Undergraduate
Graduate
Executive Education

“How Tourists’ Perceived Social Class Similarity with Robots Shapes Bias against Human Employees.”

Zhou Yu—“Timing Matters: How Pre-Help Gratitude Expression Influences Help Autonomy and Willingness to Help,” “How Tourists’ Perceived Social Class Similarity with Robots Shapes Bias against Human Employees.”
PhD  /  Meet the Students  /  Conference Trips  /  Zhou Yu

Department of Management and Organisation

“Timing Matters: How Pre-Help Gratitude Expression Influences Help Autonomy and Willingness to Help,”

“How Tourists’ Perceived Social Class Similarity with Robots Shapes Bias against Human Employees.”

A short report from Zhou Yu who presented two of his research papers during the 86th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM 2026).

Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM 2026).

Zhou Yu’s participation at the 86th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM 2026)..

Attending the 2026 Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting was a valuable experience for my academic and professional development. The conference provided opportunities to present my research, receive feedback from scholars, learn about current developments in organisational behavior research, and gain a better understanding of the academic job market.

During the conference, I presented two research projects. The first, “Timing Matters: How Pre-Help Gratitude Expression Influences Help Autonomy and Willingness to Help,” received a Best Paper designation.

I also participated in the symposium “AI Beyond Technology: From Socially Categorized Actors to Shapers of Social Stratification,” where I presented my paper “How Tourists’ Perceived Social Class Similarity with Robots Shapes Bias against Human Employees.” Presenting these projects allowed me to discuss the work with researchers interested in related topics and receive useful feedback on their theoretical framing, positioning, and potential directions for further development. These discussions were helpful.

In sum, attending AOM 2026 deepened my scholarly training, refined my research identity, and guided me in my transition from a PhD candidate to a full-fledged academic who can conduct independent research, as well as helped me in my job search for an assistant professor position during my job market year.

Zhou Yu’s participation at the 86th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM 2026).

Conference Details

  1. 86th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM 2026) Philadelphia, USA ·  31 Jul – 4 August 2026
NUS Business School, National University of Singapore  ·  PhD Programme, Department of Management and Organisation

  • PhD
  • “Timing Matters: How Pre-Help Gratitude Expression Influences Help Autonomy and Willingness to Help,”