The Management Scholar Development Symposium, organized by the Department of International Business and Management of Nottingham University Business School China, was successfully held recently. The symposium delved into the latest theories in human resource management (HRM) and international business, with a focus on crucial topics such as the mental health of employees, diversity management, and sustainable HRM. Esteemed professors specializing in HRM and international business globally presented at the symposium.

Professor Jie Wang, Head of Department of International Business and Management presided over the symposium. Professor Martin Liu, Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Exchange at Nottingham University Business School China, delivered the opening speech at the Symposium. He emphasized the school's commitment to providing comprehensive guidance and support to its research staff. This symposium provided a valuable opportunity for scholars to exchange ideas and engage in in-depth discussions, thereby promoting the development of research.

During the keynote speech, Professor Fang Lee Cooke, a Distinguished Professor at Monash Business School, Monash University, Australia and a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, shared her insights on Trends in HRM Research and Tips for Publishing in Top HRM Journals. Professor Cooke discussed key trends and future directions in HRM research, emphasizing the importance of employee mental health and well-being. She also highlighted common challenges faced by Chinese authors when submitting to top HRM journals and key elements required for successful submission and publication.

Professor Peter Liesch, Professor of International Business at the UQ Business School, The University of Queensland, Australia, spoke on the topic of New Wine from Old Grapes … in a New Bottle: Internationalization Re-imagined, discussing the rapid growth of international business in collaboration and digital transformation. In his speech, Professor Liesch delved into the development of international business theory, emphasizing the persistence and adaptability of these theories. He proposed redefining the Internationalization Process model as a theory of the growth of the internationalizing firm and highlighted the importance of these theories in explaining how modern businesses leverage external opportunities and strengthen internal capabilities to achieve growth. He also discussed the issue of trade imbalance in the academic community, particularly in theory, and called for more attention to the application of theory in international business practice.

Finally, Professor Kaifeng Jiang, Chair Professor in the Organization and Strategic Management Department at Guanghua School of Management, Peking University, spoke on the topic of Exploring the Antecedents of HRM Systems: Accumulative Evidence and New Extensions, sharing his research results in the field of strategic human resource management. He discussed the reasons why companies adopt different human resource systems and how internal strategic choices and external institutional pressures affect the adoption of human resource systems. Through empirical research and analysis, he thoroughly discussed the impact of factors such as corporate strategy, CEO characteristics, and industry characteristics on human resource practices. He also proposed new directions for future research, including considering the impact of employees and other stakeholders on the adoption of human resource systems, as well as how emerging technologies such as AI are changing human resource practices.

The successful Management Scholar Development Symposium not only provided attending scholars with new research perspectives and methodological inspirations, but also facilitated in-depth cooperation among management scholars both domestically and internationally. Professor Jie Wang highlighted, "We are excited for future opportunities that will enable scholars and practitioners to work together to make contributions to the development of management science."