Top Management Team Digital Attention and Export Performance

Past studies have confirmed that managerial attention significantly shapes firm strategy yet have overlooked the heterogeneity of managerial attention. Thus, this study delineates the types of top management team (TMT) digital attention, examines the effects of TMT digital attention on firm export performance, and analyzes the moderating effects of foreign ownership and internationalization speed on this relationship. Based on panel data from publicly listed Chinese firms spanning 2013 to 2023, this study conducts empirical regression analyses using a two-way fixed-effects model to verify the aforementioned relationship. Grounded in the attention-based view (ABV), this study analyzes the total time and effort that TMTs dedicate to digital transformation across three dimensions: sustainability, breadth, and intensity. The results show that the sustainability of TMT digital attention positively impacts export performance, while the breadth of TMT digital attention limits export growth. Additionally, an inverted U-shaped relationship exists between the intensity of TMT digital attention and export performance. This research enriches and extends the study of TMT digital attention to international strategy, providing practical insights for companies seeking to improve their export performance.