Identity construction of business English teachers in Chinese universities

Abstract

In light of the expansion of Business English as a new discipline in China, there is a gap between the recruitment of Business English teachers and their actual career position, in which these teachers’ identity construction is crucial to their professional development. This research aims to explore the identity and its construction of Business English teachers from a sociocultural perspective in the context of Chinese universities. A dynamic interrelationship of identity construction within practical and contextual frames is applied into the investigation of Business English teachers’ (1) professional identity, (2) influencing factors to identity construction, and (3) addressing measures to their identity challenges. This research is conducted in two universities in Ningbo, targeting 30 Business English teachers for the depth and width of their real career life. A mixed-method approach is applied for the purpose of a holistic view of the working mechanism of identity construction by seeing Business English teachers’ professional development as dynamic and socially created. Business English teachers in this research show a teaching-focused identity with research vulnerability and inactivity in Business English area. However, their professional identity is not fully established as a group of disciplinary community which is loosely organized with the problems of lack of competent leaders, mobile and hesitant members, and exclusion of part-time business mentors. The uncertain status of Business English as a discipline and the lack of institutional support are the major obstacles to the commitment in teachers’ career shift. For coping strategies, most Business English teachers in this study make the most of their personal relationships in looking for professional developing opportunities and resources. School-based training is still insufficient and not effective, and social resources are not well utilized.

Date of Award	15 Jul 2026
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Nottingham
Supervisor	John Trent (Supervisor) & Ashley Ng (Supervisor)