Creative Roots, Strategic Outcomes: CEO Childhood Imprints and the Pursuit of Innovation

Authors

• Puya Kahhali, University of California, Riverside, California, U.S.A.
• Alexandru Roman, University of Maine, Maine, U.S.A.
• Haibo Liu, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Abstract

This study examines how CEOs’ early-life experiences shape strategic decision-making, focusing on the influence of parental creativity. Drawing on imprinting and upper echelons theories, we argue that CEOs with creatively employed parents develop an exploratory mindset that promotes greater investment in firm R&D. Crucially, we propose that this learning stems from behavioral modeling of exploratory mindsets through creative problem-solving—rather than the transmission of socioeconomic capital. Using a proprietary dataset of Fortune 100 CEOs and their parents’ occupations, we find robust support for this relationship. The effect is amplified under strong firm performance, while CEO age does not consistently weaken the relationship, suggesting that early-life imprints endure. These findings contribute to the upper echelons and organizational learning literatures by identifying a novel antecedent of CEO innovation behavior and highlighting the lasting influence of formative experiences on strategic choices.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Recommended Citation

Kahhali, Puya; Roman, Alexandru; and Liu, Haibo (2026) "Creative Roots, Strategic Outcomes: CEO Childhood Imprints and the Pursuit of Innovation," American Business Review: Vol. 29: No. 1, Article 5.
DOI: 10.37625/abr.29.1.89-110
Available at: https://digitalcommons.newhaven.edu/americanbusinessreview/vol29/iss1/5

DOI

10.37625/abr.29.1.89-110