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Foreign executives, digital transformation, and innovation performance: Evidence from Chinese-listed firms

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  • Dong Shao
  • Kangyin Lv
  • Xueyuan Fan
  • Bochen Zhang

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of foreign executives on firms’ innovation performance and the mediation role of digital transformation in Chinese-listed firms from 2011 to 2021. Our findings indicate that the presence of foreign executives in top management teams promotes firms’ innovation performance by enhancing digital transformation. Further analyses show that foreign executives contribute significantly to improving firms’ radical innovation performance rather than incremental innovation performance. We also examine the moderating effect of negative performance feedback and financing constraints between foreign executives and innovation performance, finding that foreign executives can promote innovation performance particularly in firms with negative performance feedback and weak financing constraints.

Suggested Citation

  • Dong Shao & Kangyin Lv & Xueyuan Fan & Bochen Zhang, 2024. "Foreign executives, digital transformation, and innovation performance: Evidence from Chinese-listed firms," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(6), pages 1-24, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0305144
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305144
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Olivier Bertrand & Marie-Ann Betschinger & Caterina Moschieri, 2021. "Are firms with foreign CEOs better citizens? A study of the impact of CEO foreignness on corporate social performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(3), pages 525-543, April.
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    3. Pisani, Niccolò & Muller, Alan & Bogăţan, Paula, 2018. "Top Management Team Internationalization and Firm-level Internationalization: The Moderating Effects of Home-region Institutional Diversity and Firm Global Focus," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 239-256.
    4. Sabina Nielsen, 2010. "Top Management Team Internationalization and Firm Performance," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 185-206, April.
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