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Student with mannequins

Sheng Lu

Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of Missouri, Columbia 2011

Quinn Hall, Room 309B
(401) 874-2881

shenglu@mail.uri.edu

Sheng joined the faculty in 2011 after receiving his Ph.D. in Textile and Apparel Management from University of Missouri. Sheng's research focuses on the economic and business aspects of the soft-goods industry (textile, apparel and retailing), with particular emphasis on their operation, transition and evolution in today's globalized economy. Sheng's specialization areas include international trade and trade policy, governance of global apparel value chain and international marketing. More recently, he has examined the restructuring of the global soft-goods industry since the financial crisis and the future of the fashion business with sectoral impacts of climate change & related regulations, sustainable global supply chain management, market access in emerging economies and multilateral/regional trade, finance & investment regimes in shift.

Sheng's scholarship is recognized both in the U.S. and in China. He received the China Textile Economy Research Award 2nd place in 2010, International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) 2009 Annual Conference Best Doctoral Student Paper-1st Place and China Trade Remedy Research Award 2nd place in 2006.

Sheng will teach textile marketing courses closely related to his specialty areas, including TMD 433 (Textile markets) and TMD 432 (Fashion apparel supply chain management). He has two-year teaching experiences for equivalent courses at University of Missouri.

Sheng has also actively engaged with industry leaders, policymakers and scholars to gain insight into the global nature of the soft-goods industry. He worked as research assistant for U.S.-China Business Council in Washington D.C. from 2009 to 2010, conducting market research and policy analysis for U.S. multinationals having business with China. Before coming to the U.S., Sheng received his Master degree in Industrial Economics and Bachelor degree in International Economics and Trade from Donghua University (the former China Textile University) in Shanghai.

Recent Publications:

  • Lu, S. (2010). Enter China's Retail Market? Market Access Regulations and Business Oppertuntieis for Forein Investment. China Business Review, Issue of May-June
  • Zhang, SY& Lu, S. (2010). World Economy and Export Dependency of China's Textile Industry. Journal of Donghua University(English Edition), 5,
  • Ha-Brookshire, J. & Lu, S. (2010). Organizational Identities and Their Economic Performance: An Analysis of U.S. Textile and Apparel Firms of U.S. Textile and Apparel Firms, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, Vol. 28 (3)
  • Lu, S (2009). The Outlook for U.S.- China Textile and Apparel Trade in 2009: From the Trade Policy Perspective. Online Journal of the International Fashion and Apparel Industry. Issues 3. http://www.udel.edu/fiber/issue3/world/ApparelTradeOutlook.html
  • Lu, S. & Ha-Brookshire, J. (2009). Regional Production Network led by the U.S. Textile Industry and the Impact of the 2006-2008 U.S.-China Textile Agreement. Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, Vol (6), No.2
  • Lu, S. (2011). The Fifth Anniversary of "Post-Quota Era": New Trends and Pattern of World Textiles and Apparel Trade. World Trade Organizaiton Focus, 2 (in Chinese)
  • Lu, S. (2011). Restructuring of the U.S. Textile and Apparel Inudstries in the Post-crisis Era and its Impacts on China. Journal of Jiangsu Textiles, 2, (in Chinese)
  • Lu, S. (2008). The U.S. Monitoring System on Apparel Imports from Vietnam and Assessment of Its Impacts. World Trade Organization Focus, 1, (in Chinese)

Refereed Conference Proceedings/Presentations


  • Lu, S. (2011). Textile and Apparel Industry Research in China: An Analysis of Chinese Publications in National Academic Journals from 2008 to 2010, International Textile and Apparel Association 2011 annual conference, Philadelphia, MA
  • Lu, S. & Dickerson, K. (2011). Role-play Debate Enhances Students' Understanding on the U.S. Textile and Apparel Industry in the Global Economy and Related Trade Policy Issues, International Textile and Apparel Association 2011 annual conference, Philadelphia, MA
  • Lu, S. (2010). The Fifth Anniversary of  "Post-Quota Era": New Trends and Pattern of World Textiles and Apparel, 2010 China Textile Economy Research Award Proceedings. China Textile and Apparel Council (the former Ministry of Textile Industry, PRC).
  • Lu, S. (2009). China Takes All? An Empirical Evaluation on the Impacts of the Quota Elimination on the World Clothing Trade from 2000 to 2007. International Textile and Apparel Association 2009 annual conference, Bellevue, WA
  • Lu, S. & Ha-Brookshire, Jung E. (2008). U.S.-led Regional Production Network and the Impacts of the 2006 - 2008 U.S.-China Textile Agreement. International Textile and Apparel Association 2008 annual conference, Schaumburg, Illinois.
  • Lu, S. (2006). Determination of "Market Disruption" in Practice: Case study on the U.S. Transitional Textile Safeguard Measures against China. 2006 China Trade Remedy Research Award Proceedings. Ministry of Commerce, PRC.