ZHU Yang (Leon)

Leon Yang Zhu is a Professor of Operations Management at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business. Prior to joining CKGSB, Leon was a tenured full professor at the Data Sciences and Operations Department of the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California. He received his Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering, M.A. in Economics from the University of Florida, and Bachelor’s degree from Shanghai Jiaotong University. Before joining Marshall, he was a Postdoc and lectured at the University of California, Berkeley.

Professor Zhu has been accepted by or published in various academic journals, including the Academy of Management Review, American Economic Review, Journal of Economic Theory, Management Science, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, Operations Research, Production and Operations Management, and Rand Journal of Economics. He serves as Area Editor for Omega, Senior Editor for Production and Operations Management, and Associate Editor for Operations Research, Operations Research Letters, Naval Research Logistics, and the Journal of Management Science and Engineering.

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• CKGSB Outstanding Researcher Award, 2022
• 2nd Prize, CSAMSE Annual Conference Practice Award, 2022
• 3rd Prize, CSAMSE Annual Conference Best Paper Award, 2022
• Best Paper Runner-up, ICIS Kauffmann Award on Innovation & Entrepreneurship, 2020
• The Networks, Electronic Commerce and Telecommunications Institute Grant, 2018
• 2nd Prize, CSAMSE Annual Conference Best Paper Award, 2018
• Excellence Award, Shanghai Open Data Applications Competition, 2017
• 2nd Prize, OCSAMSE Annual Conference Best Paper Award, 2009
• Dean’s Award for Research Excellence, Marshall School of Business, 2007
• College of Engineering Scholarship, University of Florida, 2004
• University of Florida Alumni Fellowship, 2001–2005
• Meritorious Award, Mathematical Contest in Modeling, 1999
• Exceptional Student of Shanghai Jiaotong University (1st place), 1998

• [1] Chu, L. Y., G. Li, A. Wu, B. Wu, 2025, “Disruptive Timing,” Management Science, forthcoming.
• [2] Chu, L. Y., Q. Feng, J. G. Shanthikumar, Z. M. Shen, J. Wu, 2025, “Solving the Price-Setting Newsvendor Problem with Parametric Operational Data Analytics (ODA),” Management Science, 71(8), 6627-6646.
• [3] Han, B., L. Wu, T. Sun, L. Y. Chu, L. Wu, 2024, “Connecting Customers and Merchants Offline: Experimental Evidence from the Commercialization of Last-mile Stations at Alibaba,” MIS Quarterly, 48(3), 1157-1192.
• [4] Han, B., L. Y. Chu, T. Sun, L. Wu, 2023, “Commercializing the Package Flow: Cross-sampling Physical Products Through E-Commerce Warehouses,” Management Science, forthcoming.
• [5] Chu, L. Y., B. Wu, 2023, “Designing Online Platforms for Customized Goods and Services: A Market‐Frictions Based Perspective,” Academy of Management Review, 48(1), pp. 78-99.
• [6] Chu, L. Y., Y. Rong, H. Zheng, 2022, “Strategic Benefit of Request for Proposal/Quotation,” Operations Research, 70(3), pp. 1410-1427.
• [7] Han, B., T. Sun, L. Y. Chu, L. Wu, 2022, “COVID-19 and E-Commerce Operations: Evidence from Alibaba,” Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 24(3), pp. 1388-1405.
• [8] Chu, L. Y., H. Nazerzadeh, H. Zhang, 2020, “Position Ranking and Auction for Online Marketplaces,” Management Science, 66(8), pp. 3617-3634.
• [9] Chen, Y., L. Y. Chu, 2020, “Synchronizing Pricing and Replenishment to Serve Forward-looking Customers,” Naval Research Logistics, 67(5), pp. 321-333.
• [10] Chu, L. Y., G. Li, P. Rusmevichientong, 2018, “Optimal Pricing and Inventory Planning with Charitable Donations,” Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, 20(4), pp. 687-703.
• [11] Chu, L. Y., N. Shamir, H. Shin, 2017, “Strategic Communication for Capacity Alignment with Pricing in a Supply Chain,” Management Science, 63(12), pp. 4366-4388.
• [12] Qi, L. Y. Chu, Chen, R., 2016, “Quality Provision with Heterogeneous Consumer Reservation Utilities,” Production and Operations Management, 25(5), pp. 883-901.
• [13] Chu, L. Y., D. E. Sappington, 2015, “Contracting with Private Knowledge of Production Capacity,” Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, 24(4), pp. 752-785.
• [14] Chu, L. Y., Y. Wang, 2015, “Bundled Procurement for Technology Acquisition and Future Competition,” Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, 17(2), pp. 249-261.
• [15] Chu, L. Y., G. Lai, 2013, “Salesforce Contracting under Demand Censorship,” Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, 15(2), pp. 320-334.
• [16] Chu, L. Y., D. E. Sappington, 2013, “Motivating Energy Suppliers to Promote Energy Conservation,” Journal of Regulatory Economics, 43(3), pp. 229-247.
• [17] Bassamboo, A., L. Y. Chu, R. S. Randhawa, 2013, “Designing Flexible Systems Using a New Notion of Supermodularity,” Operations Research Letters, 41(1), pp. 107-111.
• [18] Chu, L. Y., D. E. Sappington, 2012, “Designing Optimal Gain Sharing Plans to Promote Energy Conservation,” Journal of Regulatory Economics, 42(2), pp. 115-134.
• [19] Chu, L. Y., H. Zhang, 2011, “Optimal Pre-order Strategy with Endogenous Information Control,” Management Science, 57(6), pp. 1055-1077.
• [20] Chu, L. Y., D. E. Sappington, 2010, “Contracting with Private Knowledge of Signal Quality,” RAND Journal of Economics, 41(2), pp. 244-269.
• [21] Chu, L. Y., Z. M. Shen, 2010, “A Power-of-two Ordering Policy for One-Warehouse Multi-Retailer Systems with Stochastic Demand,” Operations Research, 58(2), pp. 492-502.
• [22] Chu, L. Y., D. E. Sappington, 2009, “Implementing High-Powered Contracts to Motivate Intertemporal Effort Supply,” RAND Journal of Economics, 40(2), pp. 296-316.
• [23] Chu, L. Y., 2009, “Truthful Bundle/Multi-unit Double Auctions,” Management Science, 55(7), pp. 1184-1198.
• [24] Chu, L. Y., D. E. Sappington, 2009, “Procurement Contracts: Theory vs. Practice,” International Journal of Industrial Organization, 27(1), pp. 51-59.
• [25] Chu, L. Y., J. G. Shanthikumar, Z. M. Shen, 2008, “Solving Operational Statistics via a Bayesian Analysis,” Operations Research Letters, 36(1), pp. 110-116.
• [26] Chu, L. Y., Z. M. Shen, 2008, “Truthful Double Auction Mechanisms,” Operations Research, 56(1), pp. 102-120.
• [27] Chu, L. Y., D. Sappington, 2007, “A Note on Optimal Procurement Contracts with Limited Direct Cost Inflation,” Journal of Economic Theory, 137(1), pp. 745-753.
• [28] Chu, L. Y., Z. M. Shen, 2007, “Trade Reduction vs. Multi-Stage: A Comparison of Double Auction Design Approaches,” European Journal of Operational Research, 180(2), pp. 677-691.
• [29] Chu, L. Y., D. Sappington, 2007, “Simple Cost-Sharing Contracts,” American Economic Review, 97(1), pp. 419-428.
• [30] Chu, L. Y., Z. M. Shen, 2006, “Agent Competition Double Auction Mechanism,” Management Science, 52(8), pp. 1215-1222.
• [31] Chu, L. Y., V. Hsu, Z. M. Shen, 2005, “An Economic Lot-Sizing Problem with Perishable Inventory and Economies of Scale Costs: Approximation Solutions and Worst Case Analysis,” Naval Research Logistics, 52(6), pp. 536-548.

• “Sailing Against the Tide: How Wellhope Foods Realised a Millennial Dream for Animal Husbandry Through Connection” (“迎战‘猪周期’！壹号食品如何通过‘连接’，圆养殖业‘千年一梦’”), 2021
• “Long-Termism and Speed: Lessons from Cross-Border E-Commerce Player SHEIN” (“长期主义与唯快不破——跨境电商SHEIN带来的启示”), 2021
• “Time to Shein,” CKGSB Knowledge, 2021
• “Twenty-Five Years of the Vegetable Basket Project: Can Digital Innovation Carry It Forward and Support Common Prosperity?” (“‘菜篮子工程’25年 数字化创新能否接力时代 助力共同富裕？”), 2021
• “How to Find the Second Curve? The Case of Tencent’s Industrial Internet” (“如何寻找‘第二曲线’？以腾讯产业互联网为例”), 2022
• “Identifying Representative Companies Across Industries Through Financial Data” (“通过财务数据，识别不同行业的代表性企业”), 2023
• “Need for Speed: How SHEIN Became a Global Online Fashion Retailer,” in Unleashing Innovation – Ten Cases from China on Digital Strategy and Market Expansion, 2023
• “Answering the Unknown Through Practice: The Digital Transformation of Tiegi Lishi Group” (“以实践解答未知，详解铁骑力士集团数字化转型之路”), 2024
• “Method, Miracle and the Way: How Feihe Dairy Broke Through” (“奇技看术 奇迹看道 飞鹤乳业异军突起的势道术”), 2024