The Impact of Executives' Overseas Backgrounds on the Digital Transformation of Enterprises

With the emergence of the "wave of returning to China" and the continuous introduction of a series of talent introduction policies by the country, talents with overseas backgrounds have begun to hold key positions in the top management of enterprises, and their impact on the development of Chinese enterprises has received widespread attention.This article selects A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2007 to 2021 as samples to empirically examine the impact of overseas backgrounds of executives on digital transformation of enterprises. Research has found that executives with overseas backgrounds can promote digital transformation in enterprises. Mechanism testing found that executives with overseas backgrounds promote digital transformation of enterprises by enhancing their innovation capabilities and reducing agency costs. Expanded research has found that the promoting effect of overseas executives on digital transformation of enterprises is more pronounced in state-owned, low information asymmetry, and small and medium-sized enterprises.The conclusion of this article not only enriches the influencing factors on the driving force of enterprise digital transformation, but also provides valuable evidence for enterprises on how to accurately position and attract management elites, as well as plan future development.