Areas of Expertise

Cross-border acquisition, emerging market multinationals, doing business in China, environmental sustainability

Academic Degrees

• Ph.D. in Strategy and International Business, University of Miami, 2018
• M.S. in Strategic Management, Sun Yat-sen University, 2010
• B.A. in Management, South China University of Technology, 2008

Awards, Honors & Certificates

• Academy of Management International Management Division Emerging Scholar Award, 2025
• Outstanding Junior Faculty Award at Indiana University, 2024
• Best Paper Award on Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, Academy of Management Annual Meeting International Management Division, 2024
• Pre-Tenure Faculty Research Award, Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, 2024
• Journal of Management Studies Editors’ Reviewer Award, 2023
• Best Phenomena-Based Paper Award, “Innovations to Tackle Global Sustainability Challenges” Conference, 2023
• Kelley Research Award, Indiana University, 2022
• Women in the Academy of International Business Emerging Scholar Award, 2022
• FACET’s Mumford Excellence in Extraordinary Teaching Award, Indiana University, 2021
• GWU-CIBER Best Paper on Emerging Markets, Academy of Management 2019 Annual Meeting International Management Division
• Best Paper Award on Emerging Economies Research, Academy of International Business 2019 Annual Meeting
• Award of Academic Merit, University of Miami, 2018
• National Fellowship for Studying Abroad, Ministry of Education of China, 2009-2010
• National Fellowship for Excellent Graduate Students, Sun Yat-sen University, 2008-2010
• National Silver Award in the 5th China “Challenge Cup” New Ventures Plan Competition, 2006

Selected Publications

• Bu, J., Wang, S. L, Lee, Y., and Li, D. (2025). Not in my homeland: Immigrant CEOs and the geography of corporate social irresponsibility. Strategic Management Journal, 46(7), 1606-1638.. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.3702
• Bu, J., Shi, W., & Yin, C. (2025). Type diversity of institutional investors and opportunistic acquisitions. Journal of Management, 51(5), 2109-2137. 
• Wajda, D., Bu, J., & Shi, W. (2025). Foreign institutional investors and equity decision of cross-border acquisitions. Global Strategy Journal, 15(1), 66-93.
• Bu, J., Cuervo-Cazurra, A., Luo, Y., and Wang, S. L. (2024). Mitigating soft and hard infrastructure deficiencies in emerging markets. Journal of World Business, 59(4), 101540.
• Bu, J., Tang, Y., Luo, Y., & Li, C. (2023). Learning from inbound foreign acquisitions for outbound expansion by emerging market MNEs, Journal of International Business Studies, 54,  852–886.  
• Li, C., Luo, Y., Bu, J., & Tang, Y. (2023). The role of networks in international acquisition premiums. Journal of International Business Studies, 54, 1700–1711.
• Li, C., Ahn, J., Bu, J., & Meyer, K. E. (2023). The value of publishing in JIBS. Journal of International Business Studies, 54, 1688–1699.
• Bu, J., Zhao, E. Y., Li, K., and Li, J. (2022). Multilevel optimal distinctiveness: Examining the impact of within- and between-organization distinctiveness of product design on market performance. Strategic Management Journal, 43(9), 1793-1822.

  Abstract

  Abstract

  This research develops a multilevel framework to study optimal distinctiveness (OD) at two different levels. Specifically, we distinguish between within-organization distinctiveness and between-organization distinctiveness of product design and examine how they independently and interactively influence performance. Analyzing a unique data set of 2,203 model-year observations for automobiles sold in the U.S. market from 2001 to 2016, we found that while within-organization distinctiveness of product design hurts market performance, between-organization distinctiveness of product design increases market performance. Moreover, when between-organization distinctiveness of product design is high, the negative impact of within-organization distinctiveness of product design on performance is weakened. These findings contribute to OD research by improving the understanding of OD as a multilevel construct and elaborating on its contextual contingency.

• Bu, J., Luo, Y., & Zhang, H. (2022). The dark side of informal institutions: How crime, corruption, and informality influence foreign firms' commitment. Global Strategy Journal, 12(2), 209-244.
• Bu, J., & Cuervo-Cazurra, A. (2020). Informality costs: Informal entrepreneurship and innovation in emerging economies. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 14(3), 329-368.
• Luo, Y., Zhang, H., & Bu, J. (2019). Developed country MNEs investing in developing economies: Progress and prospect. Journal of International Business Studies, 50(4), 633–667.
• Luo, Y., & Bu, J. (2018). Contextualizing international strategy by emerging market firms: A composition-based approach. Journal of World Business, 53(3), 337-355.
• Luo, Y., & Bu, J. (2018). When are emerging market multinationals more risk taking? Global Strategy Journal, 8(4), 635-664.
• Luo, Y., & Bu, J. (2016). How valuable is information and communication technology? A study of emerging economy enterprises. Journal of World Business, 51(2), 200-211.

Edited on December 5, 2025