Ajung Heo | Social Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Ms. Ajung Heo | Social Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Sogang University | South Korea

Ajung Heo is a dedicated researcher and Ph.D. candidate at Sogang University Business School, focusing on international business and cross-cultural management. She holds an M.A. in Business Administration from Pusan National University and a B.A. in Management from the City University of New York. Her research explores how digital strategies, innovation appropriability, and organizational behavior influence the competitiveness and international expansion of multinational enterprises. Ajung Heo’s publications, including “Search better, export stronger: the role of appropriability and digital strategy in South Korea,” highlight her contributions to understanding global business dynamics. She has also engaged in collaborative projects that integrate theory with practice, fostering innovation and managerial relevance. Her academic excellence and commitment to global research advancement have earned her recognition as a promising scholar in international business studies. Through her work, she continues to bridge research and real-world application, contributing valuable insights to global enterprise development and sustainable business practices.

Profile : Google Scholar 

Featured Publications

Heo, A.-j., & Yoo, C.-y. (2024). The impact of entrepreneurial orientation on export performance: The moderating effects of exploratory and exploitative activities. Journal of Trade Studies, 49(4), 295–319.

Heo, A.-j., Yoo, D.-b., & Ham, S.-h. (2025). The impact of talent-preferential policies on organizational commitment: The moderated mediating effects of job satisfaction and rational organizational culture. Journal of Management Research, 40(1), 103–122.

Heo, A.-j., Yoo, C.-y., & Lee, K.-p. (2025). A study on dual organizational identity among local employees of multinational corporation subsidiaries in Korea. Journal of Management Studies, 54(1), 55–80.

Yoo, C.-y., Park, Y.-s., & Heo, A.-j. (2024). Organizational staffing policy and organizational identification of host country nationals working at MNC subsidiary in Korea. Journal of International Trade and Commerce, 17–32.

Heo, A.-j., Lee, K.-p., & Yoo, C.-y. (2024). An exploratory study on the dual organizational identity of local employees of multinational corporation subsidiaries. Proceedings of the Korean Management Association Convergence Conference, 384–410.

Xiaoqian Liu | Social Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Ms. Xiaoqian Liu | Social Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Xinjiang University | China

Dr. Xiaoqian Liu is a dedicated researcher at Xinjiang University specializing in sustainable urban transportation systems, traffic optimization, and smart mobility solutions. Her academic contributions focus on integrating operational efficiency with passenger-oriented design to enhance the functionality of public transport and parking systems. She has authored two publications indexed in Scopus, with an h-index of 1 and 2 citations. Her study, Integrated Optimization of Feeder Bus Timetables and Vehicle Scheduling Considering Passenger Heterogeneity: Implications for Sustainable Urban Transit and Land Use Efficiency (Applied Sciences), explores optimizing feeder bus operations through advanced scheduling models that account for passenger diversity and land-use interaction. she co-authored Analysis of Preparation Mechanism of Electrospun Nanofiber Yarns in the Wool Textile Journal, showcasing her interdisciplinary approach bridging material science and industrial process optimization. Dr. Liu’s research highlights data-driven modeling, multi-objective optimization, and sustainable infrastructure development within the broader scope of social and environmental systems. Through her publications and collaborative efforts, she contributes to advancing smart city transport planning, efficient bus-network scheduling, and environmentally responsible mobility frameworks, reflecting a commitment to innovation and applied research excellence in the social sciences and engineering interface.

Profile : Scopus

Featured Publications

Liu, X. (2025). Integrated optimization of feeder bus timetables and vehicle scheduling considering passenger heterogeneity: Implications for sustainable urban transit and land use efficiency. Applied Sciences, 15(19), 10715.

Tesfamichael Derso | Social Sciences | Young Researcher Award

Mr. Tesfamichael Derso | Social Sciences | Young Researcher Award

Bahir Dar University | Ethiopia

Mr. Tesfamichael Derso is a historian and researcher specializing in Ethiopian history, heritage management, and social integration, with more than nine years of experience in teaching, research, and community service. He holds a MA in History from the University of Gondar and a BA in History and Heritage Management from Wolita Sodo University. Since he has taught history at the secondary level, and since he has served as a university lecturer at Bahir Dar University, where he delivers lectures, designs and grades assessments, leads review sessions, supervises student learning, and carries out scholarly research. His publications include four articles in peer-reviewed and Scopus-indexed journals on topics such as ethnic interaction, Iddir institutions, forestry history, infrastructure development, and the impact of the Fascist Italian occupation in Gondar. His research interests include interethnic relations, heritage and indigenous institutions, environmental history, colonial and wartime impacts, and local community identity. He has also participated in seminars and training in research ethics, conservation, leadership, and manuscript restoration. Among his recognitions is the Young African Fellowships Award from CODESRIA and the Mastercard Foundation.

Profile : Orcid

Featured Publications

Derso, T. F. (2025). Fascist Italian occupation and its impact on Ethiopia: The case of Gondar, 1936 to 1941. National Identities, 24(4), 1–24.

Derso, T. F. (2024). Ethnic interaction and integration in Gondär (Ethiopia): The case of the Amhara and Tigre, 1930–1970s. Cogent Arts & Humanities, 11(1), 2330177.

Derso, T. F. (2024). Forest and forestry in Gondar (Ethiopia) from 1938 to 1991: Utilization, opportunities, and constraints. Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution, 1–10.

Fentie, T. (2023). Iddir in Gondar: Historical development and its role in promoting social interaction among different ‘ethno-linguistic’ groups (1936–1994). Ethiopian Journal of Social Sciences, 9(1), 45–63.

Fentie, T. (2023). An assessment of road and bridge construction in Simen and Begemider province, 1963–1991. Ethiopian Journal of Social Sciences, 9(2), 75–90.