Chen, Xihui, Tee, Kienpin and Chang, Victor (2022). Accelerating Innovation Efficiency through Agile Leadership:The CEO Network Effects in China. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 179 ,
Abstract
Digitalization as a business enabler has speeded and scaled innovation in many firms. As the corporate leader, the CEO facilitates strategic agility and enhances network effects to create value. This study uses innovation efficiency as the proxy of digitalization to examine the contribution of the CEO networks to firm-level innovation efficiency in Chinese listed firms. Using 13,516 firm-year observations in Chinese listed high-tech firms between 2007 and 2017, we apply a frontier analysis approach (e.g., DEA and SFA) and measure innovation efficiency based on the scale ratio of innovation output (i.e., patent counts) and input (R&D investment and R&D personnel). First, we find that innovation is more efficient when CEO has more outside directorships. Second, a significant and positive relationship exists between a well-connected CEO and innovation efficiency when the newly appointed CEO has larger networks than the predecessor. Third, the positive relationship between a well-connected CEO and innovation efficiency disappears when the number of outside directorships is above the yearly median level. This empirical study provides evidence for the network effects of a CEO for improving innovation efficiency. The findings emphasize the contingent value of the CEO's external social capital on agility, especially the multiple directorships in a transitional economy.
Publication DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121602 |
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Divisions: | College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School > Operations & Information Management |
Funding Information: | Prof Chang's work is supported by VC Research (VCR 0000089). |
Additional Information: | © 2022, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Funding Information: Prof Chang's work is supported by VC Research (VCR 0000089). |
Uncontrolled Keywords: | Agile Leadership,CEO networks,CEO Transition,Digitalization,Innovation Efficiency,Social Capital,Business and International Management,Applied Psychology,Management of Technology and Innovation |
Publication ISSN: | 1873-5509 |
Last Modified: | 13 Aug 2024 07:05 |
Date Deposited: | 25 May 2022 09:42 |
Full Text Link: | |
Related URLs: |
http://www.scop ... tnerID=8YFLogxK
(Scopus URL) https://www.sci ... 1342?via%3Dihub (Publisher URL) |
PURE Output Type: | Article |
Published Date: | 2022-06-01 |
Published Online Date: | 2022-03-14 |
Accepted Date: | 2022-03-02 |
Authors: |
Chen, Xihui
Tee, Kienpin Chang, Victor ( ![]() |
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Version: Accepted Version
License: Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives
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