Does CEO information technology background promote substantive green innovation or strategic green innovation?

Drawn on the upper echelons theory and imprinting theory, this study investigates how CEO information technology (IT) background drives the green innovation of firms. We propose that a CEO IT background has a positive impact on the firm green innovation performance. Specifically, we divide green innovation into two categories: substantive green innovation and strategic green innovation, and analyse the type of green innovation strategy that CEO with a background in IT preferred. We propose the CEO with a background in IT has a greater level of substantial green innovation. In addition, the regulatory function of the digital economy was considered. We propose that the digital economy inhibits the connection between CEO IT background and firm green innovation. Our research results validate these hypotheses using China A-share listed company data from 2006 to 2020. This research contributes to the literature in the subject of corporate governance and has substantial practical relevance.