Top Executives’ Overseas Background on Corporate Green Innovation Output: The Mediating Role of Risk Preference

Abstract This study employs balanced panel data encompassing Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed companies in China spanning the period from 2014 to 2021 as a research dataset, employing a mixed OLS regression model and Bootstrap methods, to investigate the influence mechanism of the overseas background and risk preference tendencies of top executives on the corporate green innovation output. The results show that the top executives’ overseas experience has a substantial influence on corporate green innovation, while top executives’ risk preference level plays a mediating role. In addition, the educational background of top executives is identified as a moderating element in this mechanism. Thus, the conclusions of this article extend prior research by identifying a new connection between top executives’ overseas backgrounds and corporate green innovation and by offering a new perspective to advance and improve the green economy.