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Born innovator? How founder birth order influences product innovation generation and adoption in entrepreneurial firms

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  • Zheng, Leven J.
  • Fan, Youqing
  • Wang, Huan
  • Liu, Wei

Abstract

Individuals’ birth order may be a fundamental, engrained human early-life and family-domain experience that shapes their behaviors in adulthood. However, limited knowledge is available about the influence of birth order on individual innovation preferences. By integrating sibling rivalry theory and social identity theory and analyzing 186 high-technology entrepreneurial firms, we find that founder birth order is positively associated with product innovation generation (later-born founders pursue more innovation generation than do earlier-born founders) but is negatively associated with product innovation adoption (earlier-born founders generate more innovation adoption than do later-born founders). Further, both the age spacing between a founder and closest-born sibling and founder social identity moderate the relationships. Thus, our findings advance understanding in the literature on birth order and on entrepreneurial innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Zheng, Leven J. & Fan, Youqing & Wang, Huan & Liu, Wei, 2021. "Born innovator? How founder birth order influences product innovation generation and adoption in entrepreneurial firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 414-430.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:136:y:2021:i:c:p:414-430
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.07.047
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