The 2025 Academic Research Quarterly Seminar was held on the morning of October 16, 2025, at the Seminar Room G2213, Golden Dragon Campus. This seminar is organized by the Research Management Office, with this particular lecture organized by the Faculty of Finance. The guest speaker was Associate Professor Xiaohang Ren from Central South University, and the theme was "Topic Selection, Writing, Submission, and Publication for SSCI Papers in Management and Economics". The lecture was hosted by Associate Professor Weiping Li, who also presented a souvenir to the guest speaker.
Associate Professor Ren Xiaohang is currently a faculty member at the Business School of Central South University. He earned his Ph.D. from the Statistical Sciences Research Institute at the University of Southampton, UK, and was honored with the 2020 "National Award for Outstanding Self-Financing Students Abroad" by the Ministry of Education. His research focuses on energy finance, financial risk, financial econometrics, green finance, and spatiotemporal statistics. With an extensive publication record, he has authored over 100 papers in prestigious journals such as: Journal of the American Statistical Association, Journal of International Money and Finance, Quantitative Finance, Transportation Research Part A, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Energy Economics, Applied Energy, Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews. Among his publications, more than 40 are recognized as ESI Hot Papers or Highly Cited Papers. He boasts an H-index of 50 and has been listed as a Highly Cited Chinese Researcher by Elsevier and among the World's Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University. He also holds key editorial roles, including Editor-in-Chief for Sustainable Communities, and serves as Associate Editor, Editorial Board Member, or Guest Editor for journals such as: Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies, Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, Economic Change and Restructuring, CFRI, Accounting and Finance.
The lecture opened with a compelling analysis of the fundamental differences between economics and management research. Prof. Ren observed that while economic studies, particularly in finance, tend to emphasize empirical analysis, management research places greater importance on theoretical innovation. He highlighted how contemporary economics increasingly prioritizes causal inference and predictive capabilities, with cross-disciplinary approaches gaining prominence for enhancing both the credibility and policy relevance of research outcomes.
In his systematic overview of economics subfields, Prof. Ren stressed that the most successful research topics consistently demonstrate three key qualities: intellectual challenge, genuine innovation, and broader applicability. He introduced a strategic framework he termed the "Golden Triangle for Topic Selection," which anchors research in globally significant policy issues, leverages integrated multi-source data, and embraces interdisciplinary methodologies—such as applying machine learning to advance macroeconomic forecasting.
Prof. Ren carefully outlined three common pitfalls in research design: poorly defined scope that either becomes too broad for meaningful depth or too narrow for useful generalization; inadequate assessment of practical feasibility, including data accessibility; and research that fails to connect with either theoretical frameworks or real-world applications. He cautioned early-career researchers against two unproductive approaches: merely applying existing models to different contexts without substantive contribution, and blindly following popular research trends without critical analysis.
When addressing how to approach popular research topics, Prof. Ren advised strategic caution. He noted that while these areas attract attention, they often present significant challenges including data barriers, intense competition, and the risk of diminished relevance by the time research is completed. Instead, he suggested identifying promising but underexplored "niche areas" or finding unique angles within popular topics that could offer fresh perspectives.
During the practical session on journal submission, Prof. Ren shared sobering statistics about high rejection rates at quality journals and extended publication timelines, encouraging researchers to view rejections as an inevitable part of academic growth. He provided concrete guidance on journal selection, crafting persuasive cover letters, suggesting appropriate reviewers, and responding effectively to revision requests. His analysis identified the three most common reasons for rejection: insufficient innovation, methodological flaws, and inadequate writing quality.
The Q&A session saw lively participation, with attendees raising practical concerns about challenges facing Chinese scholars in international publishing, methodological applications, and research team development for early-career researchers. Prof. Ren drew from his extensive experience to offer practical suggestions that participants found particularly valuable.
This comprehensive lecture provided faculty and students with significant guidance for navigating the challenges of SSCI journal publication. The Faculty of Finance at City University of Macau expressed sincere appreciation for Prof. Ren's insightful presentation and looked forward to future installments of the Academic Research Quarterly Seminar.