Abstract
We build on upper-echelons theory to argue that CEO social class impacts firm competitive repertoires. Specifically, we suggest that CEO social class origin impacts whether CEOs favor complex versus simpler competitive actions and competitive conformity versus non-conformity, based on their early experiences and the associated preferences. We further suggest that the effect of CEO social class on competitive actions is strengthened when CEOs face threats to their social status. We test our hypotheses using primary survey data on CEO social class origin and secondary data on firm competitive actions, with a sample of 601 firm-year observations and find support for our predictions. Our paper offers important contributions to research on upper-echelons, social class and competitive dynamics.
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