Organization and Strategy Seminar（2018-06）

Topic: Status Inequality and Voluntary Executive Turnovers

Speaker: Zhi Huang,University of Kentucky

Time: Friday, 19 October, 09:00-10:30 am

Location: Room 111, Guanghua Building 2

Abstract：

This study proposes and tests a theory of how TMT status hierarchies affect voluntary executive turnovers. The status hierarchy in a TMT channels peer respect towards higher-status executives and away from lower-status executives. With higher status inequality, higher-status executives garner more peer respect and get boost in their self-esteem, whereas lower-status executives receive less peer respect and experience drop in self-esteem. Boost in self-esteem may motivate high-status executives to pursue higher career goals in other firms, whereas drop in self-esteem may motivate low-status executives to join other firms to avoid disrespect by peers. This rationale suggests a positive effect of status inequality on executive turnovers. Further, the status-induced motivations for higher- and lower-status executives are more likely to result in their turnovers (1) when executives are more likely to secure new jobs in other firms or (2) when their current firms are less likely to facilitate higher-status executives’ pursuing higher career goals or lower-status executives’ protecting and enhancing their self-esteem. The analysis based on a sample of Chinese firms provides strong support for the theory. This study makes important contributions to executive turnover research in particular and turnover research in general.

Introduction:

Zhi Huang isthe Ashland Oil Endowed associate professor in the Department of Management at theUniversity of Kentucky. Before joining the University of Kentucky, he taught at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He holds a Ph.D. and MA in Organization Studies from Boston College. His research focuses on understanding how social structures, be they status, power, network, and institutional structures, affect organization, group, and individual behaviors and outcomes. He looks at these structural effects through a cognitive lens, and situates his empirical investigation in various contexts (e.g., U.S. collegiate sports, U.S. commercial banking, the global information technology industry, corporate boards, work teams). His research has appeared in such outlets as Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Strategic Management Journal, Academy of Management Discoveries, and Human Relations. His research has also received recognition from Human Relations and the Academy of Management Association. He sits on the editorial board of Administrative Science Quarterly and Journal of Management, and has been reviewing for a number of management journals. His teaching centers on Corporate Strategy. He received the Dean’s Recognition for Teaching Excellence at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

//gatton.uky.edu/faculty-research/faculty/huang-zhi

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