You-Il Lee

Research Interests

Business and Management Cultural Studies Government and Politics of Asia and the Pacific International Business International political economy (excl. international trade) International Relations Multicultural, Intercultural and Cross-cultural Studies Political economy and social change Studies of Asian Society

Prof You-Il Lee

Dean of Programs (Management & Marketing)

School of Management

College of Business and Law

Available For Media Comment.

Professor You-il Lee is a political economist and Professor of International Business, currently serving as Dean of Programs (Management and Marketing) at UniSA Business, University of South Australia. In this capacity he provides academic leadership across a diverse portfolio, spanning Arts and Cultural Management, Marketing, Digital Business, Human Resource Management, International Business, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. His leadership is characterised by a sustained commitment to international engagement, industry collaboration, and community connection in business education.
Professor Lee holds a BA (Honours) and a PhD in Politics from Murdoch University. His internationally recognised research focuses on global political economy, international business, and East Asian development, with particular expertise in globalisation, regionalism, foreign direct investment (FDI), and state–market relations. His work integrates institutional political economy, comparative regionalism, and critical perspectives on global capitalism, with a distinctive focus on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.
He has published widely in leading journals including International Business Review, International Marketing Review, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Contemporary Asia, and International Journal of Bank Marketing. His work also features in volumes  published by Routledge (Taylor & Francis), Oxford University Press, Edward Elgar, and the London Financial Times. A regular conference contributor and peer reviewer, Professor Lee is actively engaged in advancing scholarship in political economy and international business.
Recent major publications include several co-authored research monographs with Routledge, where he has served as first author on select volumes, demonstrating scholarly leadership and conceptual innovation. These include:

The Political Economy of Foreign Direct Investment in Korea: Evolution, Dynamics and Contradictions (Routledge, 2025) – a first-authored analysis of Korea’s FDI regime and institutional evolution.

Cross-Cultural Challenges of Managing 'One Belt One Road' Projects (Routledge, 2022) – a study of intercultural complexities in China’s global infrastructure strategy.

The Korean Economy: From Growth to Maturity (Routledge, 2019) – a first-authored critical account of Korea’s economic transformation.

The Political Economy of New Regionalism in Northeast Asia (Routledge, 2018) – an exploration of institutional and geopolitical drivers of regional cooperation.

Beyond academia, Professor Lee has advised governments, multinational corporations, and policy institutes on international investment, geopolitical risk, education diplomacy, and trade governance. He served as President of the Korean Studies Association of Australasia (2011–2015) and as a Board Member of the Australia–Korea Business Council (2018–2024), contributing strategic insights into bilateral economic and cultural relations.
A dedicated advocate for globally engaged and socially responsible business education, Professor Lee has led major curriculum reforms, established international articulation partnerships, and championed experiential and industry-relevant learning. His teaching, mentoring, and leadership have shaped the careers of emerging scholars and practitioners in international business and political economy across Australia and the Asia–Pacific.

  1. Asia - gobalisation and regionalism
  2. Political economy of foreign direct investment
  3. Australia and Asia

Date Position Institution name
2021 - 2025 Professor of International Business University of South Australia
2020 - 2025 Dean of Programs (Management & Marketing) University of South Australia

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2019 Award Citation for Outstanding Performance Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Korea, Republic of -
2015 Achievement Competitive research income Academy of Korean Studies Korea, Republic of 1370000

Language Competency
Korean Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

Date Institution name Country Title
1992 - 1996 Murdoch University Australia Doctor of Philosophy
1991 - 1991 Murdoch University Australia BA (Honours)

Date Title Institution Country
2016 - 2016 Distinguished Visiting Professor Sookmyung Women's University Korea, Republic of
2015 - 2015 Distinguished Visiting Professor Chung-Ang University Korea, Republic of
2013 - 2013 Distinguished Visiting Fellow Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) Korea, Republic of

Date Title Institution name Country
— Various My professional standing is reflected in roles such as AACSB/EQUIS peer review panel member and advisor to government and cultural agencies. Australia

Year Citation
2022 Mukhtar, A., Zhu, Y., Lee, Y. I., Bambacas, M., & Cavusgil, S. T. (2022). Challenges confronting the 'One Belt One Road' initiative: social networks and cross-cultural adjustment in CPEC projects. International Business Review, 31(1, article no. 101902), 1-16.
DOI Scopus26 WoS21
2021 Lee, R., & Lee, Y. I. (2021). The role of nation brand in attracting foreign direct investments: a case study of Korea. International Marketing Review, 38(1), 124-140.
DOI Scopus23
2018 Lee, Y. I. (2018). Korea has Seoul much more to offer in SA. The Advertiser, 21 April, 1.
2015 Lee, Y. I., & Lee, K. T. (2015). Economic nationalism and globalization in South Korea: a critical insight. Asian perspective, 39(1), 125-151.
DOI Scopus18
2015 Hong, J. L., & Lee, Y. I. (2015). Transformation of financial services in northeast Asian banks: an unexpected, but pleasant, cultural surprise. The world financial review, (January-February 2015), 13-16.
2014 Lee, K. T., Lee, Y. I., & Lee, R. (2014). Economic nationalism and cosmopolitanism: a study of interpersonal antecedents and differential outcomes. European journal of marketing, 48(5/6), 1133-1158.
DOI Scopus26
2014 Hong, J. K., & Lee, Y. I. (2014). Bancassurance in East Asia: cultural impact on customers' cross-buying behaviour. Journal of financial services marketing, 19(3), 234-247.
DOI Scopus8
2014 Lee, K. T., & Lee, Y. I. (2014). Effects of informational influence and normative influence on consumers' preference for domestic products: an empirical study on Korean consumers' preference for domestic cars. Multinational enterprise academy journal, 7, 41-62.
2012 Hong, J. K., & Lee, Y. I. (2012). Determinants of cross-buying intentions in banking services in collectivistic culture. International journal of bank marketing, 30(5), 328-358.
DOI Scopus27
2010 Lee, Y. I. (2010). Foreign direct investment in post-crisis Korea : European investors and 'mismatched globalization'. Pacific affairs, 83(1), E7-E8.
2010 Lee, Y. I., & Kim, W. S. (2010). South Korea's meandering path to globalisation in the late twentieth century. Asian studies review, 34(3), 309-327.
DOI Scopus14
2008 Lee, Y. I., & Kim, W. S. (2008). Korea's FDI-led economic liberalism: a critical view. Asian perspective, 32(1), 165-192.
2007 Kim, W. S., & Lee, Y. I. (2007). Challenges of Korea's foreign direct investment-led globalization : multinational corporations' perceptions. Asia Pacific business review, 13(2), 163-181.
DOI
2005 Kim, W. S., & Lee, Y. I. (2005). The Chill Wind of Korean Xenophobia. Far Eastern Economic Review.
2004 Lee, Y. I. (2004). MNCs' perception on the feasibility of South Korea as a business hub of Northeast Asia. Asian Academy of Management Journal.
2003 Lee, Y. I., & Hobday, M. (2003). Korea's new gobalisation strategy: can Korea become a business hub in northeast Asia. Management Decision, 41(5), 498-510.
DOI

Year Citation
2025 Lee, Y. I., Lee, R., & Jang, Y. J. (2025). The political economy of foreign direct investment in Korea: evolution, dynamics and contradictions (1 ed.). UK: Routledge.
DOI
2023 Lee, Y. I., & Shin, S. C. (Eds.) (2023). Proceedings of ASK2023: Australian Symposium on Teaching and Learning a Heritage Language: Perspectives of Korean Communities in Multicultural Societies. Australia: University of South Australia.
2022 Mukhtar, A., Zhu, Y., Lee, Y. I., Bambacas, M., & Cavusgil, S. T. (2022). Cross-cultural challenges of managing 'One Belt One Road' projects: the experience of China-Pakistan economic corridor. UK: Routledge.
DOI Scopus2
2022 Lee, Y. I., & Shin, S. C. (Eds.) (2022). Proceedings of ASK2022 - Australian Symposium of Korean Communities and Language Development. Australia: University of South Australia.
DOI
2019 Lee, Y. I., & Shin, S. C. (Eds.) (2019). Proceedings of ASK2019: Australian Symposium of Korean Communities, Bilingual Practices and Cultural Identities. Australia: University of South Australia.
2019 Lee, Y. I., & Lee, R. (2019). The Korean economy: from growth to maturity. UK: Routledge.
DOI Scopus5
2018 Lee, C. J., Lee, Y. I., Benson, J., Zhu, Y., & Jang, Y. J. (2018). The political economy of new regionalism in Northeast Asia: dynamics and contradictions. UK: Routledge.
2018 Lee, Y. I., Shin, S. C., & Song, C. (Eds.) (2018). Korean migration and language matters: proceedings of 2018 Australian symposium on Korean migration and language matters. Australia: Australian Symposium on Korean Migration and Language Matters.
2017 Lee, Y. I., & Shin, S. C. (Eds.) (2017). Korean language as socio-educational resources. Adelaide, South Australia: University of South Australia.
2017 Hong, J. K., & Lee, Y. I. (2017). The influence of national culture on customers' cross-buying intentions in Asian banking services : evidence from Korea and Taiwan. UK: Routledge.
DOI
2014 Hong, J. K., & Lee, Y. I. (2014). The influence of national culture on customers' cross-buying intentions in Asian banking services: evidence from Korea and Taiwan. UK: Routledge.
DOI Scopus5
2010 Hwang, S., Lee, Y. I., Kim, W. S., & Lee, M. (2010). Gyeonggi-do's R & D intensive foreign direct investment: performance and policy issues. Korea: Gyeonggi Research Institute.
2007 Lee, Y. I., & Kim, W. S. (2007). The Korean economy : the challenges of FDI-led globalization (First edition ed.). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.
2003 Lee, Y. I. (2003). From evolution to revolution : Korea's new market environment. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate.

Year Citation
2018 Lee, Y. I. (2018). The evolution of Korean political economy: from growth to maturity. In European Association for Evolutionary Political Economy (EAEPE) 2018 online proceedings (pp. 1-12). Italy: European Association for Evolutionary Political Economy.
2017 Lee, Y. I., & Lee, C. J. (2017). Political economy of new regionalism in Northeast Asia: dynamics and contradictions. In EAEPE 2017 online proceedings (pp. 1-20). Italy: European Association for Evolutionary Political Economy.
2015 Lee, Y. I. (Ed.) (2015). Korean Studies beyond Australasia: conference proceedings. In Proceedings of the Korean studies association of Australiasia (KSAA). Australia: Korean Studies Association.
2013 Lee, Y. I., Benson, J., & Zhu, Y. (2013). Economic clustering in Northeast Asia (China, Japan and Korea): strategic implications for Australia. In Dynamic Korea in a transforming Asia: opportunities and challenges for South Korean development (pp. 1-10). The Netherlands: Copenhagen Business School.
2012 Lee, Y. I., & Hong, J. K. (2012). Comparative study on the influence of collectivism on customers' cross-buying intentions in the Asian banking services: case of Korea and Taiwan. In H. Rammal (Ed.), Fusion or fracturing? Implications for international business: proceedings of the ANZIBA Annual Conference 2012,. Australia: Australia and New Zealand International Business Academy.
2011 Lee, Y. I., & Lee, K. (2011). Globalization and economic nationalism in South Korea: a critical view. In Proceedings of the 7th KSAA biennial conference: Korean studies in the era of global partnership (pp. 1-18). Sydney, Australia: Korean Studies Association of Australasia.
2007 Lee, Y. I. (2007). The paradox of Korean globalisation. In Proceedings of the 10th International Business Conference on Society for Global Business and Economic Development (SGBED). Japan: Society for Global Business and Economic Development.
2006 Lee, Y. I. (2006). Is Korea successfully integrated into global Economy? A critical view of Korea's foreign direct investment policy. In IFSAM 8th World Congress. Berlin, Germany.
2006 Lee, Y. I. (2006). Korea's foreign direct investment policy a critical view. In 5th Academy of Management Conference 2006. Tokyo, Japan: Asia Academy of Management.
2005 Lee, Y. I. (2005). Political Economy of Korea's New Globablization Strategy: Strategic Implications for MNCs. In 9th International Conference on Global Business & Economic Development. Seoul, Korea.
2004 Lee, Y. I. (2004). Dynamics and contradictions of the Korean Market. In SAM/IFSAM 2004 Conference : Management in a world of diversity and change. Göteboeg, Sweden.
2002 Lee, Y. I. (2002). MNCs' Perception on Feasibility of Korea's Emergence as a Business Hub in Northeast Asia. In Australia-New Zealand International Business Academy (ANZIBA) Annual Conference. Brisbane, Australia.
2001 Huang, C., & Lee, Y. I. (2001). E-nabling Product Development in the Australian Machinery Industry: An Exploratory Examination. In The 4th Interntional Conference on Management. Xian, China.

  • The Korean Economy: From Growth to Maturity, Academy of Korean Studies, 01/05/2018 - 30/04/2019

Courses I teach

  • BUSS 2062 Business International Study Tour (2025)
  • BUSS 5421 International Study Tour (2025)
  • BUSS 2062 Business International Study Tour (2024)
  • BUSS 3103 International Business Environments (2024)
  • BUSS 5421 International Study Tour (2024)

Date Role Board name Institution name Country
2018 - 2024 Board Member Australia–Korea Business Council Australia–Korea Business Council Australia

Date Role Committee Institution Country
2020 - 2025 Member UniSA Business Executive University of South Australia Australia
2011 - 2015 Chair Korean Studies Association of Austrasia Korean Studies Association of Austrasia Australia

Date Role Membership Country
2011 - 2015 President Korean Studies Association of Australasia -

Date Title Engagement Type Institution Country
2017 - 2025 Director of King Sejong Institute Adelaide Public Community Engagement University of South Australia -

Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country
2015 - 2025 Advisory input to government bodies (DFAT, Australia–Korea Foundation, Academy of Korean Studies)/Industry Advisory Groups founder (HRM, Management & Marketing) Advisory input to government bodies (DFAT, Australia–Korea Foundation, Academy of Korean Studies)/Industry Advisory Groups founder (HRM, Management & Marketing) Business and professional Australia

Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
2015 - 2018 Board Member Review of Korean Studies Academy of Korean Studies Korea, Republic of
2014 - 2017 Board Member International Review of Korean Studies University of New South Wales Australia

Date Event Name Event Type Institution Country
2015 - 2025 Major international conferences Symposium Major international conferences -

Date Case Institution Country
2015 - 2025 My work frequently intersects with policy advice and expert commentary in Asia–Pacific economic and diplomatic contexts. My work frequently intersects with policy advice and expert commentary in Asia–Pacific economic and diplomatic contexts. -

Date Engagement Type Partner Name
2017 - 2025 Collaboration King Sejong Institute Foundation and Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Date Office Name Institution Country
2020 - 2025 Dean of Programs (Management & Marketing) University of South Australia Australia

Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
2005 - 2025 National and international scholarly contributions - National and international scholarly contributions -

Date Title Type Institution Country
2015 - 2025 Extensive review and assessment work - Various -

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