Flowers That Bloom in March, Do They Flourish in May? Career Paths of Leaders with Elite Education
Journal
Academy of Management Proceedings
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2025
Author(s)
Abstract
Does studying in an elite university pave the way for a successful career in the corporate world, all the way to the top? Although conventional wisdom associates elite credentials with strong general social and human capital and hence views those with such credentials as more competitive in the executive and director labor market, little is known about the form in which the education-derived competitive edge plays out and for how long it can sustain in one’s career trajectory. This study addresses these gaps by observing the career progression of a selected sample of directors and executives of Chinese listed firms who made their debut to the upper echelon labor market during the 2004-2022 period. The tracking discerns a significant competitive advantage in market entry in that executives and directors with degrees from elite universities tend to obtain their first top-ranked positions at earlier ages than those without. We also find that firm performance, candidate gender, and the market development level of the city where the firm is located serve as important boundary conditions. However, the study reveals that upon their first appearances, elite education background no longer predicts the speed or extent of further advancement to the pinnacle of corporate hierarchy – namely, the board chair position. These insights advance the understandings in director and executive selection and individual social and human capital.