Commanding corporate narratives : How military-experienced leaders shape corporate communication

This study explores the enduring influence of military imprints on corporate leaders and their implications for corporate narrative disclosures. Drawing upon insights from imprinting, upper echelons, and strategic leadership theories, we argue that military experiences shape executives' decision-making and communication styles persistently. Utilizing a dataset of 29,633 firm-year observations from 2010 to 2021, we find that military imprints translate into distinct communication patterns, evident in a positive tone in corporate disclosures. We further explore the relationship within varying ownership structures, identifying contextual factors that modulate this dynamic. Our findings have withstood rigorous tests for robustness, thereby providing additional strength to the credibility of our research. Our findings contribute to the literature on imprinting theory, leadership, and corporate communication, underscoring the multifaceted influence of military experience on executives’ decision-making and disclosure styles. Simultaneously, it imparts pragmatic insights for both corporate leaders and stakeholders alike.