Associate Professor (副教授)

Contact Information
Office: 6/F, School of Management, 136A, Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Telephone: (852) 3859 8978
Email : [email protected]

Biography

Dr. Cheung Man Lai is an Associate Professor at the School of Management, Tung Wah University of Hong Kong. He is a research-active scholar and academic leader recognised among the 2025 Elsevier Top 2% Scientists Worldwide. His work demonstrates strong academic impact, with an H-index of 30, over 5,300 citations, and more than 40 publications since 2020, including over 30 articles in SSCI and ABDC A/A* journals.

Dr. Cheung’s research centres on customer engagement, social media and influencer marketing, technology adoption, and emerging digital environments such as the metaverse and virtual reality. His interdisciplinary research further spans smart health, gerontechnology, healthcare wearables, AI applications for ageing populations, and consumer wellbeing, with a particular emphasis on technology-driven health innovation. His work has been published in leading journals, including Psychology & Marketing, Internet Research, European Journal of Marketing, Information Technology & People, Computers in Human Behavior, International Journal of Hospitality Management, and Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. He also serves on the editorial boards of several international scholarly journals.

In addition, Dr. Cheung has a strong track record in doctoral supervision, securing competitive research funding, and leading international collaborations. He has partnered with reputable non-governmental organisations on research and development initiatives in sports event management, gerontechnology, immersive technologies, and health management. Through his work, he seeks to bridge academic research with practical applications that enhance societal wellbeing and drive innovation in health and ageing.

Academic and Professional Qualifications
BBA, PGDE, MA, DBA

Author Identifications
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-0320-1134
SCOPUS Author ID: 57210828583
Researcher ID (Web of Science): AAE-5777-2020

Education
DBA, University of Newcastle, Australia
MA, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
PGDE, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
BBA, City University of Hong Kong

Honours and Awards
2025 Elsevier Top 2% Scientists Worldwide
Outstanding Paper Awards: Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics (2021), European Business Review (2023)
Outstanding Reviewer Award: Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics (2021)
Top viewed article: International Journal of Tourism Research (2023)
Teaching Excellence Award: The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong

Teaching Areas
Marketing
Management
Research Methods

Research Interests
Customer engagement
Social-media influencers
Green marketing
Immersive technologies
AI usage
Technology adoption
Mobile health applications
Service failure
Data breach

Funded Projects (Selected)
2024-2026 From Expertise to Affinity in Medical Tourism Communication (Funding: £8,050 from British Academy Leverhulme Trust Small Research Grant, on-going as PI)

2026-2027 From Play to Health: Enhancing Elderly Engagement with Exergames Through Affordance and Goal Framing Theories – A Longitudinal Study and Experiments in Hong Kong (Funding: HK$753,744 from Faculty Development Scheme (FDS), Research Grants Council (RGC) Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing Degree Sector, on-going as Co-I)

2022-2024 Is Prevention Better than Cure? How the Gamification Elements of Gerontechnology Influence the Elderly Mental Well-being and Cognitive Health: A Longitudinal Study in Hong Kong (Funding: HK$775,430 from Faculty Development Scheme (FDS), Research Grants Council (RGC) Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing Degree Sector, completed as Co-I)

2025-2026 Customizing Design Strategies for Virtual Reality to Reduce Cybersickness and Enhance Mood in Older Adults: Insights from Randomized Experiments in Hong Kong (Funding: HK$684,789 from Faculty Development Scheme (FDS), Research Grants Council (RGC) Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing Degree Sector, on-going as Co-I)

Publications (Selected)
Cheung, M. L., Leung, W.K.S., Chang, M. K., Wong, R. Y., & Tse, S. Y. (2026). Driving engagement in metaverse-mediated tourism environments: exploring the role of perceived realism. Internet Research, 36(2), 683-711.

Ndasi, W., & Cheung, M. L. (2026). Navigating influence: a mixed-method study on the role of social media influencer type and message content in driving digital engagement and patronage intentions. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 132, 104401.

Cheung, M. L., Leung, W.K.S., Chang, M. K., Shi, S., & Tse, S. Y. (2025). Harvesting sustainability: How social capital fosters cohesive relationships between green social media influencers and consumers to drive electronic word‐of‐mouth behaviors. Psychology & Marketing, 42(2), 444-469.

Cheung, M. L., Leung, W.K.S., Chang, M.K., & Aw, C.X. (2024). Immersive time in the metaverse and visits to the physical world: why not both? A holistic customer engagement framework, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 36(11), 3674-3703.

Cheung, M. L., Pires, G. D., Rosenberger, P. J., Leung, W.K.S. & Attia, S. (2024). Exploring the antecedents and consequences of social-media interactions: Evidence from Egypt, Journal of Strategic Marketing, 32(8), 1444-1459.

Leung, W. K., Law, S. P., Cheung, M. L., Chang, M. K., Lai, C. Y., & Liu, N. (2025). From resistance to acceptance: developing health task measures to boost mHealth adoption among older adults: mixed-methods approach and innovation resistance. Internet Research, 35(4), 1678-1721.

Cheung, M. L., Leung, W.K.S., Taheri, B. & Tse, S.Y. (2023). Driving destination brand engagement: The role of traveler participation, International Journal of Tourism Research, 25(6), 565-580.

Leung, W.K.S., Chang, M.K., Cheung, M.L. & Shi, S. (2023). VR tourism experiences and tourist behavior intention in COVID-19: an experience economy and mood management perspective, Information Technology and People, 36(3), 1095–1125.

Tse, S.Y., Wang, D.T., Cheung, M.L. & Leung, W.K.S. (2023). Do digital platforms promote or hinder corporate brand building? European Journal of Marketing, 57(4), 987–1013.

Sharipudin, M. N. S., Cheung, M. L., De Oliveira, M. J., & Solyom, A. (2023). The role of post-stay evaluation on eWOM and hotel revisit intention among Gen Y. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 47(1), 57-83.

Cheung, M.L., Leung, W.K.S., Aw, E. C. X., & Koay, K.Y. (2022). “I follow what you post!”: The role of social media influencers’ content characteristics in consumers' online brand-related activities (COBRAs). Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 66, 102940.

Leung, W.K.S, Chang, M. K., Cheung, M. L., & Shi, S. (2022). Swift trust development and prosocial behavior in time banking: A trust transfer and social support theory perspective. Computers in Human Behavior, 129, 107137.

Leung, W.K.S., Chang, M.K., Cheung, M.L. & Shi, S. (2022). Understanding consumers’ post-consumption behaviors in C2C social commerce: The role of functional and relational customer orientation. Internet Research, 32(4), 1131–1167.

Cheung, M.L., Leung, W.K.S., Yang, M.X., Koay, K.Y and Chang, M.K. (2022). Exploring the nexus of social media influencers and consumer brand engagement. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 34(10), 2370–2385.

Leung, W.K.S., Cheung, M.L., Chang, M.K., Tse, S.Y., Lenny, H. & Shi, S. (2022). The role of virtual reality interactivity in building tourists’ memorable experiences and post-adoption intentions in the COVID-19 era. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 13(3), 481–499.

Cheung, M. L., Pires, G. D., Rosenberger, P. J., Leung, W. K.S, & Sharipudin, M. N. S. (2021). The role of consumer-consumer interaction and consumer-brand interaction in driving consumer-brand engagement and behavioral intentions. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 61, 102574.

Yang, M. X., Tang, X., Cheung, M. L., & Zhang, Y. (2021). An institutional perspective on consumers' environmental awareness and pro‐environmental behavioral intention: Evidence from 39 countries. Business Strategy and the Environment, 30(1), 566-575.

Cheung, M.L., Pires, G.D., Rosenberger III, P.J. & De Oliveira, M.J. (2021), "Driving COBRAs: the power of social media marketing", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 39(3), 361-376.

Cheung, M.L., Leung, W.K.S, Cheah, J.H. & Ting, H. (2021). Emotional or rational? Exploring the effectiveness of user-generated contents in digital tourism platforms, Journal of Vacation Marketing, 28(2), 152–170.

Cheung, M.L., Leung, W.K.S., Chang, M.K. & Shi, S. (2021). Driving loyalty intentions of mobile games: A motivation theory perspective, Quality and Quantity, 1-26.

Koay, K.Y., Cheung, M.L., Soh, P.C.H, & Teoh, C.W. (2021). Social media influencer marketing: The moderating role of materialism. European Business Review, 34(2), 224-243.

Cheung, M.L., Ting, H., Cheah, J. H. & Sharifuddin, M.N. (2020). Examining the role of social media-based destination brand community in evoking tourists’ emotional experiences and intention to co-create and visit. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 30(1), 28-43.

Cheung, M. L., Pires, G. D., Rosenberger, P. J. & De Oliverira, M. J. (2020). Driving consumer–brand engagement and co-creation by brand interactivity. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 38(4), 523-541.

Cheung, M. L., Pires, G. D. & Rosenberger, P. J. (2020). The influence of perceived social media marketing elements on consumer–brand engagement and brand knowledge. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 32(3), 695-720.

Cheung, M. L., Pires, G. D. & Rosenberger, P. J. (2020). Exploring Consumer-Brand Engagement: A Holistic Framework. European Business Review, 33(1), 80-103.

Cheung, M. L., Leung, W.K.S. & Chan, H. (2020). Driving Healthcare Wearable Technology Adoption for Generation Z Consumers in Hong Kong. Young Consumers, 22(1), 10-27.