Chengxiang Ma | Strategic Planning | Business Strategy Innovator Award

Assist. Prof. Dr. Chengxiang Ma | Strategic Planning | Business Strategy Innovator Award

Assist. Prof. Dr. Chengxiang Ma | Strategic Planning | Business Strategy Innovator Award | Lecturer | Walailak University | Strategic Planning 

Assist. Prof. Dr. Chengxiang Ma is a multidisciplinary academic and sustainability scholar whose work bridges sustainable business development, tourism management, and cross-sector innovation, shaped by an international educational journey and diverse professional engagements. He holds a Doctoral degree in Sustainable Business Development from the Asian Institute of Technology, a Master’s degree in International Hospitality and Services Industries Management from the Glion Institute of Higher Education, and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Thammasat University, forming a strong foundation for his research in post-pandemic economic transformation and responsible industry practices. Professionally, Assist. Prof. Dr. Chengxiang Ma serves as a Lecturer at Walailak University International College, Thailand, following previous academic service at Siam Technology College and significant managerial experience as a Village Training Manager with Club Med International Resort, where he applied human resource development, operational efficiency, and multicultural management principles in global hospitality environments. His research interests span Sustainable Development Goals, tourism innovation, digital transformation in cultural heritage, sustainable business models, cross-border e-commerce, education decision-making, and the integration of wellness and medical tourism into long-term sustainability strategies. He has demonstrated strong research skills in qualitative and interdisciplinary methodologies, strategic analysis, sustainability assessment, and industry-applied studies, supported by multiple publications indexed in Scopus and TCI. His scholarly contributions include work on disruptive technologies in tourism, the interdisciplinary impact of music education on learning outcomes, parental decision-making in international education, and the role of Mandarin proficiency in strengthening cross-border tourism and e-commerce ecosystems. Assist. Prof. Dr. Chengxiang Ma has also produced impactful research on agro-tourism, local food culture, and wellness tourism aligned with SDG-related goals, while his doctoral research contributed to innovative sustainable business model frameworks published in a Springer volume. His achievements during his Master’s thesis allowed Nestlé Professional to implement strategic recommendations that enhanced operational efficiency, sustainability, and market positioning within the hospitality sector. As an emerging scholar, he continues to build an impressive academic record with growing citations and notable international visibility. Assist. Prof. Dr. Chengxiang Ma’s career reflects dedication to sustainability-driven research, global education development, and the advancement of responsible tourism, positioning him as a promising academic leader committed to impactful research, student development, and long-term contributions to sustainable development across Southeast Asia and beyond.

Profile:  scopus

Featured Publications 

  1. Ma, C., Somrak, T., Manajit, S., & Gao, C. (2024). Exploring the potential synergy between disruptive technology and historical/cultural heritage in Thailand’s tourism industry for achieving sustainable development in the future. International Journal of Tourism Research. Published 2024. Citations: 1

  2. Ma, C., Wu, T., Gao, C., & Hu, Y. (2024). Challenges and opportunities for Chinese parents sending their children to study in Thailand, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches of music education and impacts on students’ learning ability. Revista Electronica De Leeme. Published 2024. Citations: 1

  3. Ma, C., Rattanaburi, K., & Gao, C. (2025). Burned out parents, educated kids? Navigating “Juan” culture: Decision-making-process and education in Thailand. International Journal of Educational Research Open. Published 2025. Citations: 1

  4. Ma, C., Bunkrong, D., & Gao, C. (2025). The Mandarin advantage: How Thai university students facilitate cross-border e-commerce for Chinese tourists in Thailand’s post-COVID recovering hospitality sector. Cogent Arts & Humanities. Published 2025. Citations: 1

  5. Ma, C., & Jurattanasan, A. (2023). Promoting conservation and sustainable use of natural resources through agro-tourism in Northeastern Thailand. Journal of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkla University. Published 2023. Citations: 1

  6. Ma, C., Gao, C., & Somrak, T. (2023). The role of Thai local herbs and ingredients in promoting post-pandemic wellness and medical tourism for sustainable development. PSU Medical Journal. Published 2023. Citations: 1

  7. Jurattanasan, A., & Ma, C. (2024). Promoting food tourism through local culinary storytelling in Southern Thailand: A case study of Gaeng Som Pla Kapong. Journal of Thai Food Culture. Published 2024. Citations: 1

 

Hossein Mirzaeen | Strategic Planning | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Hossein Mirzaeen | Strategic Planning | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Hossein Mirzaee, University of Saskatchewan, Canada

Dr. Hossein Mirzaee is a passionate researcher in the field of operations management, with expertise spanning green supply chain optimization, uncertainty modeling, and game theory applications. He holds a PhD in Operations Management from the University of Saskatchewan, where his work has been recognized for advancing sustainability in supply chain systems. With a strong academic foundation and professional experience both in academia and industry, Hossein brings a rare combination of analytical rigor, programming expertise, and real-world insight to his work. 🌍📈

👤 Profile

Scopus

🎓 Education

Dr. Mirzaee earned his PhD in Operations Management from the University of Saskatchewan (2019–2023), where he focused on green supply chain management, uncertainty control, and game theory-based models. Prior to that, he completed an MSc in Industrial Engineering at Kharazmi University (2015–2017), with research on optimization and metaheuristics. His academic journey began with a BSc in Industrial Engineering from Razi University (2011–2015), where he delved into project management and operations research.

💼 Experience

Dr. Mirzaee has diverse academic and industry experience. As a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Saskatchewan, he implemented exact and metaheuristic algorithms in Python and GAMS to optimize green supply chains. He applied game-theoretical models using NashPy to reduce carbon emissions and handle regulatory conflicts. His teaching roles include sessional lecturer and co-instructor in operations and statistics, where he led tutorials and designed assessments. Outside academia, he served as Operations Manager at Europcar Iran and worked at the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company, contributing to equipment maintenance planning.

🔬 Research Interests

Dr. Mirzaee’s research interests lie at the intersection of green supply chain management, optimization, and game theory. He explores uncertainty modeling through stochastic, fuzzy, and robust optimization techniques. His recent studies address challenges like carbon cap-and-trade, supply chain disruption during pandemics, and sustainable decision-making models. He is also intrigued by approximation algorithms and metaheuristics in large-scale supply chain systems.

🏆 Awards & Recognition

Dr. Mirzaee was entrusted with leadership as President of the Iranian Students’ Council at the University of Saskatchewan (2020–2021), where he organized cultural and academic events. As a respected peer reviewer for journals like Computers & Industrial Engineering and Maritime Policy & Management, he has been acknowledged for his constructive insights and contributions to academic quality enhancement.

📚 Publication Top Notes

 A preemptive fuzzy goal programming model for generalized supplier selection and order allocation with incremental discount. Computers & Industrial Engineering,

A robust optimization model for green supplier selection and order allocation in a closed-loop supply chain considering cap-and-trade mechanism.

 A three-player game theory model for carbon cap-and-trade mechanism with stochastic parameters. 

Resilient green supply chain design to mitigate the ripple effect: A two-stage stochastic optimization model (To be submitted)

Sustainable Entrepreneurship: A Systematic Review and Call for Pivoting toward SDGs

An evolutionary game theory model to solve the conflicts between cap-and-tradeIn preparation