IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/mgtdec/v46y2025i4p1934-1955.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

TMT's technical orientation and ambidextrous innovation capability in digital transformation age

Author

Listed:
  • Zhong‐hai Yang
  • Meng Xu
  • Xue Xiu
  • Gao‐bo Li

Abstract

This study examines the effects of technical orientation of the top management team (TMT) on ambidextrous innovation capability in the digital transformation age. Our baseline results document a positive relationship between TMTs' technical orientation and ambidextrous innovation capability. While digital transformation significantly enhances the positive relationship between TMTs' technical orientation and radical innovation capability, it is not correlated with the positive relationship between TMTs' technical orientation and incremental innovation capability. We discuss the heterogeneity of state ownership, revealing that while TMTs' technical orientation enhances the ambidextrous innovation capability in Chinese state‐owned enterprises (SOEs), it is not correlated with Chinese non‐SOEs. In Chinese SOEs, digital transformation enhances the positive relationship between TMTs' technical orientation and ambidextrous innovation capability, but no correlation is observed in Chinese non‐SOEs.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhong‐hai Yang & Meng Xu & Xue Xiu & Gao‐bo Li, 2025. "TMT's technical orientation and ambidextrous innovation capability in digital transformation age," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 46(4), pages 1934-1955, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:mgtdec:v:46:y:2025:i:4:p:1934-1955
    DOI: 10.1002/mde.3880
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.3880
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/mde.3880?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. Brav, Alon & Jiang, Wei & Ma, Song & Tian, Xuan, 2018. "How does hedge fund activism reshape corporate innovation?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(2), pages 237-264.
    2. Reinartz, Werner & Wiegand, Nico & Imschloss, Monika, 2019. "The impact of digital transformation on the retailing value chain," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 350-366.
    3. Giovanni Dosi & Luigi Marengo & Corrado Pasquali, 2010. "How Much Should Society Fuel the Greed of Innovators? On the Relations between Appropriability, Opportunities and Rates of Innovation," Chapters, in: Riccardo Viale & Henry Etzkowitz (ed.), The Capitalization of Knowledge, chapter 4, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. James G. March, 1991. "Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 71-87, February.
    5. Brandt, Loren & Li, Hongbin, 2003. "Bank discrimination in transition economies: ideology, information, or incentives?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 387-413, September.
    6. Bronwyn H. Hall & Dietmar Harhoff, 2012. "Recent Research on the Economics of Patents," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 4(1), pages 541-565, July.
    7. Kindermann, Bastian & Beutel, Sebastian & Garcia de Lomana, Gonzalo & Strese, Steffen & Bendig, David & Brettel, Malte, 2021. "Digital orientation: Conceptualization and operationalization of a new strategic orientation," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 645-657.
    8. Florian Ederer & Gustavo Manso, 2013. "Is Pay for Performance Detrimental to Innovation?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(7), pages 1496-1513, July.
    9. Balsmeier, Benjamin & Fleming, Lee & Manso, Gustavo, 2017. "Independent boards and innovation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(3), pages 536-557.
    10. Muninger, Marie-Isabelle & Hammedi, Wafa & Mahr, Dominik, 2019. "The value of social media for innovation: A capability perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 116-127.
    11. Sangpil Yoon & Gyuhyung Kim & Yanghon Chung & Hosung Son, 2023. "Is customer involvement always beneficial for R&D efficiency? The difference between high‐tech and low‐tech industries," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(3), pages 1678-1688, April.
    12. Verhoef, Peter C. & Broekhuizen, Thijs & Bart, Yakov & Bhattacharya, Abhi & Qi Dong, John & Fabian, Nicolai & Haenlein, Michael, 2021. "Digital transformation: A multidisciplinary reflection and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 889-901.
    13. Fu, Tong, 2020. "The dilemma of government intervention in a firm's financing: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    14. Thorsten Koch & Josef Windsperger, 2017. "Seeing through the network: Competitive advantage in the digital economy," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 6(1), pages 1-30, December.
    15. Ramaswamy, Venkat & Ozcan, Kerimcan, 2016. "Brand value co-creation in a digitalized world: An integrative framework and research implications," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 93-106.
    16. Ball, Ray & Robin, Ashok & Wu, Joanna Shuang, 2003. "Incentives versus standards: properties of accounting income in four East Asian countries," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(1-3), pages 235-270, December.
    17. Christophe Boone & Boris Lokshin & Hannes Guenter & René Belderbos, 2019. "Top management team nationality diversity, corporate entrepreneurship, and innovation in multinational firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(2), pages 277-302, February.
    18. Kanchanabha, Bhawini & Badir, Yuosre F., 2021. "Top management Team's cognitive diversity and the Firm's ambidextrous innovation capability: The mediating role of ambivalent interpretation," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    19. Thomas J. Chemmanur & Elena Loutskina & Xuan Tian, 2014. "Corporate Venture Capital, Value Creation, and Innovation," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 27(8), pages 2434-2473.
    20. Xuan Tian & Tracy Yue Wang, 2014. "Tolerance for Failure and Corporate Innovation," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 27(1), pages 211-255, January.
    21. Ferreira, João J.M. & Fernandes, Cristina I. & Ferreira, Fernando A.F., 2019. "To be or not to be digital, that is the question: Firm innovation and performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 583-590.
    22. Victor Chen & Jing Li & Daniel Shapiro & Xiaoxiang Zhang, 2014. "Ownership structure and innovation: An emerging market perspective," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 1-24, March.
    23. Matarazzo, Michela & Penco, Lara & Profumo, Giorgia & Quaglia, Roberto, 2021. "Digital transformation and customer value creation in Made in Italy SMEs: A dynamic capabilities perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 642-656.
    24. Pu‐yan Nie & Yong‐cong Yang, 2023. "Innovation and competition with human capital input," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(3), pages 1779-1785, April.
    25. Monowar Mahmood & Ali Uyar & Cemil Kuzey & Abdullah S. Karaman, 2023. "Business strategy, sustainability, and firm value: A test of financial slack and agency theories," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(5), pages 2924-2947, July.
    26. Ci-Rong Li & Yan-Yan Liu & Chen-Ju Lin & Hong-Jia Ma, 2016. "Top management team diversity, ambidextrous innovation and the mediating effect of top team decision-making processes," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(3), pages 260-275, April.
    27. Aharony, J & Lee, CWJ & Wong, TJ, 2000. "Financial packaging of IPO firms in China," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(1), pages 103-126.
    28. Wang, Qian & Wong, T.J. & Xia, Lijun, 2008. "State ownership, the institutional environment, and auditor choice: Evidence from China," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 112-134, September.
    29. Graham, John R. & Harvey, Campbell R., 2001. "The theory and practice of corporate finance: evidence from the field," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2-3), pages 187-243, May.
    30. Fu, Tong & Jian, Ze, 2021. "Corruption pays off: How environmental regulations promote corporate innovation in a developing country," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    31. William Ocasio, 1997. "Towards An Attention‐Based View Of The Firm," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(S1), pages 187-206, July.
    32. Chen, Shouming & Bu, Miao & Wu, Sibin & Liang, Xin, 2015. "How does TMT attention to innovation of Chinese firms influence firm innovation activities? A study on the moderating role of corporate governance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(5), pages 1127-1135.
    33. Margherita Pagani & Catherine Pardo, 2017. "The impact of digital technology on relationships in a business network," Post-Print hal-02312032, HAL.
    34. Talke, Katrin & Salomo, Sören & Rost, Katja, 2010. "How top management team diversity affects innovativeness and performance via the strategic choice to focus on innovation fields," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 907-918, September.
    35. Gerard P. Hodgkinson, 1997. "Cognitive Inertia in a Turbulent Market: the Case of UK Residential Estate Agents," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(6), pages 921-945, November.
    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. Lee, Jangwook & Chung, Jiyoon, 2022. "Women in top management teams and their impact on innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    2. Yu, Qianqian, 2025. "Do venture capital-driven top management changes enhance corporate innovation in private firms?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    3. Ching-Hung Chang & Qingqing Wu, 2021. "Board Networks and Corporate Innovation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(6), pages 3618-3654, June.
    4. Brewis, Claire & Dibb, Sally & Meadows, Maureen, 2023. "Leveraging big data for strategic marketing: A dynamic capabilities model for incumbent firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    5. Byun, Seong, 2022. "The role of intrinsic incentives and corporate culture in motivating innovation," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    6. Piepponen, Amanda & Ritala, Paavo & Keränen, Joona & Maijanen, Päivi, 2022. "Digital transformation of the value proposition: A single case study in the media industry," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 311-325.
    7. Li, Ganglei & Shao, Yunfei, 2023. "How do top management team characteristics affect digital orientation? Exploring the internal driving forces of firm digitalization," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    8. Christopher Kurzhals & Lorenz Graf‐Vlachy & Andreas König, 2020. "Strategic leadership and technological innovation: A comprehensive review and research agenda," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 437-464, November.
    9. Seong K. Byun & Jong-Min & Han Xia, 2021. "Incremental vs. Breakthrough Innovation: The Role of Technology Spillovers," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(3), pages 1779-1802, March.
    10. Yongqiang Chu & Xuan Tian & Wenyu Wang, 2019. "Corporate Innovation Along the Supply Chain," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(6), pages 2445-2466, June.
    11. Wang, Sai & Wen, Wen & Niu, Yuhao & Li, Xin, 2024. "Digital transformation and corporate labor investment efficiency," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    12. Changling Sun & Ziang Lin & Marek Vochozka & Zuzana Vincúrová, 2022. "Digital transformation and corporate cash holdings in China’s A-share listed companies," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(4), pages 1081-1116, December.
    13. Qing Wan & Xiaoke Cheng & Kam C. Chan & Shenghao Gao, 2021. "Born to innovate? The birth‐order effect of CEOs on corporate innovation," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(9-10), pages 1846-1888, October.
    14. He, Yuqian & Tang, Song & Wang, Lanfang & Wang, Susheng & Yu, Tao, 2024. "Private equity market development, state ownership, and firm innovation: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 958-985.
    15. Zhao, Shan & He, Xinming & Ma, Baichao & Zuo, Wenming, 2025. "Customer concentration, firm R&D investment and moderation effects," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    16. Tan, Yongxian & Tian, Xuan & Zhang, Xinde & Zhao, Hailong, 2020. "The real effect of partial privatization on corporate innovation: Evidence from China's split share structure reform," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    17. Xu, Meng & Yang, Zhonghai & Lin, Yu-En & Li, Gaobo, 2024. "Maturity mismatched investment, digital financial inclusion, and digital orientation: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    18. Guanming He & Xiaorong Li & Jingbo Luo, 2023. "The impact of the Shanghai–Hong Kong stock market connection on corporate innovation: Evidence from mainland China," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(3), pages 3132-3161, July.
    19. Siachou, Evangelia & Vrontis, Demetris & Trichina, Eleni, 2021. "Can traditional organizations be digitally transformed by themselves? The moderating role of absorptive capacity and strategic interdependence," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 408-421.
    20. Ge, Guoqing & Xue, Jian & Zhang, Qian, 2024. "Industrial policy and governmental venture capital: Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(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:mgtdec:v:46:y:2025:i:4:p:1934-1955. 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: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/7976 .

    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.