Nature of Company Ownership, the Dual Role of CEO and Board Chair, and R & D Investment Intensity

Purpose This study examines the impact of company ownership nature and of the dual role of CEO and board chair on R & D investment intensity, as well as the moderating effect of this dual role. Most previous research focused on the impact of the dual role of CEO and board chair on firm performance. Design/methodology/approach This study uses A-share companies listed on the Shenzhen and Shanghai stock exchanges in China from 2008 to 2017. The univariate and the multivariate regression analysis were hired In order to analyze the data. Findings The results show that there is a significant negative relationship between state-owned companies and R & D investment intensity. In addition, there is a significant positive relationship between the dual role and R & D investment intensity. The effect of state ownership on R & D investment intensity is more negative when CEO-board chair duality exists. This means that in case of state-owned companies, if CEO serves as the board chair, the propensity to invest in R&D is further reduced. Research implications or Originality This is a pioneering study that considers the joint effect of state-owned companies and dual role on R & D investment intensity in the Chinese economy.