Ivey is excited to welcome several new faculty members to campus this year! To get to know our new colleagues, we asked them some questions to learn about their interests inside and outside the classroom.
Get to know: Yi Luo
Yi Luo received her PhD from Queen’s, with a focus on social and behavioural accounting. She is interested in topics that have a real impact on practice and policymaking. Her work has been published in top journals such as Accounting, Organizations and Society, Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory, Contemporary Accounting Research and Journal of Business Ethics. She is excited to incorporate her research with teaching and to explore the topic with her students. Luo will be teaching the “Managerial Accounting and Control” course for HBA2.
Q&A with Yi Luo
What is the most important thing business executives can learn from your research/area of expertise?
A reminder to ask, "What does academic evidence say about the decision you are making?" In a fast-paced environment, one can become easily driven by his/her experience, emotions, and peer behaviours. It is worthwhile to pause and remember that academic research likely would have explored an analogous question and provided unexpected insights. As an example, a regulator might be pressured to act antagonistically, but my research shows that such an antagonistic style could backfire when used upon very experienced auditors.
Where did you grow up and what was it like there?
I grew up in Shanghai. The city and the country were changing daily when I grew up, so I am at ease with changes. At the same time, my family and schools were very stable and very protective, so I got to think, read, and write a lot when growing up. It's a perfect combination of macro- and micro-environments.
Who have been your strongest influences in life?
My parents, for showing me unconditional love, patience, and a work ethic that I can only hope to imitate. They are my and my daughters' biggest supporters. My husband, for being the rock of our family, my best friend, and one of the main reasons I am at Ivey.
What led you to your career?
I feel at home when on campus - the palpable energy, ideas, and possibilities always excite me. I love to contribute to unleashing our collective potential and learning about and from each other. I also love to read. Luckily, this is one of the few professions that require a lot of reading as part of the job description.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Reading and spending time with my family.
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
I am one of the translators of the lyrics of a Mandarin pop song that has over 20M views on YouTube. One line that I am proud of is "Bring it on, the world is your playground."
What is the most played song on your playlist as of now?
Baby Shark. Before having kids, it might be a tie between songs from Les Miserables and Notre Dame de Paris.
What book would you recommend to others? On the personal side? On the business side?
It is hard to pick as I read from medicine to sociology to family economics! A few favourites from this past year include the following: The Unwinding by George Packer combines a powerful narrative with the precision of an academic. Self as Method: Thinking Through China and the World from Xiang Biao (translated by a Canadian scholar) is refreshingly honest and enlightening. Embedded Power: Chinese Government and Economic Development by Professor Lan Xiaohuan is one of the best books I read on Chinese economic development, firmly grounded on empirical evidence but without academic jargon.
On the personal side, I am a big fan of Emily Oster's books, especially Cribsheet, for her evidence-based approach to raising kids and her humour as an economist!
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