Top and middle management characteristics and internationalization speed

PurposeThis study aims to bridge the gap between firms' internationalization speed research and the emerging study of the interface of a top management team (TMT) and a middle management team (MMT). Accordingly, this study examines the effect of TMT output function and the moderating effect of similarity between TMT and MMT in functional background and international experience on internationalization speed.Design/methodology/approachA two-way fixed-effects approach is used to analyze a dataset of 1,040 observations.FindingsThe results suggest that an output-oriented TMT tends to promote rapid internationalization and that MMT members who are similar with TMT members in functional backgrounds and international experience may be more inclined to support and facilitate internationalization speed advocated by TMT.Originality/valueThis study highlights the importance of demographic similarity between TMT and MMT in speeding up a firm's international expansion, thus advancing the notion that demographic similarity may align the perspectives and perceptions among multi-echelons, leading to consensus on strategy development.