Department of Accounting and Finance

PhD, University of Warwick

MPhil (Econ), Nankai University

PGCert (Higher Education), University of Hull

BSc (Biochemistry), Nankai University

2022.07-Present     Professor in Accounting and Finance, Surrey International Institute, DUFE.

2015.09-2022.06    Professor in Accounting and Finance, Henley Business School, University of Reading, U.K.

2011.09-2015.08    Reader in Financial Management, Surrey Business School, University of Surrey, U.K.

2004.06-2011.08    Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Finance, Hull University Business School, University of Hull, U.K.

2002.08-2003.08    Research Fellow, Dept. of Finance, Investment and Banking, Business School, University of Wisconsin-Madison, U.S.

International Financial Management, Research in Business

Corporate Finance, Accounting and Small Businesses

I have had 50+ publications, including high quality journal articles (e.g., FT50/ABS4), book chapters, policy reports (e.g., for Davos Economic Forum) in both English and Chinese and a full list of publication is available from https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=O4LEtzAAAAAJ&hl=en. My research has also been reported by mainstream newspapers (e.g., Times) and media (e.g., Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/benjaminlaker/2023/01/20/government-should-help-small-business-more-says-research/?sh=5c2ce3c56376). Below is a list of publications since 2020.

1.Huang, X., Wang, X., Han, L., Shen, Y., and Zhou, L., 2026, Power Play: How Bank Market Power Shapes Earnings Management in European SMEs, International Journal of Finance & Economics.

2.Yin, A., Han, L. and Shen, Y., 2025, Is the Capital Market Walking the Walk on Board Gender Diversity? Evidence from Stock Price Crash Risk, Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting.

3.Mi, B., Zhang, L., and Han, L., 2025, Balancing acts: Bank market deregulation and the dynamics of earnings management, International Review of Financial Analysis.

4.Pleshkevich B. and Han, L., 2025, 'Chapter 57: Application of Econometric Techniques and Machine Learning Algorithms for Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) Credit Risk Assessment' in Handbook of Financial Econometrics, Statistics, Technology and Risk Management, edited by Lee et al., World Scientific Publishing Company

5.Han., L., Wang., Y., and Shen, Y., 2025, 'Chapter 10: Following in the Footsteps of David Storey to Understand SME R&D Investment and Tax Incentives' in Entrepreneurship and Small Business: Collection of Research, Policy and Personal Insights in Honour of the Contributions of David Storey, edited by Saridakis and Mitra, Springer Nature

6.Yin, A., Han, L. and Shen, Y., 2024, Unravelling the enigma: managerial bad news hoarding and financial analysis forecasts, Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting. 1-38.

7.Hu, G., Luo, J., Han, L. and Liu, T., 2023, Does media spotlight really burn innovation? Evidence from China, Pacific Basin Finance Journal. 83, 102240.

8.Li, S., Han, L., and Mi, B., 2023, The effects of banking market structure on corporate cash holdings and the value of cash, Journal of Empirical Finance. 75, p.101460.

9.Mi, B., Zhang, L., Han, L., and Shen, Y., 2023, Bank Market Power and Financial Reporting Quality, Journal of Corporate Finance. 84, p.102530.

10.Xu, B., Zhang, Y., Fan, Z., Han, L., and Shen, Z., 2023, Patent Privacy Protection: Generating Available Medical Treatment Plans Based on Federal Learning and CBR, Information & Management. 61(7), p.103908.

11.Wang, H., Xiang, X., and Han, L., 2023, Financial Development, Legal System and SME Finance: Cross County Evidence, International Review of Economics & Finance. 88, 981-1002.

12.Hu, G., Luo, J., Han, L. and Liu, T., 2023 forthcoming, Does media spotlight really burn innovation? Evidence from China, Pacific Basin Finance Journal. 83, 102240.

13.Zhang, L., Mi, B., Shen, Y., and Han, L., 2023, When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do - Loan Syndication in a State-dominated Market, Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting. 60(4), 1469-1494.

14.Huang, X., Wang, X., Han, L. and Laker, B., 2023, Does sound lending infrastructure foster better financial reporting quality of SMEs? European Journal of Finance, 29 (5), pp.542-566.

15.Xiong, C., Luo, D., and Han, L., 2023 forthcoming, The cost efficiency of the electricity retailers with the integration of the cloud energy storage, International Journal of Energy Research.

16.Wang, H., Xiang, X., and Han, L., 2023, Financial Development, Legal System and SME Finance: Cross County Evidence, International Review of Economics and Finance. 88, 981-1002.

17.Zhang, S., Han, L., Kallias, K., and Kallias, A., 2022, Bank switching of US small businesses: New methods and evidence, Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting vol.58, p. 1573-1616.

18.Zhang, S., Han, L., Kallias, K., and Kalias, A., 2021, The value of in-person banking: Evidence from U.S. small businesses, Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting vol. 57(4), p.1393-1435.

19.Vershinina, N., Markman, G., Han, L, Rodgers, P., Kitching, J., Hashimzade, N. and Barrett, R., 2022, Gendered regulations and SME performance in transition economies, Small Business Economics, 58, p.1113-1130.

20.Tian, L., and Han., L., 2021, Nurturing regional innovation: the effects of bank competition in the USA, International Journal of Banking, Accounting and Finance, 12(1), p.75-96.

21.Wang, X., Han, L, Huang, X, and Mi, B., 2021, The financial and operational impacts of European SMEs’ use of trade credit as a substitute for bank credit, European Journal of Finance, 27(8), 796-825.

22.Wang, X., Han., L., and Huang, X., 2020, Bank competition, concentration and EU SME cost of debt, International Review of Financial Analysis, 71.

23.Wang, X., Han., L., and Huang, X., 2020, Bank market power and SME finance: Firm-bank evidence from European countries, Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, 64.

24.Tian, L, Han. L, and Mi, B., 2020, Bank competition, information specialization and innovation. Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, 54, 1011-1035.

25.Han, L., Tian., L., and Mi, B. 2020, ‘Chapter 14: Information Asymmetries and Entrepreneurial Finance: Evidence from Theories and Empirics', in Saridaskis, G. and Cowling, M., , Handbook of Quantitative Research Methods in Entrepreneurship, Edward Elgar.

26.Mi, B., and Han., L. 2020, Bank market competition and syndicated loan prices. Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, 54(1), 1-28.

I have been appointed as a visiting professor at six universities in both China (e.g., Dongbei University) and UK (e.g., University of Reading) and serve on the editorial boards for leading academic journals, including International Small Business Journal (ABS3, Consulting Editor 2017-2022) and Entrepreneurship & Regional Development (ABS3). I work closely with universities (e.g., University of Malaya, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary University of London), regulatory offices (e.g., AACSB, Quality and Qualification Ireland), public sectors (e.g., Bank of England) and funding bodies (ESRC, UK and SSHRC, Canada) on external examination, degree programme accreditation, validation, research projects and faculty promotion assessment. I have successfully supervised 20+ doctoral students to completion and examined 20+ doctoral thesis in UK (including universities of Middlesex, Southampton, Reading, Surrey, Hull, Sussex, Birmingham, Brunel and Derby), Australia (e.g., Victoria University), Pakistan (e.g., COMSATS University Islamabad), and China (e.g., Shihezi University). My PhD thesis was ranked amongst Top 10 in the EDAMBA (European Doctoral Programmes Association in Management and Business Administration) PhD Thesis Competition and my research has been funded by UK Overseas Research Studentship, University of Wisconsin-Madison Fellowship, Bank of England, Barclays Bank, National Social Science Fund of China, National Nature Science Research Fund of China, Ministry of Education China, Tianjin Government, Nankai University, University of Warwick and Shihezi University.