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CEOs’ Poverty Experience and Corporate Digitalization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2025

Xiangjun Hong ,
Jialun Yang ,
Duo Li Open the ORCID record for Duo Li [Opens in a new window] ,
Xinyu Chen ,
Chen Yang  and
Tian Wu Open the ORCID record for Tian Wu [Opens in a new window]
Xiangjun Hong
Affiliation:
Xiamen National Accounting Institute, China
Jialun Yang
Affiliation:
Shanghai National Accounting Institute, China
Duo Li
Affiliation:
Tsinghua University, China
Xinyu Chen
Affiliation:
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China
Chen Yang
Affiliation:
Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, China
Tian Wu*
Affiliation:
Tsinghua University, China
*
Corresponding author: Tian Wu ([email protected])
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Abstract

This study delves into the intricate relationship between chief executive officers' (CEOs') experiences of poverty and the digital transformation of their firms. Employing comprehensive data collection on CEOs' birthplaces and leveraging advanced text analytics to quantify digitalization, our analysis encompasses a wide array of listed companies in China. The findings reveal that CEOs' impoverished experiences exert a detrimental influence on their firms' digital transformation efforts, primarily due to a lack of motivation and social resources necessary for such initiatives. However, this adverse effect can be ameliorated when CEOs gain access to substantial social resources in later life. Our conclusions are robust, supported by rigorous testing, and underscore not only the impact of CEOs' early-life poverty on corporate digitalization but also the potential for overcoming these challenges through the acquisition of external social resources and connections in adulthood. This study contributes significantly to existing literature and offers practical implications for enhancing corporate digital transformation strategies.

摘要

摘要

本研究深入探讨了首席执行官（CEO）的个人贫困经历如何影响企业的数字化转型。我们全面收集了 CEO 的出生地信息，并采用前沿的文本分析技术来量化数字化程度，我们的分析涵盖了中国众多上市公司。研究结果表明， CEO 的贫困经历对其企业的数字化转型努力产生了不利影响，这主要归因于缺乏此类举措所需的动机和社会资源。然而，当 CEO 在后来的生活中获得大量社会资源时，这种不利影响可以得到缓解。我们的研究结果是稳健的，并得到了严格的检验支持。我们的研究不仅强调了 CEO 早年贫困经历对企业数字化的影响，还指出了通过成年后获取外部社会资源和联系来克服这些挑战的可能性。本研究对现有文献做出了重要贡献，并为加强企业数字化转型战略提供了实践启示。

Keywords

digital transformationpoverty experiencesocial resources数字化转型贫困经历社会资源
Type
Article
Information
Management and Organization Review , Volume 20 , Issue 6 , December 2024 , pp. 968 - 987
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of International Association for Chinese Management Research

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