Not If, But How CEOs Affect Product Innovation: A Systematic Review and Research Agenda

While scholars have long emphasized the role of firms’ CEOs in shaping innovation outcomes, the question of underlying mechanisms remains widely unanswered. In light of this, we stress that the relationship between organizational aspects (e.g. resource allocation or culture) and product innovation should not mark the end of an intellectual quest. Instead, these enablers are also particularly contingent upon the corporate leaders. Based on 81 empirical studies, we reveal the impact of CEO characteristics (demographics, personality, and cognition) and leadership on firm-level variables that enable product innovation. Finally, we outline fruitful avenues for future research and provide managerial implications.