International experience in the executive suite: The path to prosperity?

Attention is increasingly focused on the potential individual career and fi rm-level benefits of international experience for upper level executives. T his research examines the relationships between CEO international experienc e, CEO tenure, firm internationalization succession events, and corporate f inancial performance. Results indicate a significant interactive effect bet ween CEO tenure and outside succession on CEO international experience. In addition to a relationship with CEO international experience, there are two additional interactive effects in the examination of corporate financial p erformance: (I) CEO international experience and the degree of firm interna tionalization, and (2) CEO international experience and CEO succession. The se interactive effects are evident in accounting and market indicators of c orporate financial performance. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.