Guohao Zhu, Visiting Research Student, presents his research.
Congratulations to Guohao Zhu, Visiting Research Student at Department of Management and a PhD candidate at Zhejiang University, China, and Dr Aaron Cheng, Assistant Professor in Information Systems and Innovation, who won the Best Paper Award (1st Runner-Up) at the Workshop on E-Business (WeB) 2025 for their paper, “The Impacts of Public Data on AI Innovation: Open Government Data Initiatives Encourage Local Healthcare AI Investment.”
Reflecting on the award, Guohao said, “I’m both excited and grateful that the value of our joint research effort was recognised. The conference was intellectually stimulating, with a wide range of topics and methodological approaches presented by participants. My conversations with other scholars during the workshop provided fresh perspectives and further motivation for continuing research in this area.”
Their paper finds that the introduction of Open Government Data Portals (OGDPs) leads to a significant increase in local healthcare AI investment. The results suggest that open government data initiatives, as an inclusive institutional arrangement, can generate spillover effects on AI innovation that extend well beyond their original goals of transparency and accountability.
Guohao (right) receives his award alongside Dr Cheng on stage.
Guohao continued: “My time at LSE played an important role in shaping and refining this work. Through discussions with LSE scholars, I gained valuable insights into research design, empirical methods, and theoretical framing. The supportive and collegial academic environment at LSE, together with frequent opportunities for academic exchange, helped me further develop both the ideas behind the project and its execution.”
The WeB, which took place on 13 December, is a prominent annual event that brings together researchers and industry leaders to share cutting-edge work, exchange ideas, and discuss the future of e-business in an era of rapid AI-driven change. The Best Paper Award recipient is selected from 25 accepted papers, highlighting an acknowledgement of quality and value from scholars in the information systems field.
Wednesday 25 February 2026