Prof. Simon S. M. Ho, Vice Rector (Academic Affairs) of the University of Macau (UM), has received two academic awards from two prestigious organizations: the KPMG Best Paper Award from the Gender Issues and Worklife Balance Section of the American Accounting Association (AAA), and the China Family Business Research Pioneer Award from the Chinese Private Enterprises Economic Research Association.

Prof. Ho received the KPMG Best Paper Award from the Gender Issues and Worklife Balance Section of AAA at its 2013 annual meeting held on 6 August, in Anaheim, California, the United States, for his research paper titled “CEO Gender, Ethical Leadership and Accounting Conservatism”, which is co-authored with Annie Yuansha Li from the University of Massachusetts--Lowell and Kinsun Tam from the State University of New York at Albany. The paper found empirical evidence of a positive relationship between CEO gender (female) and accounting conservatism. The study made an important contribution to the business ethics literature by demonstrating the benefits of gender diversity in upholding the integrity of financial reporting.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to corporate social responsibility (CSR) of Chinese family businesses, Prof. Ho also received the China Family Business Research Pioneer Award from the Chinese Private Enterprises Economic Research Association on 13 November in Bejing. His recent work, Report on Macao Family Business CSR, which is co-authored with Chen Xiaoyun from UM’s Faculty of Business Administration and which analyses the distinctive features and driving forces of CSR activities of Chinese family firms in Macao, was highly praised by the Family Business Committee of the Association.