Senior management?s academic experience and corporate green innovation

Against a backdrop of increasingly severe environmental problems, green development has become a primary goal and crucial mode in the global economy?s requirements for sustainable development. China?s A-share listed company data from 2008 to 2017 were used to empirically test the impact of senior management?s academic experience on corporate green innovation. It was found that senior management?s academic expertise positively affected corporate green innovation. Such an effect was more apparent when senior management served in crucial positions or had higher education levels. In addition, when focusing on senior management?s characteristics in essential positions, executives? technical backgrounds, overseas backgrounds, and political connections could significantly enhance the positive impact of their academic experience on corporate green innovation. This study expands the application of the imprinting theory from the perspective of the academic experience of senior management and enriches the research on the factors affecting corporate green innovation. This study provides insight for listed companies with regard to making scientific and reasonable executive appointment decisions, and governments to formulate policies on talent introduction to promote the sustainable development of the global economy.