The Effect of Entrepreneurs’ Research Imprints and Intersecting Imprint on Enterprise Innovation Capability : Evidence from Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (Msmes) in China

Nowadays, the call for enterprise innovation is becoming increasingly urgent. There is also continued interest in how to make the best use of entrepreneurs' research experience. However, there are still differences in research results on the effect of entrepreneurs' research experience on enterprise innovation, and evidence from Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) is still insufficient. Drawing on the upper-echelon theory, imprinting theory, tacit knowledge, and institutional logic theory, we argue that the effect of an entrepreneur’s research experience on innovation could be the manifestation of established imprints in the current environment. Utilizing data from Chinese New OTC Market listed enterprises from 2008-2016, we find the career research imprint can spur enterprise innovation, while the postgrad research imprint cannot promote innovation alone. We also examine how governance structures moderate imprints’ effects. Finally, we reveal the preference for high-quality innovation of postgrad research imprints