Call for Proposals
Special Issue on New Frontiers of Ownership in China: Beyond the Agency Model
Supervising Guest Editor
Shuping Li, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Guest Editors (listed in alphabetical order)
Martin Conyon, Bentley University
Hanqing Chevy Fang, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Junxiong Fang, Zhejiang University of Finance & Economics
Lerong He, State University of New York at Geneseo
Proposal deadline: March 1, 2026
This Special Issue focuses on China's ownership structures and their implications for agency theory and beyond.
We define ownership as (i) cash-flow rights-the financial claims of owners over the income generated by an asset or business, including dividends, profits, and residual value upon liquidation; (ii) control rights-the authority to direct the management and strategy of a company through mechanisms such as voting, board membership, or committee representation; and (iii) political rights-the capacity of owners to shape the political and regulatory environment in which a business operates, whether through party–state influence, golden-share vetoes, or the exercise of governmental authority to regulate private property for public purposes. All submissions must be related to at least one of these ownership components.
This special issue aims to revisit and extend core questions about the theory of the firm and ownership structures in the Chinese context. We invite submissions that address the implications of agency theory in new contexts and phenomena in China, raise new questions and problems, or apply new methodologies and theoretical frameworks. Submissions must center on an ownership mechanism in China. Papers that treat ownership as a background covariate will not be prioritized. We welcome manuscripts grounded in economics, management, sociology, or psychology, and encourage interdisciplinary perspectives.
Submission Process and Deadlines
Please direct all questions about the special issue to Dr. Lerong He at lhe@geneseo.edu. This special issue employs a two-stage submission process, comprising a proposal submission and a full paper submission.
Proposal Submission (deadline March 1, 2026):
Research proposals should not exceed 4,000 words and should include research questions, a brief and relevant literature review, formal hypotheses, the samples, measures used, data, and an analytical plan. Proposals should also include a timeline for completing the project from the date of approval. Please submit proposals to Dr. Lerong He at lhe@geneseo.edu with the subject line: 'MOR Special Issue: New Frontiers of Ownership in China'.
Paper Development Workshop for Accepted Proposals (late May 2026):
Selected proposals will be invited to a paper development workshop hosted by Zhejiang University of Finance & Economics in Hangzhou, China, to further refine the focused research questions. Authors will be notified of the acceptance of their proposals for the PDW by April 1, 2026.
Paper Submission Deadline (December 1, 2026): Papers for the special issue should be submitted electronically through MOR's ScholarOne Manuscripts site at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/mor and identified as submission to this special issue.
------------------------------
Professor Xiao-Ping Chen
Philip Condit Endowed Chair Professor of Management
Foster School of Business
University of Washington
Editor, Management and Organization Review
Email:
xpchen@uw.edu------------------------------