Enying Zheng

Research Profile

Trained as a sociologist, my research lies at the intersection of economic sociology, sociology of organizations, and historical sociology. Using mixed methods, my work explores four main areas: 1) I am engaged in a book project that revisits a fundamental question in the history of science and technology in China; 2) the formation and influence of social networks on politics and economy, 3) organizational identities, and 4) the evolution and institutionalization of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting.

I am currently completing a coauthored book manuscript tentatively titled “Revisiting the Needham Question: The Rise and Fall of Chinese Inventiveness,” forthcoming in 2025 from Princeton University Press. Named after Joseph Needham (1900-1995), the original question is “why and how China had ceded its leadership in science and technology to Western countries in the 17^th century.” We revisit this question with empirical evidence of more than 10,000 manually coded inventions and scientific discoveries between the 5^th century BCE to the end of the 19^th century CE. Analysis of this and other datasets helps set the question right: Ancient China was extraordinarily inventive as it led the world in science and technology for a substantial period, but the decline started as early as the 6^th century, followed by a gradual decline from the 6^th to the 13^th century, and concluded with significant stagnation from the 14^th to 19^th century. We answer this question highlighting a temporal variation within Chinese history rather than conducting a static comparison between China and Europe. Specifically, we explore: 1) What enabled ancient China to lead the world in science and technology for centuries? and 2) Why—and crucially, when—did China begin to fall behind? We answer these questions by developing a typology of Chinese state that experienced three phases: the polycentric, enabling, and controlling state that aligns with the rise and fall of inventiveness.

My early work on CSR has been published in management journals, including Journal of Business Ethics, Management and Organization Review, and Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. My more recent scholarly pieces are accepted or at advanced review stages in major sociology journals such as British Journal of Sociology, Socio-Economic Review, Social Forces, Canadian Review of Sociology, and Sociological Studies (in Chinese).

Future Research

Reviewing the achievements of historical figures has inspired me to study today’s tech entrepreneurs. A significant number of Chinese business leaders have amassed fortunes through tech-based ventures. Operating within a strong state, they have become a powerful social force, often using social media to voice their opinions. I plan to write a book exploring how they perceive and address inequality, especially as it intersects with the externalities of their tech businesses. The book will focus on the boundaries they draw, the discourses they employ, and the actions they take to shape society and influence policy.