Yue Xiang

Yue Xiang is a Career Development Fellow at Durham University specializing in empirical corporate finance and governance. Her research examines how competitive pressures influence corporate sustainability practices, carbon emissions, and strategic growth decisions including mergers and acquisitions (M&As).

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in Finance from the University of Bath
• MSc in Finance and Accounting from the University of Sheffield
• Bachelor of Accounting from Huazhong Agricultural University

Dr. Xiang's work reveals critical tensions between market competition and sustainability. She demonstrates that heightened competitive pressure increases carbon emission intensity through higher absolute emissions and reduced revenues, with no subsequent environmental improvements. Her research also shows competition systematically degrades ESG performance, particularly in politically conservative regions where stakeholder incentives for sustainability are weaker. These findings challenge assumptions that competitive markets naturally drive greener corporate behavior.

Her publication trends indicate growing scholarly and policy interest in the environmental consequences of market structures. Recent work examines how firms strategically redefine boundaries under competitive threats, showing a shift toward alliances rather than acquisitions when facing foreign competition - a pattern linked to higher long-term innovation output.

Scientific recognition includes:

• China Financial Engineering Annual Conference 2023 Best Paper Award for "To Acquire or to Ally? Foreign Competition and Firm Boundary"

Dr. Xiang's ESG research has received prominent media coverage from Columbia Law School Blue Sky Blog, Oxford Business Law Blog, and ProMarket. She maintains active scholarly engagement through presentations at over 20 international conferences including FMA Annual Meetings, EAA Congresses, and GRASFI conferences, though her profile emphasizes research outputs over mentoring or grant activities.

Information regarding student advising, research grants, or dedicated laboratory teams is not provided in available materials, suggesting her work operates within broader institutional frameworks rather than specialized research groups.