Biography

Dr Cheng joined the Department of Economics and Finance in 2010.  He taught at several universities in the United States, including Auburn University, Auburn University at Montgomery, and Columbus State University, before joining the University.  He teaches courses in Business Economics, Financial Management, International Finance, Money and Banking, and Introduction to Econometrics. His current research focuses on the theoretical and empirical models of trade in tourism, medical tourism, tourism and economic growth, services trade, and unemployment dynamics.  His research appears in peer-reviewed journals such as Current Issues in Tourism, Economic Inquiry, Economic Modelling, International Review of Economics and Finance, Journal of Policy Modeling, The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, and Tourism Economics.  

Research and Teaching Interests

• Applied Econometrics, Tourism Economics, International Trade, Economic Growth and Development, Unemployment Dynamics

Intellectual Contributions (Publications, Conferences, Books, Book Chapters, etc.)

• Cheng, K. M. (2022). Doubts on Natural Rate of Unemployment: Evidence and Policy Implications. The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, 86, 230-239. 10.1016/j.qref.2022.07.006

• Cheng, K. M. (2021). Financial and Insurance Services Trade: Does Exchange Rate or Income Matter? Economic Inquiry, 59(1), 494-509.  https://doi.org/10.1111/ecin.12943
• Cheng, K. M. (2020). Currency Devaluation and Trade Balance: Evidence from the US Services Trade, Journal of Policy Modeling, 42(1), 20-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpolmod.2019.09.005
• Cheng, K. M. (2016). Medical tourism: Chinese maternity tourism to Hong Kong. Current Issues in Tourism, 19(14), 1479-1486. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2015.1042359
• Cheng, K. M., Kim, H., & Thompson, H. (2013). The exchange rate and US tourism trade, 1973–2007. Tourism Economics, 19(4), 883-896. http://dx.doi.org/10.5367/te.2013.0227
• Cheng, K. M., Kim, H., & Thompson, H. (2013). The real exchange rate and the balance of trade in US tourism. International Review of Economics & Finance, 25, 122-128. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2012.06.007
• Cheng, K. M. (2012). Tourism demand in Hong Kong: income, prices, and visa restrictions. Current Issues in Tourism, 15(3), 167-181. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2011.569011
• Cheng, K. M., Durmaz, N., Kim, H., & Stern, M. L. (2012). Hysteresis vs. natural rate of US unemployment. Economic Modelling, 29(2), 428-434. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2011.11.012
• Cheng, K. M. (2010). Trade, tourism, education, and growth in Mauritius. International Journal of Tourism Policy, 3(2), 159-174.

Research Grants and Awards

• Principal Investigator, “Doubts on Natural Rate of Unemployment: Evidence from Asian and OECD Countries”, Faculty Development Scheme (HK$404,325), Research Grant Council (RGC), 2019 – 2020 (UGC/FDS14/B06/18)