technology Business Incubators in Supporting Business Innovation in China: A Case of Regional Adaptability”. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 30 (1-2), 29-57.

Hormiga E. Xiao L. Smallbone D. (2018) “Entrepreneurial Dynamics and Institutional Changes”, Journal of Evolutionary Studies in Business, 3(1), 1-16, Editorial of a Special Issue (new open-access journal).

Xiao L. and North D. (2017) “Graduation Performance of Technology Business Incubators in China’s Three Tier Cities: The Role of Incubator Funding, Technical Support, and Entrepreneurial Mentoring”, Journal of Technology Transfer, 42(3), 615-634.

Xiao L. and Ramsden M. (2016) “Founder Expertise, Strategic Choices, Formation and Survival of High-tech SMEs in China: A Resource-substituted Approach”, Journal of Small Business Management 54(3), 892-911.

Xiao L. Larson M. and North D. (2013) “Entrepreneurs and Growth Orientation of Young High-tech SMEs in China: Multiple Measures of Performance”, The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 14(1), 29-38.

Xiao L. and North D. (2012) “Institutional Transition and the Financing of High-tech SMEs in China: A Longitudinal Perspective”, Venture Capital, 14(4), 269-287.

Xiao L. (2011) “Financing High-tech SMEs in China: A Three-stage Model of Business Development”, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 23(3-4), 217-234.

Xiao L. and Ritchie B. (2011) “Informal Investors Investing and Networks in China: An Exploratory Study”, The Journal of Private Equity, 14(3), 72-8.

Xiao L. and North D. (2011) “Financing of Early-stage High-tech Ventures in China: An Institutional Perspective”, Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research 31(3), 100-114.

Xiao L. and Ritchie B. (2009) “Access to Finance for High-tech SMEs: Regional Differences in China”, Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 27(2), 246-262.

Selected Published Book Chapters

Xiao L. (forthcoming) “Chinese ventures’ strategic choices and recurring disruptions in the entrepreneurial process” in Hussain J. Scott J.M. and Salia S. (Eds): Entrepreneurial Financial Resilience and Financial Innovation in a Turbulent Era, Edward Elgar Publishing

Xiao L. Wang C. and Xu Z. (2021) “The Role of Technology Business Incubation in Supporting Innovative Start-up Businesses in China” in Mian S. Klofsten M. and Lamine W. (Eds): International Handbook of Research on Business and Technology, SAGE.

Xiao L. (2020) “Entrepreneurship Practice: A Global Perspective” in Deakins D. and Scott J. (Eds): Entrepreneurship: A Contemporary and Global Approach, SAGE.

Smallbone D. Xiao L. and Xu J. (2020). “China – A Focus on Local Policy” in Smallbone D. Welter F. and Storey D. (Eds): A Research Agenda for Entrepreneurship Policy, MA Edward Elgar.

Smallbone D. Lyon F. and Xiao L. (2005) “Trust, Co-operation and Networking in an Immigrate Business Community: the Case of Chinese-owned Business in the UK” in Hohmann H. and Welter F. (Eds): Trust and Entrepreneurship: A West-East Perspective, MA Edward Elgar.

Li teaches at both undergraduate, postgraduate and MBA levels. This includes delivering modules and dissertation supervision. She is also engaged in international teaching. Alongside my research, She is a versatile teacher with experience at UG and PG levels in China and UK. She holds a Post-graduate Certificate in Academic Practice, and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy UK. 

2022 Managing recurrent adversities and resilience: the entrepreneurial process of Chinese ventures, present at Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference 2022, Texas, USA, 3-6 June

2020    Angel Investing in China: Group Decision-making and the Role of Social Contagion, present at Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference 2020, Tennessee, USA, 3-6 June.

2020     The Evolution of Chinese Angels; Social Ties and Institutional Development, presented at British Journal of Management Workshop in Honour of Mike Wright, Western University in London, Ontario, 29-30 June 2020. 

2020     The Role of Technology Business Incubation in Supporting Innovative Start-up Businesses in China at Research in Entrepreneurship, Education, and Technology 2020, Ottawa, Canada, 28-29 May.

2019     The social of social contagion:  Angel investing groups and individual-level decisions, presented at the RENT XXXIII 2019, Berlin, Trier, Germany, 28-29 November

2019   The Evolution of Business Angels’ Networks and Institutional Changes: A Longitudinal Case Study, presented at the 4th Entrepreneurial Financing Conference, Trier, Germany, 1-4 July.

2018   Challenging Platform Operational Models: How Interpersonal Trust Matter to Equity Crowdfunding, presented at Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Chicago, USA, 10-14 August.

2018    Social Contagions: How Angel Group Members Arrive at Their Individual-level Decisions during the Investment Process, presented at European Academy of Management Conference, Reykjavik, Iceland, 20-23 June.

2018     Angel Group Investing: the Role of Social Dimensions and Economic-based Evaluation Criteria in Arriving at Individual Decisions of the Group Investors, presented at the 3rd Entrepreneurial Financing Conference, Milan, Italy, 25-27 June.

2017     The Role of Technology Business Incubators in Supporting Business Innovation in China: A Case of Regional Adaptability, presented International Research Conference on Science and Technology Education, Toulouse, France, 12-14 November.

2016       How Trust Influences the Equity Crowdfunding Platform Development Path: an Exploratory Study of AngelCrunch China, presented at the Institute for Small Business Entrepreneurship Conference, Paris, France, 26-28 October.

2016      Contributing to the Forging International Research Collaborations of Consequence, Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Anaheim, California, USA, 5-9 August.

2015      Institutional Transition, Types of Personalised Network Ties, and the Evolution of Business Angel Finance, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Behavioral Finance & Economics, Philadelphia, USA, June.

2015      Types of Personalised Network ties, and the Evolution of Business Angel Finance, presented at 6th International Research Meeting in Business and Management Nice, France, July.

2014      Technology Business Incubators and the Graduation Performance of Technology-based Start-up Firms: Regional Evidence from China, presented at the 17^th Uddevalla Symposium, Gothenburg, Sweden, May.

2013      Technology Business Incubators and the Graduation Performance of Technology-based Start-up Firms: Regional Evidence from China, presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Orlando, USA, August.

2013       Student Diversity and Pedagogic Practice, presented at Teaching Practice Conference, University of Exeter.

2012       Evaluating and Developing Assessment Methods in Entrepreneurship, presented at Teaching Practice Conference, University of Exeter.

2012       New Technology-based Firms and Technology Business Incubators: Regional Comparisons from China, presented at the International Council for Small Business World Conference, Wellington, New Zealand, July.

2011       Institutional Transition and the Financing High-tech SMEs in China: A Longitudinal Perspective, presented at The Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference, Syracuse, USA, June.