Lai Kuen Shirley Law

Personal Profile

Teaching interests

Dr Shirley Law’s teaching interests span human resource management, global marketing, and hotel management, each deeply informed by her professional experience and qualifications. In human resource management, she focuses on how ethical and responsible employers can support work-life balance through family-friendly initiatives, enabling employees to thrive both personally and professionally.

Her global marketing teaching is informed by her credentials as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Professional Manager of the HKMA. She guides students in applying adaptive marketing strategies and innovative media communications to navigate the complexities of a dynamic global marketplace.

Her long-standing research in hotel management has led to the development of courses that integrate marketing, operations, and HR practices within the hospitality sector. These courses prepare students to manage international hotel operations and support workforce development.

Shirley’s teaching philosophy aligns with inclusive learning principles and the USW 2030 strategy, she emphasizes integrating academic learning with real-world business practices to cultivate globally minded, ethically aware professionals. She is experienced in supervising master-level capstone projects and dissertations.

Research interests

Dr Shirley Law’s research centres on gender equality, human resource management, and hospitality studies, with a particular emphasis on women’s work-life balance in the Asia-Pacific region. Her work critically investigates how female professionals navigate the competing demands of career and family, and how inclusive, ethical HR strategies can enhance their development and well-being. This focus is especially pertinent in the context of Asia-Pacific’s rapid economic transformation, where women constitute a vital segment of the labour force and contribute significantly to national growth.

Through empirical studies, Shirley explores real-life experiences of work-family conflict, career progression, and equal opportunity, aiming to generate evidence-based recommendations that inform both policy and practice. She is particularly interested in identifying workplace stressors and designing social support mechanisms that enable women to thrive professionally. Her research offers valuable insights for policymakers, HR practitioners, and business leaders seeking to foster inclusive and sustainable workforce strategies, and contributes meaningfully to the broader discourse on gender equity and organisational development in dynamic economic environments.

In addition, Shirley’s research extends to hotel management, where she examines how marketing and media strategies can enhance customer loyalty and promote sustainable development. She also explores the role of HR practices in encouraging continuous self-development and employee engagement among hospitality professionals, contributing to long-term organizational success. Her interdisciplinary approach contributes to both academic scholarship and practical solutions for workforce and industry advancement.