Victor Cui

Victor Cui
Conrad Research Excellence Chair, Professor of Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Global Strategy, Cross-appointed: Cheriton School of Computer Science, Dept. of Management Science & Engineering
Location: E7 2418
Status: Active

Biography

Overview

Professor Victor Cui studies how artificial intelligence (AI) and shifting geopolitics are reshaping the future of business and globalization. His research has been featured in BNN Bloomberg, Fortune, CBC, and The Globe and Mail. He serves on the International Science Council (ISC)'s Global Roster of Experts advising the United Nations, as an editor for three leading international journals, and as past Chair of Canada's SSHRC Insight Development Grant Adjudication Committee. Professor Cui is Founding Director of the AI Readiness for Organizations Lab (AIReady Lab) at the University of Waterloo, dedicated to enabling organizations with evidence-based AI solutions and training AI-transformation experts. Professor Cui leads a University of Waterloo Teaching Innovation Incubator (TII) project transforming the traditional large-scale higher-education model into personalized teaching using AI systems. He works closely with partners across government, industry, and academia to tackle complex challenges—turning research insights into real-world impact.

Research

Professor Cui's early work examined how compensation structures shape innovation outcomes, from incremental improvements to breakthrough discoveries (Yanadori & Cui, 2013; Cui, Ding, & Yanadori, 2019). His subsequent research explored competitive dynamics in exploratory and exploitative partnerships (Cui, Yang, & Vertinsky, 2018) and generated insights on intellectual property rights (IPR) protection for governments and multinational enterprises (Brander, Cui, & Vertinsky, 2017; Cui, Narula, Minbaeva, & Vertinsky, 2022). His recent work investigates U.S.–China geopolitical tensions and how firms navigate an era of fragmentation and competing globalization paradigms (Cui, Vertinsky, Wang, & Zhou, 2023; Vertinsky, Kuang, Zhou, & Cui, 2023), as well as how AI is reshaping business strategy and societal systems. His research has received international awards and appears in top journals, including Strategic Management Journal, Journal of International Business Studies, and Research Policy.

AIReady Lab

Driven by real-world organizational pain points, the AIReady Lab researches, builds, and deploys AI systems that help organizations with AI transformation, such as optimizing workflows and creating new competitive advantages, while training talent to become highly sought-after AI-transformation experts. By pairing deep business expertise with Waterloo's world-class engineering and computer science capabilities, the lab bridges the gap between business leadership and technical innovation required for successful AI adoption. Learn more about the lab's frameworks, corporate partnerships, and insights at https://uwaterloo.ca/ai-ready-lab.

AI and Personalized Education

Professor Cui leads a TII project reimagining the traditional education system through real-time, personalized learning grounded in university-owned materials. This project is being piloted at the University of Waterloo, engaging thousands of students across the Faculties of Engineering, Science, Arts, Mathematics, and Health. If you are interested in learning more, please visit https://uwaterloo.ca/teaching-incubator/projects/digital-twin-teaching-platform-mass-customized-learning.

Consultancy

Professor Cui advises and collaborates with organizations across financial services, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, aviation, and brewing. He has also co-founded several technology startups and international joint ventures, bridging academic research with practical application.

Research Team

Professor Cui's research team aims to address grand challenges in business, society, and the humanities through interdisciplinary research. His collaborators come from diverse backgrounds, including artificial intelligence, data science, quantum physics, economics, and cognitive science. He warmly welcomes applications to Conrad's PhD program. Candidates are expected to have research experience, high proficiency in coding (e.g., Python, SAS, R, Stata, C, JavaScript), and deep knowledge in AI. He also supervises Ph.D. and M.Sc. students in the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science and the Department of Management Science and Engineering.

Please reach out if you would like to explore collaboration on research, the AIReady Lab, or AI-enabled education — or to discuss a consulting engagement.

Research Interests

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) — Exploring how AI transforms business, society, and the humanities.

  • Global Challenges and Geopolitics — Investigating U.S.–China decoupling, shifting paradigms of globalization, and their implications for firms and nations.

  • Talent Strategy — Examining how organizations and countries attract, retain, and mobilize human capital amid geopolitical and technological disruptions.

  • Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Innovation Policy — Understanding how IPR protection shapes technological advancement and international collaboration.

  • Technological Innovation and Entrepreneurship — Studying how emerging technologies create new ventures, business models, and strategic opportunities.

  • Cooperation and Competition — Analyzing how firms balance rivalry and collaboration in complex global ecosystems.

  • Compensation and Incentive Design — Investigating how pay structures influence creativity, innovation, and organizational performance.

Education

  • Ph.D. Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia, Canada

  • Ph.D. Faculty of Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Awards

  • 2025 & 2024, Best Senior Editor Award, Management and Organization Review

  • 2020, Best Reviewer Award, Journal of International Business Studies

  • 2019 & 2020, Faculty Research Award, Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba

  • 2019, Outstanding Teacher, University of Manitoba

  • 2015 & 2019, Golden Shovel Award, Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba

  • 2010, Best Paper Award, Technology and Innovation Management Division, Administrative Sciences Assocation of Canada

  • 2009, Best Student Paper Award, Technology and Innovation Management Division, Academy of Management

  • 2009, Graduate Teaching Award, University of British Columbia

Service

  • 2024-, Member of Global Roster of Experts, International Science Council (An NGO advising the UN on global challenges)

  • 2025-, Associate Editor, Journal of Business Research

  • 2022-, Senior Editor, Asia Pacific Journal of Management

  • 2022-, Senior Editor, Management and Organization Review

  • 2023-2025, Senior Editor, International Business Review

  • 2016-, Editorial Review Board, Journal of International Business Studies

  • 2019, Guest Editor, Journal of International Business Studies special issue: "Studying Intellectual Property Rights in International Business through Multiple Levels of Analysis"

  • 2022-2024, Chair, Insight Development Grants Adjudication Committee (business, management and related fields), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Canada

Teaching*

  • BE 620 - Business Strategy
    • Taught in 2024, 2025
  • BET 320 - Entrepreneurial Strategy
    • Taught in 2026
  • BET 607 - Managing Technological Innovation
    • Taught in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

Selected/Recent Publications

  • Cui, V. (2025). Canada can claim its economic sovereignty during the global trade war. The Globe and Mail, April 10, 2025

  • Cui, V., Vertinsky, I., Wang, Y., Zhou, D. (2023). Decoupling in international business: The ‘new’ vulnerability of globalization and MNEs’ response strategies. Journal of International Business Studies (AJG4*), 54(8), 1562-1576.

  • Vertinsky, I., Kuang, Y., Zhou, D., & Cui, V. (2023). The political economy and dynamics of bifurcated world governance and the decoupling of value chains: An alternative perspective. Journal of International Business Studies (AJG4*), 54(7), 1351-1377.

  • Cui, V., Narula, R., Minbaeva, D., & Vertinsky, I. (2022). Towards integrating country-and firm-level perspectives on intellectual property rights. Journal of International Business Studies (AJG4*), 53(9), 1880-1894.

  • Cui, V., Ding, W. W., & Yanadori, Y. (2019). Exploration versus exploitation in technology firms: The role of compensation structure for R&D workforce. Research Policy (AJG4*), 48(6), 1534-1549.

  • Cui, V., Yang, H., & Vertinsky, I. (2018). Attacking your partners: Strategic alliances and competition between partners in product markets. Strategic Management Journal (AJG4*), 39(12), 3116-3139.

  • Brander, J. A., Cui, V., & Vertinsky, I. (2017). China and intellectual property rights: A challenge to the rule of law. Journal of International Business Studies (AJG4*), 48(7), 908-921.

  • Yanadori, Y., & Cui, V. (2013). Creating incentives for innovation? The relationship between pay dispersion in R&D groups and firm innovation performance. Strategic management journal (AJG4*), 34(12), 1502-1511.

  • (Full text access via ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Victor-Cui-2/research)

In The News

Graduate studies

I am currently seeking to accept graduate students. Please submit your graduate studies application and include my name as a potential advisor.