Heyan Tang

Xi'an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi Normal University

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Heyan Tang is an emerging scholar whose research sits at the intersection of international trade, labor economics, and technological change, with a particular focus on how automation reshapes firm-level outcomes. Her most influential work investigates the causal relationship between robot adoption and firm export performance, drawing on rich Chinese firm-level data to provide some of the first micro-evidence on this dynamic. In her widely cited 2024 paper, "Robot adoption and firm export: Evidence from China" (16 citations), Tang demonstrates that firms adopting industrial robots significantly increase both their export volume and product scope, suggesting automation enhances competitiveness in global markets. Her earlier 2021 study, "Robots, Productivity, and Firm Exports" (3 citations), laid the groundwork by linking robot adoption to productivity gains that subsequently drive export expansion. Tang’s contributions are particularly notable for bridging the gap between the macro-level automation debate and firm-level strategic decisions, offering policymakers and business leaders actionable insights. As a researcher, she is helping to define a new frontier in trade economics—one where machines and global supply chains intersect.