CEO attributes associated with attitude toward change: The direct and moderating effects of CEO tenure

Abstract

A chief executive's attitude toward change may be an important influence on an organization's strategy. In this study, we examine the experiential and demographic variables associated with a more liberal or conservative attitude toward change in a sample of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of non-profit organizations. We find that CEO tenure has a significant direct and modifying association with attitude toward change with the central tendency of CEOs to become more conservative as their tenure increases. In addition, CEO gender, functional background experience and diversity of functional experiences were also found to be associated with attitude toward change. With the exception of gender, however, the effect of these variables on attitude toward change diminishes as tenure increases.