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CEOs’ online personality and their company’s business strategy: openness to experience predicts diversifying merger and acquisition decisions

Author

Listed:
  • Bin Ke

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Lin Qiu

    (Chinese University of Hong Kong
    The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

  • Tianshu Qu

    (Seattle Pacific University)

  • Evelyn Gay

    (Singapore University of Social Sciences)

  • Sarah Hian May Chan

    (Singapore University of Technology and Design)

  • Jose Yong

    (James Cook University)

Abstract

As a personality trait, openness to experience plays a central role in driving behaviors associated with exploration and innovation. Despite decades of extensive research, the expression of openness to experience in business strategy remains understudied. The current study addresses this gap by revealing that the openness in experience perceived from American and Chinese CEOs’ social media predicted their firm’s initiation of diversifying M&As, even after controlling for an extensive set of potential confounds. By replicating our findings across two culturally distinct samples, we highlight the role of openness in corporate strategic decision-making, and the usefulness of social media as a source for personality assessment.

Suggested Citation

  • Bin Ke & Lin Qiu & Tianshu Qu & Evelyn Gay & Sarah Hian May Chan & Jose Yong, 2025. "CEOs’ online personality and their company’s business strategy: openness to experience predicts diversifying merger and acquisition decisions," Journal of Computational Social Science, Springer, vol. 8(2), pages 1-19, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jcsosc:v:8:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s42001-025-00385-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s42001-025-00385-9
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