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Employee Profile

Yunhao Xiao

PhD Candidate - Department of Communication and Culture

Biography

Yunhao Xiao is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the Department of Communication and Culture, specializing in Strategy, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation. His research centers on the evolving work patterns in response to the rapid development of information and communication technologies and digital transformation. His aim is to envision future work possibilities, such as digital nomadism, and explore their implications.

Publications

Xiao, Yunhao & Lutz, Christoph (2024)

Wayfarers in Cyberspace: A Temporal Investigation of Digital Nomads Based on Liquid Modernity Theory

Journal of Travel Research Doi: 10.1177/00472875231224242 - Full text in research archive

Following the recent rise of digital nomadism, this study explores changing patterns of travel and work among highly mobile individuals. We draw on liquid modernity theory to analyze data from Reddit’s r/digitalnomad subreddit over 3.5 years. Fifteen topics and seven clusters capture the rich discussions. The most discussed topic was Destination review & recommendation, followed by Emotional needs & lifestyle choice. Regulatory issues also emerged as a significant concern. The pandemic influenced sentiment fluctuations over time, but the tone of topics remained mostly neutral. Our research provides nuanced insights into digital nomads’ habits, concerns, and lifestyle choices, showing how travel-related aspects feature front and center. For the tourism industry, our findings offer actionable suggestions to cater to this dynamic and economically powerful traveler group. Finally, and as a theoretical contribution, the study enhances our understanding of the role of global disruptive events, such as pandemics, in liquid modernity.

Academic Degrees
Year Academic Department Degree
2023 BI Norwegian Business School Master of Science