Is the past really gone? How CEOs’ socialist imprinting affects corporate green innovation in China

Abstract

ABSTRACT Combining imprinting and institutional views, we extend previous literature on the implications of ideological imprinting and corporate governance for organisational strategies. Specifically, this study examines how the CEOs’ socialist imprinting formed in the planned economy era guides them to pursue corporate green innovation as senior executives later on. Using longitudinal data (2014–2021) from 3589 publicly listed companies in China, we find that: (1) CEOs’ socialist imprinting is positively associated with the level of corporate green innovation; (2) the positive relationship between CEOs’ socialist imprinting and corporate green innovation is more salient for firms with the greater governance involvement of corporate party organisation; (3) the positive relationship between CEOs’ socialist imprinting and corporate green innovation is more salient for state-owned enterprises.