IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/buseth/v32y2023i2p819-835.html

Top management teams' foreign experience, environmental regulation, and firms' green innovation

Author

Listed:
  • Xuejiao Zhang
  • Qingyang Zhao
  • Wanfu Li
  • Yu Wang

Abstract

In this study, we examine how top management teams' foreign experience affects firms' green innovation performance and what role environmental regulation plays in their association. Using a large data set on firms' green patents and foreign work or education experience of top management teams from China, we find robust evidence that firms whose top management team members have foreign experience achieve significantly more green patents, and this positive relationship is more pronounced for firms subject to strong environmental regulation. Our findings indicate that via enhancing firms' green innovation performance, top management teams' foreign experience has a positive corporate governance effect on advancing sustainable social development, and environmental regulation is helpful to promote this effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Xuejiao Zhang & Qingyang Zhao & Wanfu Li & Yu Wang, 2023. "Top management teams' foreign experience, environmental regulation, and firms' green innovation," Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(2), pages 819-835, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:buseth:v:32:y:2023:i:2:p:819-835
    DOI: 10.1111/beer.12526
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12526
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/beer.12526?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. Gustavo Manso, 2011. "Motivating Innovation," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 66(5), pages 1823-1860, October.
    2. Shenggang Ren & Yue Wang & Yucai Hu & Ji Yan, 2021. "CEO hometown identity and firm green innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 756-774, February.
    3. Xueman Xiang & Biao Yi, 2022. "Directors’ Foreign Experience and Firm Innovation," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(11), pages 3248-3264, September.
    4. 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.
    5. Tao, Qizhi & Wei, K.C. John & Xiang, Xueman & Yi, Biao, 2022. "Board directors' foreign experience and firm dividend payouts," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    6. Yu-Shan Chen, 2008. "The Driver of Green Innovation and Green Image – Green Core Competence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 81(3), pages 531-543, September.
    7. Mingfeng Tang & Grace Walsh & Daniel Lerner & Markus A. Fitza & Qiaohua Li, 2018. "Green Innovation, Managerial Concern and Firm Performance: An Empirical Study," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(1), pages 39-51, January.
    8. Chai, Song & Zhang, Zhicong & Ge, Jianping, 2020. "Evolution of environmental policy for China's rare earths: Comparing central and local government policies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    9. Yu-Shan Chen & Shyh-Bao Lai & Chao-Tung Wen, 2006. "The Influence of Green Innovation Performance on Corporate Advantage in Taiwan," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 67(4), pages 331-339, September.
    10. Amore, Mario Daniele & Bennedsen, Morten, 2016. "Corporate governance and green innovation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 54-72.
    11. Yunhao Dai & Dongmin Kong & Shasha Liu, 2018. "Returnee Talent and Corporate Investment: Evidence from China," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(2), pages 313-337, March.
    12. Rennings, Klaus, 2000. "Redefining innovation -- eco-innovation research and the contribution from ecological economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 319-332, February.
    13. Xie, Rong-hui & Yuan, Yi-jun & Huang, Jing-jing, 2017. "Different Types of Environmental Regulations and Heterogeneous Influence on “Green” Productivity: Evidence from China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 104-112.
    14. Yuan, Rongli & Wen, Wen, 2018. "Managerial foreign experience and corporate innovation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 752-770.
    15. Vanessa Oltra, 2008. "Environmental innovation and industrial dynamics: the contributions of evolutionary economics," Post-Print hal-00391489, HAL.
    16. Dai, Ou & Liu, Xiaohui, 2009. "Returnee entrepreneurs and firm performance in Chinese high-technology industries," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 373-386, August.
    17. Anupam Kumar & John‐Patrick Paraskevas, 2018. "A Proactive Environmental Strategy: Analyzing the Effect of SCM Experience, Age, and Female Representation in TMTs," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 54(4), pages 20-41, October.
    18. Shu, Pei-Gi & Chiang, Sue-Jane, 2020. "The impact of corporate governance on corporate social performance: Cases from listed firms in Taiwan," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    19. Zhang, Cheng & Zhou, Bo & Tian, Xuan, 2022. "Political connections and green innovation: The role of a corporate entrepreneurship strategy in state-owned enterprises," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 375-384.
    20. Xiaoping He & Shuo Jiang, 2019. "Does gender diversity matter for green innovation?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(7), pages 1341-1356, November.
    21. MARA FACCIO & RONALD W. MASULIS & JOHN J. McCONNELL, 2006. "Political Connections and Corporate Bailouts," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(6), pages 2597-2635, December.
    22. Daniel Slater & Heather Dixon-Fowler, 2009. "CEO International Assignment Experience and Corporate Social Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 89(3), pages 473-489, October.
    23. Ma, Ding & Fei, Rilong & Yu, Yongsheng, 2019. "How government regulation impacts on energy and CO2 emissions performance in China's mining industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 651-663.
    24. Catherine M. Daily & S. Trevis Certo & Dan R. Dalton, 2000. "International experience in the executive suite: the path to prosperity?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(4), pages 515-523, April.
    25. Fan, Wei & Yan, Ling & Chen, Boyang & Ding, Wangwang & Wang, Ping, 2022. "Environmental governance effects of local environmental protection expenditure in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    26. Yasir Shahab & Collins G. Ntim & Ye Chengang & Farid Ullah & Samuel Fosu, 2018. "Environmental policy, environmental performance, and financial distress in China: Do top management team characteristics matter?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(8), pages 1635-1652, December.
    27. Dauth, Tobias & Pronobis, Paul & Schmid, Stefan, 2017. "Exploring the link between internationalization of top management and accounting quality: The CFO’s international experience matters," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 71-88.
    28. Zhang, Qi & Yu, Zhi & Kong, Dongmin, 2019. "The real effect of legal institutions: Environmental courts and firm environmental protection expenditure," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    29. Henry Mintzberg, 1978. "Patterns in Strategy Formation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(9), pages 934-948, May.
    30. James Heckman, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    31. 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.
    32. Igor Filatotchev & Xiaohui Liu & Trevor Buck & Mike Wright, 2009. "The export orientation and export performance of high-technology SMEs in emerging markets: The effects of knowledge transfer by returnee entrepreneurs," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(6), pages 1005-1021, August.
    33. Shunsuke Managi & SJames J. Opaluch & Di Jin & Thomas A. Grigalunas, 2005. "Environmental Regulations and Technological Change in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 81(2).
    34. Mariassunta Giannetti & Guanmin Liao & Xiaoyun Yu, 2015. "The Brain Gain of Corporate Boards: Evidence from China," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 70(4), pages 1629-1682, August.
    35. Mara Faccio, 2006. "Politically Connected Firms," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(1), pages 369-386, March.
    36. Won-Yong Oh & Young Kyun Chang & Zheng Cheng, 2016. "When CEO Career Horizon Problems Matter for Corporate Social Responsibility: The Moderating Roles of Industry-Level Discretion and Blockholder Ownership," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(2), pages 279-291, January.
    37. Eeva Kohonen, 2004. "Learning Through Narratives About the Impact of International Assignments on Identity," International Studies of Management & Organization, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(3), pages 27-45, January.
    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. Rong Ran & Xiaoran Yang & Yejing Chen & Jie Zhang & Yijia Xia, 2026. "The Impact of Non‐Market Strategic Integration on Green Innovation: The Moderating Effect of Shareholding Structure," Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(2), pages 1072-1098, April.

    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. Li, Wanfu & Jiang, Mengmeng & Zhang, Xuejiao & Wang, Yu & Qu, Xiaoyi, 2023. "Does foreign experience of top management affect corporate environmental responsibility? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    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. Wen Chen & Yufeng Zhu & Chenyu Wang, 2023. "Executives' overseas background and corporate green innovation," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 165-179, January.
    4. 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.
    5. Yin, Hongying & Qian, Yuting & Zhang, Bin & Pérez, Rebeca, 2023. "Urban construction and firm green innovation: Evidence from China's low-carbon pilot city initiative," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    6. Xueman Xiang & Carl R. Chen & Yue Liu & Azhar Mughal & Qizhi Tao, 2024. "Are directors with foreign experience better monitors? Evidence from investment efficiency," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 799-840, February.
    7. Zeye Zhang & Liuyong Yang & Xuerong Peng & Zhongju Liao, 2023. "Overseas imprints reflected at home: returnee CEOs and corporate green innovation," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(4), pages 1328-1368, September.
    8. Zhang, Xuejiao & Huang, Shoufeng & Li, Wanfu & Wang, Yu, 2023. "Directors' and officers' liability insurance, environmental regulation and firms' envi ronmental responsibility," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    9. 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.
    10. 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.
    11. Luo, Yi & Ma, Jian & Wang, Yu & Ye, Aishan, 2022. "Board internationalization and corporate social responsibility," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    12. Haotian Wu & Qiqi Sun & Zhihong Zhang & Dongmei Wang, 2024. "Does Board Internationalization Affect Corporate ESG Performance? Evidence from Chinese A-Share-Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-32, December.
    13. Huang, Xiaoqi & Liu, Wei & Zhang, Zhan & Zou, Xinyu & Li, Pujuan, 2023. "Quantity or quality: Environmental legislation and corporate green innovations," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(PB).
    14. Muhammad Jameel Hussain & Tian Gaoliang & Khalil Hussain & Adeeb Alhebri & Fadoua Kouki, 2025. "Impact of female directors' foreign experience on green innovation: Evidence from China," Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(4), pages 1768-1786, October.
    15. Shenggang Ren & Yue Wang & Yucai Hu & Ji Yan, 2021. "CEO hometown identity and firm green innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 756-774, February.
    16. 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.
    17. Wunhong Su & Xingxing Hu & Liuzhen Zhang, 2023. "Association Between Directors With Foreign Experience and Firms’ Environmental Disclosure," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    18. He, Na & Yang, Junjie & Ren, Jiahui, 2024. "Pollution and green innovation: Evidence from CEOs’ early-life experience," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 65-79.
    19. Irfan Ullah & Aurang Zeb & Chunlin Wang & Muhammad Arif Khan & Umair Bin Yousaf, 2024. "Foreign Experienced CFOs’ and Financial Reporting Quality," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(3), pages 21582440241, September.
    20. Huang, Yujie & Zhang, Guoqing & Chen, Xiaofeng & Du, Kerui, 2025. "From awareness to action: The role of ESG committees in driving corporate ambidextrous green innovation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(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:wly:buseth:v:32:y:2023:i:2:p:819-835. 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: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/26946424 .

    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.