Can Executives with Internet Experience Enhance Corporate Innovation?

Currently, an increasing number of executives in traditional enterprises possess experience in the Internet industry. They are willing to embrace new technologies and novel perspectives and exhibit more vital innovation awareness and willingness. This trend will have a profound impact on the innovation capability of traditional enterprises. This paper employs natural language processing techniques and focuses on non-Internet companies listed in China from 2010 to 2021 as the research subjects. It examines the influence of executive Internet industry experience on the innovation capability of enterprises. The research reveals that administrative Internet industry experience can significantly enhance a company's innovation capability, with a more pronounced effect on companies operating in highly competitive industries. Mechanisms influencing this and further research indicate that executive Internet industry experience can, to a certain extent, mitigate the adverse impact of earnings management on corporate innovation, thereby increasing enterprise value.