Top management team stability and maturity mismatch between investment and financing: the moderating effects of state ownership and institutional ownership

Purpose According to the resource-based theory, a firm’s unique resources and capabilities are the key to its competitive advantage. This paper aims to investigate the effect of top management team (TMT) stability, an important intangible resource of the firm, on the maturity mismatch between investment and financing of companies. Additionally, we explore the moderating effects of state ownership and institutional ownership in this context. Design/methodology/approach This study conducts an empirical analysis based on the ordinary least squares (OLS) model with a sample of Chinese companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges from 2010 to 2022. Findings The results show that TMT stability significantly mitigates the degree of maturity mismatch. Both state ownership and institutional ownership weaken the negative effect of TMT stability on maturity mismatch. Besides, alleviating financing constraints is a crucial pathway through which TMT stability influences maturity mismatch. Practical implications The findings help firms to effectively retain TMT talents and reduce the occurrence of maturity mismatch. Originality/value This paper not only helps to expand the research on the economic effects of TMT stability but also provides new ideas on how to alleviate the maturity mismatch of companies.