#2 - When breaking the law gets you the job: evidence from the EDM community - Dr Xu Li

In many professional communities, breaking the law can end your career. However, in some cases, such as the electronic dance music community, it can accelerate it.In this episode, Dr Xu Li, Assistant Professor of Management, explores the findings of his latest paper 'When Breaking the Law Gets You the Job: Evidence from the Electronic Dance Music Community' which shows that under certain circumstances, lawbreakers not only go unpunished; they are actively rewarded.Rather than being punished, the research shows that, surprisingly, some bootleggers are praised and offered more opportunities to perform live gigs than DJs who produce official remixes or original music. This points to a form of discretionary governance rooted in community norms and collective interpretations, where the intention behind law-breaking can determine whether the perpetrator is sanctioned or celebrated.Dr Xu Li joined the Department of Management at LSE in 2023. Xu’s research lies at the intersection of organisational theory and strategy. He adopts mixed methods in research designs, utilizing not only quantitative analysis of archival or experimental data, but also qualitative evidence from field observations and interviews with industry insiders.