IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/bstrat/v32y2023i8p5211-5233.html

CEO's marketing experience and firm green innovation

Author

Listed:
  • Hao Huang
  • Yaping Chang
  • Liyuan Zhang

Abstract

Drawing on upper echelons theory (UET), we examine whether and how chief executive office (CEO) marketing experience affects firm green innovation. Using a sample of Chinese‐listed manufacturing firms from 2008–2020 and hand‐collected data on CEO marketing experience, we find a positive relationship between CEOs' marketing experience and corporate green innovation. The positive relationship is robust after a series of robustness tests. Our further investigations reveal that the positive relationship is more pronounced when firms face higher‐level media coverage and stricter local environmental regulations. In addition, using textual analysis, we also find that market‐oriented culture plays a critical mediating role in this positive relationship. These findings enrich the relevant literature on strategic leadership and green innovation and are essential for companies and policymakers in developing green innovation strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Hao Huang & Yaping Chang & Liyuan Zhang, 2023. "CEO's marketing experience and firm green innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5211-5233, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:32:y:2023:i:8:p:5211-5233
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.3413
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3413
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/bse.3413?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chen Liu & Dongmin Kong, 2021. "Business strategy and sustainable development: Evidence from China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 657-670, January.
    2. Ming Jia & Zhe Zhang, 2013. "Critical Mass of Women on BODs, Multiple Identities, and Corporate Philanthropic Disaster Response: Evidence from Privately Owned Chinese Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 118(2), pages 303-317, December.
    3. H. Kent Baker & Gary E. Powell & Daniel G. Weaver, 1999. "Does NYSE Listing Affect Firm Visibility?," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 28(2), Summer.
    4. Wagner, Marcus, 2015. "The link of environmental and economic performance: Drivers and limitations of sustainability integration," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1306-1317.
    5. Wagner, Marcus, 2007. "On the relationship between environmental management, environmental innovation and patenting: Evidence from German manufacturing firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 1587-1602, December.
    6. Amore, Mario Daniele & Bennedsen, Morten, 2016. "Corporate governance and green innovation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 54-72.
    7. Wei Li & Weining Li & Veikko Seppänen & Timo Koivumäki, 2023. "Effects of greenwashing on financial performance: Moderation through local environmental regulation and media coverage," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 820-841, January.
    8. Adam B. Jaffe & Karen Palmer, 1997. "Environmental Regulation And Innovation: A Panel Data Study," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 79(4), pages 610-619, November.
    9. Yasir Shahab & Collins G. Ntim & Yugang Chen & Farid Ullah & Hai‐Xia Li & Zhiwei Ye, 2020. "Chief executive officer attributes, sustainable performance, environmental performance, and environmental reporting: New insights from upper echelons perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 1-16, January.
    10. Mooweon Rhee & Pamela R. Haunschild, 2006. "The Liability of Good Reputation: A Study of Product Recalls in the U.S. Automobile Industry," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 17(1), pages 101-117, February.
    11. Di Gao & Jihui Guo & Yu Shen & Xian Xu, 2022. "CEOs’ supply chain experience and firm innovation: evidence from China," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(4-5), pages 461-486, March.
    12. Paul C. Tetlock & Maytal Saar‐Tsechansky & Sofus Macskassy, 2008. "More Than Words: Quantifying Language to Measure Firms' Fundamentals," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 63(3), pages 1437-1467, June.
    13. Xingqiang Du, 2015. "Is Corporate Philanthropy Used as Environmental Misconduct Dressing? Evidence from Chinese Family-Owned Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 129(2), pages 341-361, June.
    14. Rahman, Mahabubur, 2023. "The virtuous circle between green product innovation and performance: The role of financial constraint and corporate brand," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    15. Neil A. Morgan & Douglas W. Vorhies & Charlotte H. Mason, 2009. "Market orientation, marketing capabilities, and firm performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(8), pages 909-920, August.
    16. Xia, Li & Gao, Shuo & Wei, Jiuchang & Ding, Qiying, 2022. "Government subsidy and corporate green innovation - Does board governance play a role?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    17. Lu Zhang & Shenggang Ren & Xiaohong Chen & Dayuan Li & Duanjinyu Yin, 2020. "CEO Hubris and Firm Pollution: State and Market Contingencies in a Transitional Economy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 161(2), pages 459-478, January.
    18. Xiaofeng Quan & Yun Ke & Yuting Qian & Yao Zhang, 2023. "CEO Foreign Experience and Green Innovation: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(2), pages 535-557, January.
    19. Feng, Cong & Patel, Pankaj C. & Xiang, Kexin, 2020. "The well-trodden path: Complementing market and entrepreneurial orientation with a strategic emphasis to influence IPO survival in the United States," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 370-385.
    20. Dai Yannan & Alim Al Ayub Ahmed & Tsung-Hsien Kuo & Haider Ali Malik & Abdelmohsen A. Nassani & Mohamed Haffar & Wanich Suksatan & Dania Patrick Femi Iramofu, 2022. "Impact of CSR, innovation, and green investment on sales growth: new evidence from manufacturing industries of China and Saudi Arabia," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(1), pages 4537-4556, December.
    21. Klaus Rennings & Christian Rammer, 2011. "The Impact of Regulation-Driven Environmental Innovation on Innovation Success and Firm Performance," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 255-283.
    22. George Kassinis & Alexia Panayiotou & Andreas Dimou & Georgia Katsifaraki, 2016. "Gender and Environmental Sustainability: A Longitudinal Analysis," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(6), pages 399-412, November.
    23. Denis Cormier & Michel Magnan, 2015. "The Economic Relevance of Environmental Disclosure and its Impact on Corporate Legitimacy: An Empirical Investigation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(6), pages 431-450, September.
    24. Dayuan Li & Min Huang & Shenggang Ren & Xiaohong Chen & Lutao Ning, 2018. "Environmental Legitimacy, Green Innovation, and Corporate Carbon Disclosure: Evidence from CDP China 100," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(4), pages 1089-1104, July.
    25. Banjo Roxas & Alan Coetzer, 2012. "Institutional Environment, Managerial Attitudes and Environmental Sustainability Orientation of Small Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(4), pages 461-476, December.
    26. Mahabubur Rahman, 2023. "The virtuous circle between green product innovation and performance: The role of financial constraint and corporate brand," Post-Print hal-03903677, HAL.
    27. Kimberly A. Whitler & Ben Lee & Ryan Krause & Neil A. Morgan, 2021. "Upper echelons research in marketing," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 198-219, January.
    28. Ren, Shenggang & Cheng, Yingmei & Hu, Yucai & Yin, Chao, 2021. "Feeling right at home: Hometown CEOs and firm innovation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    29. Saeed Janani & Ranjit M. Christopher & Atanas Nik Nikolov & Michael A. Wiles, 2022. "Marketing experience of CEOs and corporate social performance," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(3), pages 460-481, May.
    30. Zyglidopoulos, Stelios C. & Georgiadis, Andreas P. & Carroll, Craig E. & Siegel, Donald S., 2012. "Does media attention drive corporate social responsibility?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(11), pages 1622-1627.
    31. Ru-Jen Lin & Rong-Huei Chen & Thao-Minh Ho, 2013. "Market Demand, Green Innovation, and Firm Performance: Evidence from Hybrid Vehicle Industry," Diversity, Technology, and Innovation for Operational Competitiveness: Proceedings of the 2013 International Conference on Technology Innovation and Industrial Management,, ToKnowPress.
    32. Ching-Hsun Chang, 2011. "The Influence of Corporate Environmental Ethics on Competitive Advantage: The Mediation Role of Green Innovation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 104(3), pages 361-370, December.
    33. Jia, Ning, 2018. "Corporate innovation strategy and stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 155-173.
    34. Lv, Chengchao & Shao, Changhua & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2021. "Green technology innovation and financial development: Do environmental regulation and innovation output matter?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    35. G. Tomas M. Hult & David J. Ketchen & Stanley F. Slater, 2005. "Market orientation and performance: an integration of disparate approaches," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(12), pages 1173-1181, December.
    36. Dai, Jing & Montabon, Frank L. & Cantor, David E., 2015. "Reprint of “Linking rival and stakeholder pressure to green supply management: Mediating role of top management support”," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 124-138.
    37. Wenbin Sun & Rahul Govind, 2022. "A New Understanding of Marketing and “Doing Good”: Marketing’s Power in the TMT and Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 176(1), pages 89-109, February.
    38. van den Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M., 2008. "Environmental regulation of households: An empirical review of economic and psychological factors," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(4), pages 559-574, July.
    39. Byun, Seong K. & Oh, Jong-Min, 2018. "Local corporate social responsibility, media coverage, and shareholder value," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 68-86.
    40. Wang, Yanxia & Shen, Tao & Chen, Yang & Carmeli, Abraham, 2021. "CEO environmentally responsible leadership and firm environmental innovation: A socio-psychological perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 327-340.
    41. Jacob Brower & Pravin Nath, 2018. "Antecedents of market orientation: marketing CEOs, CMOs, and top management team marketing experience," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 405-419, December.
    42. Craig Deegan & Michaela Rankin & John Tobin, 2002. "An examination of the corporate social and environmental disclosures of BHP from 1983‐1997," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 15(3), pages 312-343, August.
    43. Ben Arfi, Wissal & Hikkerova, Lubica & Sahut, Jean-Michel, 2018. "External knowledge sources, green innovation and performance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 210-220.
    44. Jiuchang Wei & Zhe Ouyang & Haipeng (Allan) Chen, 2017. "Well Known or Well Liked? The Effects of Corporate Reputation on Firm Value at the Onset of a Corporate Crisis," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(10), pages 2103-2120, October.
    45. Yingjie Hao & Congcong Fan & Yunguang Long & Jieyi Pan, 2019. "The role of returnee executives in improving green innovation performance of Chinese manufacturing enterprises: Implications for sustainable development strategy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 804-818, July.
    46. Chao Hung Wang, 2020. "An environmental perspective extends market orientation: Green innovation sustainability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 3123-3134, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Dong, Liping & El Ghoul, Sadok & Guedhami, Omrane & Uchida, Konari & Zhang, Yuyang, 2024. "Related-party transactions and CEO foreign experience: Evidence from China," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    2. Sun, Haibo & Han, Fangyuan & Liu, Zhonglu, 2024. "Does executive environmental protection experience reduce enterprise energy consumption intensity?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 652-666.
    3. Yousaf, Umair Bin & Yousaf, Imran & Hussain, Haroon & Hussain, Muhammad Jameel, 2025. "CEO’s R&D experience and green innovation: Evidence from China," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    4. Qiuyang Tu & Zhao Duan & Hong Zhou, 2024. "Performance gap and the timing of corporate social responsibility disclosure‐A trust repair perspective," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4878-4892, September.
    5. Lei Xiong & Wei Weng & Zenglin Yang & Jie Peng & Shihuan Zhang, 2025. "The Impact of Local Chairpersons on Green Innovation: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-25, October.
    6. Hailiang Zou & Simei Huang, 2025. "Outside CEOs’ Hesitancy Toward Environmental Responsibility and the Governance Role of Board Social Capital: Evidence from Pollution-Intensive Firms in China," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-24, April.
    7. Liwei Shan & Albert Tsang & Xiaoxue Zhang, 2024. "Transporting Audit Quality Across Countries: Returnee CEOs and Audit Fees," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 192(4), pages 845-874, July.
    8. Zhu, Jialei & Xiong, Zhengde & Lu, Xinxin & Yao, Zhu, 2025. "Does ESG rating disagreement impede corporate green innovation?," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    9. Mou, Saiya & Wang, Xinquan & Hu, Feng, 2025. "Does privatization hurt ESG? The role of state-owned imprinting," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    10. Yang, Bo & Du, Xiqiao, 2025. "How CEO power intensity drives the improvement of corporate green innovation performance: An in-depth analysis based on the mediating role of financing costs," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    11. Shaoxing Sun & Tao Guo & Shaopeng Zhang, 2025. "Guiding corporate green sustainable development: insights from green public procurement," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1-22, August.
    12. Mixiang Peng & Dayuan Li & Chaolin Zhang, 2025. "Do CEOs with government work experience foster enterprise investment in pollution control?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 20(1), pages 1-26, January.
    13. Zhang, Jingxue & Yu, Shiwei & Zhang, Yue-Jun & Su, Bin & Sun, Ya-Fang, 2025. "How do renewable energy policies affect energy green development? Evidence from Chinese listed energy firms," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    14. Jiaying Li & Ying Fu & Ying Wu, 2024. "Advertising and Corporate Green Innovation: From the Perspective of Greenwashing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-14, November.
    15. Chuangneng Cai & Mengmeng Fan & Xuebing Dong & Jie Zhang, 2024. "The Effect of Environmental Protection-Related Media Coverage on Corporate Green Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-20, December.
    16. Qiuqin He & Samuel Ribeiro-Navarrete & Dolores Botella-Carrubi, 2024. "A matter of motivation: the impact of enterprise digital transformation on green innovation," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 18(5), pages 1489-1518, May.
    17. You, Wanhai & You, Bingbing & Guo, Yawei, 2025. "Can big data development drive green technology innovation? The spillover role of supply chain partners," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    18. An, Suxia & Gu, Yu & Pan, Lu & Yu, Ying, 2024. "Supply chain digitalization and firms' green innovation: Evidence from a pilot program," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 828-846.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Murtaza Hussain & Shaohua Yang & Umer Sahil Maqsood & R. M. Ammar Zahid, 2024. "Tapping into the green potential: The power of artificial intelligence adoption in corporate green innovation drive," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4375-4396, July.
    2. Yu Wang & Yetaotao Qiu & Yi Luo, 2022. "CEO foreign experience and corporate sustainable development: Evidence from China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 2036-2051, July.
    3. Aurang Zeb & Irfan Ullah & Amjad Iqbal & Mohib Ur Rahman & Shahab Aziz, 2024. "CEO’s Science and Engineering Background and Green Innovation: Evidence From China," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(1), pages 21582440241, February.
    4. Lu Chen & Ming Yuan & Han Lin & Yilong Han & Youyou Yu & Caihui Sun, 2023. "Organizational improvisation and corporate green innovation: A dynamic capability perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5686-5701, December.
    5. Yu Wang & Michel Magnan & Yetaotao Qiu, 2025. "Going Green: An Analysis of Mutual Fund Investment and Green Innovation in the Context of China," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 88(12), pages 3547-3584, December.
    6. He, Feng & Yan, Yulin & Hao, Jing & Wu, Ji (George), 2022. "Retail investor attention and corporate green innovation: Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    7. Tariq, Adeel & Badir, Yuosre F. & Tariq, Waqas & Bhutta, Umair Saeed, 2017. "Drivers and consequences of green product and process innovation: A systematic review, conceptual framework, and future outlook," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 8-23.
    8. Morteza Akbari & Hamid Padash & Zahra Shahabaldini Parizi & Haniye Rezaei & Elmira Shahriari & Ala Khosravani, 2022. "A bibliometric review of green innovation research: identifying knowledge domain and network," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(6), pages 3993-4023, December.
    9. Zhou, Min & Govindan, Kannan & Xie, Xiongbiao & Yan, Liang, 2021. "How to drive green innovation in China's mining enterprises? Under the perspective of environmental legitimacy and green absorptive capacity," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    10. Yin, Hongying & Zhang, Jinkang & Zhong, Rui & Ji, Qiong, 2023. "Academic workstations and corporate green innovation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 571-590.
    11. Dan Huang & Jie Cheng & Xiaofeng Quan & Yanling Wu, 2024. "Managerial attention to environmental protection and corporate green innovation," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 63(3), pages 1047-1081, October.
    12. Pereira, Vijay & Nair, Asha KS. & Bhattacharyya, Som Sekhar, 2025. "Exploring and investigating the complementarity and multidimensionality of innovation for sustainability research: Past present and future," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    13. Xingqiang Du & Yiqi Zhang & Shaojuan Lai & Hexin Tao, 2024. "How Do Auditors Value Hypocrisy? Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 191(3), pages 501-533, May.
    14. Wei Li & Weining Li & Veikko Seppänen & Timo Koivumäki, 2023. "Effects of greenwashing on financial performance: Moderation through local environmental regulation and media coverage," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 820-841, January.
    15. Di Luan & Hongjun Cao & Tongkun Qu, 2023. "How Does Corporate Green Innovation Strategy Translate into Green Innovation Performance Based on Chain Mediation?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-20, August.
    16. Shoaib Aslam & Mohamed H. Elmagrhi & Ramiz Ur Rehman & Collins G. Ntim, 2021. "Environmental management practices and financial performance using data envelopment analysis in Japan: The mediating role of environmental performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 1655-1673, May.
    17. Zhang, Xiangguo & Zhao, Weiyi & Xie, Danxia, 2024. "Environmental regulation, academic top managers and green innovation: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 69(PB).
    18. Dan Zhang & Bingxiang Li & Qiang Fu & Wei Tang & Taqdees Fatima, 2025. "Impact of CEOs' Environmental Experience on Corporate Green Innovation," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(3), pages 3290-3312, May.
    19. Antonella Biscione & Raul Caruso & Annunziata de Felice, 2021. "Environmental innovation in European transition countries," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(5), pages 521-535, January.
    20. Xie, Huailing & Xu, Xiaodong & Hsu, Yuan-Teng, 2025. "The daughter effect and green innovation: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:32:y:2023:i:8:p:5211-5233. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-0836 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.