Get to Know Asper School of Business Director of EDI, Jieying Chen

The Asper School of Business has appointed three new high-impact academic roles, bringing established faculty members to lead as directors of EDI, sustainability, and Indigenous business relations. These directors will facilitate their specific areas by supporting teaching, curriculum development, research and engagement initiatives.

Associate professor of business administration and newly appointed director of EDI, Jieying Chen has conducted and published research on topics such as cross-cultural interactions, mindfulness, judgment and decision making, and strategic human resource management. She is currently conducting a project on immigrant adaptation, and some of her recent research examines factors that affect individuals’ adaptation in a new environment and gender issues in the workplace.

Chen was appointed director of EDI at the Asper School of Business effective July 1, 2024.

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What drew you to the Asper School of Business? What are some of the courses and subjects that you teach?

“First, the University of Manitoba has a great reputation in Canada as a U15 university. We do great teaching here, but there is also a strong emphasis on research that appealed to me. Second, Canada has a reputation as a diverse and inclusive society, which matters to me personally and in my work. Third, when I interviewed at Asper, I felt highly welcomed. People spoke to me with kindness and understanding, and I felt that the School was very inclusive.

“I teach human resource management courses, including the core course for HR majors, an elective course about compensation and courses at the PhD level. One thing I try to implement is experiential learning, such as role play, in classes.”

Chen shares how students in her classes have a chance to study the ins and outs of HR processes through this form of experiential learning. She explains how they confront the emotionality and complexity of HR while learning to grapple with the ethics of performance reviews, negotiations and other aspect of HR systems.

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What inspires your research, and what led you down this path?

“When I was younger, I would say that I wanted to be everything from a scientist to a TV host, but what always remained deep in my heart was a desire to travel the world. I am interested in learning about other cultures and understanding new places.

“Today, researching HR, I’m interested in how people navigate change by going abroad and taking on a new position. Early studies in the literature took a relatively static approach to studying the experience of working and living in a new country, but I’m interested in that transition and adaptation as dynamic, constantly changing processes.”

Chen’s earlier studies looked at expats—individuals who have left their home country to start a role elsewhere—and asked what factors might affect their success or premature return home. She has also recently studied immigrants’ adaptations in new workplaces.

“It’s important for us to understand what helps immigrants adapt to new countries and workplaces and what does not,” she adds.

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What do you hope to achieve as the Asper School of Business director of EDI? What inspired you to accept this role?

“I feel very blessed to be in this role, and I was motivated to accept because at Asper and UM we have very supportive leadership when it comes to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion.

“There are two initiatives that I want to support and lead, building on the work of the Asper EDI Task Force so far. One is to officially launch our Asper EDI survey, which has been in the works for some time. Our second goal is to review and launch an Asper EDI action plan.”

For Chen, this role as director of EDI is another adventure that she is ready to explore, embracing the transitions, adaptations, challenges and opportunities that arise on a continuous journey of leadership.

Through her research on immigrant adaptations in the workplace and her community work with Chinese newcomers in Winnipeg, she knows that adaptation and self-discovery are dynamic processes of continuous improvement.

“You have to be patient with yourself—learning anything of value takes time,” she says.

Emily Wilson