Associate Professor Chao Liu of the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) has received the Youth Achievement Award at the 10th Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Humanities and Social Sciences), presented by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. The award recognizes the paper “Knowledge Management Practices of Tourism Consultants: A Project Ecology Perspective,” co-authored with Professor Allan M. Williams and Professor Gang Li and published in Tourism Management (Impact factor: 14.5, Q1) in 2022. Associate Professor Liu is the paper’s first and corresponding author.
The awards are an influential recognition of humanities and social sciences research in higher education in China. The Youth Achievement Award honours research by young scholars that demonstrates notable innovation and advances in the field, with important theoretical and practical value.
Award certificate
The award-winning study examines how tourism consultants acquire, create, share, and accumulate knowledge in project work. It is the first to apply a project ecology perspective in tourism research. Associate Professor Liu conducted 12 months of participant observation at three top-tier tourism planning and development organisations in China, participating in 15 tourism development projects. Interviews and analysis of project documents complemented the fieldwork, providing an insider’s understanding of consultants’ everyday practices and collaboration.
Associate Professor Liu Chao’s research team has published its research findings in Tourism Management (Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104491)
The study identifies two underlying logics shaping these practices: creativity and accumulation. The logic of creativity emphasises expanding knowledge sources, fostering diverse collaborations, and generating novel solutions. The logic of accumulation focuses on retaining project experience, strengthening trust, and building enduring project capabilities. These logics interact across four interconnected layers: the core project team; the firm; epistemic communities, including clients, external experts, and local communities; and personal networks. Together, they shape how knowledge is created and applied in tourism development projects.
Associate Professor Chao Liu
By looking beyond the boundaries of individual firms, the research highlights the importance of cross-organisational collaboration and interpersonal interaction. It offers practical insights into team composition, experience sharing, and external partnerships. It also emphasises local knowledge, informing collaboration among governments, businesses, and communities to develop project proposals that reflect local distinctiveness and are feasible under local conditions.
This award highlights MUST’s achievements in tourism management research and international academic collaboration. The University will continue to support high-quality research and strengthen links between scholarship and industry practice, contributing to the development of humanities and social sciences in Macao and the nation.
