IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbrese/v188y2025ics0148296324005897.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Lose no time! We have lost too much already: Firm adversity and CEO temporal leadership

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Yingying
  • Chen, Haixiao
  • Hu, Zhonghui
  • Kwan, Ho Kwong

Abstract

We examined contextual predictors of chief executive officers’ (CEOs’) temporal leadership. Drawing on threat-rigidity theory, we explain why and how firm adversities lead to CEOs’ temporal leadership. The results based on multi-wave, multi-source data from 100 firms in China showed that CEOs’ fear of external threats mediated the positive relationship between firm adversities (i.e., poor firm performance and environmental dynamism) and CEOs’ temporal leadership. In addition, we found that firm age strengthened the relationship between CEOs’ fear of external threats and temporal leadership and the indirect relationship between firm adversity and CEOs’ temporal leadership through fear of external threats. We explicate new directions for understanding how organizational and environmental factors shape CEOs’ time-related rigid behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Yingying & Chen, Haixiao & Hu, Zhonghui & Kwan, Ho Kwong, 2025. "Lose no time! We have lost too much already: Firm adversity and CEO temporal leadership," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:188:y:2025:i:c:s0148296324005897
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.115085
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296324005897
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.115085?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jianhong Chen & Wan‐Chien Lien & Danny Miller & Tianxu Chen, 2024. "Competitive Actions under Analyst Pressure: The Role of CEO Time Horizons," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(5), pages 1916-1945, July.
    2. Richard A. D'Aveni & Giovanni Battista Dagnino & Ken G. Smith, 2010. "The age of temporary advantage," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(13), pages 1371-1385, December.
    3. Danny Miller & Peter H. Friesen, 1982. "Innovation in conservative and entrepreneurial firms: Two models of strategic momentum," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 3(1), pages 1-25, January.
    4. Justin J. P. Jansen & Frans A. J. Van Den Bosch & Henk W. Volberda, 2006. "Exploratory Innovation, Exploitative Innovation, and Performance: Effects of Organizational Antecedents and Environmental Moderators," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(11), pages 1661-1674, November.
    5. Gregory G. Dess & Richard B. Robinson, 1984. "Measuring organizational performance in the absence of objective measures: The case of the privately‐held firm and conglomerate business unit," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(3), pages 265-273, July.
    6. Stephanie L. Wang & Yadong Luo & Vladislav Maksimov & Jinyun Sun & Nikhil Celly, 2019. "Achieving Temporal Ambidexterity in New Ventures," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(4), pages 788-822, June.
    7. Mara Faccio & Maria-Teresa Marchica & Roberto Mura, 2011. "Large Shareholder Diversification and Corporate Risk-Taking," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 24(11), pages 3601-3641.
    8. H. Robert Dodge & Sam Fullerton & John E. Robbins, 1994. "Stage of the organizational life cycle and competition as mediators of problem perception for small businesses," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(2), pages 121-134, February.
    9. William P. Barnett & Olav Sorenson, 2002. "The Red Queen in organizational creation and development," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 11(2), pages 289-325.
    10. Donald D. Bergh & Michael W. Lawless, 1998. "Portfolio Restructuring and Limits to Hierarchical Governance: The Effects of Environmental Uncertainty and Diversification Strategy," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 9(1), pages 87-102, February.
    11. Scott Latham, 2009. "Contrasting Strategic Response to Economic Recession in Start‐Up versus Established Software Firms," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(2), pages 180-201, April.
    12. John R. Kimberly & Hamid Bouchikhi, 1995. "The Dynamics of Organizational Development and Change: How the Past Shapes the Present and Constrains the Future," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 6(1), pages 9-18, February.
    13. Loderer, Claudio & Waelchli, Urs, 2010. "Firm age and performance," MPRA Paper 26450, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Christopher S. Reina & Suzanne J. Peterson & Zhen Zhang, 2017. "Adverse Effects of CEO Family-to-Work Conflict on Firm Performance," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 28(2), pages 228-243, April.
    15. Sariol, Ana M. & Abebe, Michael A., 2017. "The influence of CEO power on explorative and exploitative organizational innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 38-45.
    16. Coad, Alex & Segarra, Agustí & Teruel, Mercedes, 2013. "Like milk or wine: Does firm performance improve with age?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 173-189.
    17. Li, Da-yuan & Liu, Juan, 2014. "Dynamic capabilities, environmental dynamism, and competitive advantage: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 2793-2799.
    18. Kleindienst, Ingo & Haj Youssef, Moustafa & Harakeh, Mostafa & Yu, Mei, 2024. "Does the CEO effect differ in times of crisis? Evidence from US and China during the global financial crisis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    19. Acharya, Viral V. & Amihud, Yakov & Litov, Lubomir, 2011. "Creditor rights and corporate risk-taking," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(1), pages 150-166, October.
    20. Mohammed, Susan & Alipour, Kent K., 2014. "It's Time for Temporal Leadership: Individual, Dyadic, Team, and Organizational Effects," Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Cambridge University Press, vol. 7(2), pages 178-182, June.
    21. Gareth Shepherd, Neil & Lou, Bowen & Maynard Rudd, John, 2024. "Going with the gut: Exploring top management team intuition in strategic decision-making," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    22. Alex Edmans, 2014. "Blockholders and Corporate Governance," Annual Review of Financial Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 6(1), pages 23-50, December.
    23. Marianne Bertrand & Sendhil Mullainathan, 2003. "Enjoying the Quiet Life? Corporate Governance and Managerial Preferences," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 111(5), pages 1043-1075, October.
    24. Faccio, Mara & Marchica, Maria-Teresa & Mura, Roberto, 2016. "CEO gender, corporate risk-taking, and the efficiency of capital allocation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 193-209.
    25. Balaji S. Chakravarthy, 1986. "Measuring strategic performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(5), pages 437-458, September.
    26. George P. Baker & Robert E. Kennedy, 2002. "Survivorship and the Economic Grim Reaper," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 18(2), pages 324-361, October.
    27. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    28. Schäfers, A. & Bougioukos, V. & Karamatzanis, G. & Nikolopoulos, K., 2024. "Prediction-led prescription: Optimal Decision-Making in times of turbulence and business performance improvement," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    29. Liliana Pérez-Nordtvedt & Susanna Khavul & David A. Harrison & Jeffrey E. McGee, 2014. "Adaptation to Temporal Shocks: Influences of Strategic Interpretation and Spatial Distance," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(6), pages 869-897, September.
    30. Kieschnick, Robert & Moussawi, Rabih, 2018. "Firm age, corporate governance, and capital structure choices," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 597-614.
    31. Byun, Kyung-Ah (Kay) & Al-Shammari, Marwan, 2021. "When narcissistic CEOs meet power: Effects of CEO narcissism and power on the likelihood of product recalls in consumer-packaged goods," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 45-60.
    32. Sucheta Nadkarni & Tianxu Chen & Jianhong Chen, 2016. "The clock is ticking! Executive temporal depth, industry velocity, and competitive aggressiveness," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(6), pages 1132-1153, June.
    33. Timothy Dunne & Mark J. Roberts & Larry Samuelson, 1989. "The Growth and Failure of U. S. Manufacturing Plants," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 104(4), pages 671-698.
    34. Moses Acquaah, 2012. "Social networking relationships, firm‐specific managerial experience and firm performance in a transition economy: A comparative analysis of family owned and nonfamily firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(10), pages 1215-1228, October.
    35. Mayberry, Robert & Boles, James S. & Donthu, Naveen & Lucke, James T., 2024. "Crisis response in an era of Knightian uncertainty," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    36. Hopenhayn, Hugo A, 1992. "Entry, Exit, and Firm Dynamics in Long Run Equilibrium," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 60(5), pages 1127-1150, September.
    37. Zheng, Linglin (Gloria) & Wechtler, Heidi M. & Heyden, Mariano L.M. & Bouncken, Ricarda B., 2024. "Global disasters and the luck of the draw? A serendipity perspective on MNE responses to global disasters," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(1).
    38. Baker, Ted & Miner, Anne S. & Eesley, Dale T., 2003. "Improvising firms: bricolage, account giving and improvisational competencies in the founding process," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 255-276, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Trushin, Eshref & Ugur, Mehmet, 2018. "Ecosystem complexity, firm learning and survival: UK evidence on intra-industry age and size diversity as exit hazards," Greenwich Papers in Political Economy 19095, University of Greenwich, Greenwich Political Economy Research Centre.
    2. Morgan, Robert E. & Strong, Carolyn A., 2003. "Business performance and dimensions of strategic orientation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 56(3), pages 163-176, March.
    3. Jiang, Tianjiao & Levine, Ross & Lin, Chen & Wei, Lai, 2020. "Bank deregulation and corporate risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    4. Xu, Weidong & Gao, Xin & Xu, Hao & Li, Donghui, 2022. "Does global climate risk encourage companies to take more risks?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    5. Xin Liu, 2023. "Fear to lose? An analysis of CEO successors’ decision-making regarding R&D intensity based on behavioral agency theory," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(1), pages 403-430, February.
    6. Gu, Leilei & Ni, Xiaoran & Peng, Yuchao & Zhang, Huilin, 2020. "Entry of foreign banks, state ownership, and corporate innovation," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    7. Gao, Xin & Xu, Weidong & Li, Donghui, 2022. "Media coverage and corporate risk-taking: International evidence," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    8. Chang, Jeffery (Jinfan) & Meng, Qingbin & Ni, Xiaoran, 2022. "A tale of riskiness: The real effects of share pledging on the Chinese stock market," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    9. Jiang, Jiaoliang & Chen, Yulin, 2021. "How does labor protection influence corporate risk-taking? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    10. Liu, Wenjun & Lin, Guoyu & He, Qian, 2024. "Enhanced management information disclosure responsibilities and corporate risk-taking: Evidence from the accountability system for errors in China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PB), pages 511-531.
    11. Henrique Castro Martins, 2020. "The Brazilian bankruptcy law reform, corporate ownership concentration, and risk‐taking," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(4), pages 562-573, June.
    12. Zhu, Danyu & Gao, Xin & Luo, Zijun & Xu, Weidong, 2022. "Environmental performance and corporate risk-taking: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    13. Fu, Fanjie & Fang, Jing & Zhang, Fan & Yao, Shujie & Ou, Jinghua, 2024. "CEOs' hometown connections and corporate risk-taking: Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    14. Fultz, Andrew E.F. & Hmieleski, Keith M., 2021. "The art of discovering and exploiting unexpected opportunities: The roles of organizational improvisation and serendipity in new venture performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(4).
    15. Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2018. "Do firms with state ownership in transitional economies take more risk? Evidence from Vietnam," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 251-256.
    16. Shen, Zhe & Sowah, Joseph Sowahfio & Dak-Adzaklo, Cephas Simon Peter & Li, Shan, 2023. "Competition laws and corporate risk-taking around the world," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    17. A‐Sung Hong, 2024. "Beyond the finish line: How losing in patent race drives post‐race innovation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(5), pages 968-993, May.
    18. Mostafiz, Md Imtiaz & Ahmed, Farhad Uddin & Tardios, Janja & Hughes, Paul & Tarba, Shlomo Y., 2025. "Configuring international entrepreneurial orientation and dynamic internationalization capability to predict international performance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(2).
    19. Elif Akben-Selcuk, 2016. "Does Firm Age Affect Profitability? Evidence from Turkey," International Journal of Economic Sciences, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences, vol. 5(3), pages 1-9, September.
    20. Gopalan, Radhakrishnan & Gormley, Todd A. & Kalda, Ankit, 2021. "It’s not so bad: Director bankruptcy experience and corporate risk-taking," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(1), pages 261-292.

    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:eee:jbrese:v:188:y:2025:i:c:s0148296324005897. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbusres .

    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.