Does top management team’s job mobility experience matter for corporate innovation?

Purpose This study aims to investigate whether top management team (TMT)’s job mobility experience is related to firm innovation. Design/methodology/approach The authors use different strategies, including a two-stage instrumental model, difference-in-differences analysis based on TMT members’ sudden deaths, propensity score matching and firm fixed-effects model, to mitigate endogeneity concerns. Findings The authors find that firms whose TMT experienced more job mobility have better firm innovation. In addition, the authors reveal that the job mobility experience is positively related to engagement in explorative innovation strategies that generate new knowledge. The findings are robust to a battery of tests to alleviate potential endogeneity concerns. Overall, the results highlight the role of job mobility experience in influencing firm innovation. Originality/value This study contributes to the rising literature on the determinants of firm innovation. By showing the TMT’s job mobility experience is related to innovation, the authors expand the literature about the economic consequences of the heterogeneous TMT characteristics. Given that firm innovation is essential to competitive advantage, the results should be of interest to a range of stakeholders, including investors, directors and managers and policymakers.