CEO Power and Green Innovation: Evidence from China

The relationship between CEO power and risk-taking remains a controversial topic, with no consensus regarding whether CEO power promotes green innovation. To address this unresolved issue, this research explores the correlation between CEO power and green innovation, distinguishing between green product innovation and green process innovation. It also examines the moderating roles of media coverage and government regulation in these relationships. By using panel data on Chinese manufacturing for the period from 2010 to 2022, we draw several important conclusions. First, CEO power is found to be negatively associated with green product innovation but positively correlated with green process innovation. Additionally, media coverage and government regulation reinforce the positive impact of CEO power on green process innovation; however, they do not meaningfully affect the impact on green product innovation. These findings may represent valuable insights for firms and policymakers committed to sustainable development.