Prof. Dr. David Bendig (l.), Dr. Thomas Schäper (m.l.), Dr. Lucas Mantke (m.r.), and Dr. Nico Schauerte (r.)

How and under which conditions do CMOs career experiences shape service innovation? This study, published in the Journal of Service Research (VHB: A; ABS: 4; IF: 8.6) shows that CMOs who combine deep specialist expertise with generalist experience are related to increased service innovation. The study draws on a panel of 209 U.S. S&P 500 firms from 2009 to 2020.

The key findings:

• Career “sweet spot”: Neither purely specialist nor purely generalist CMOs perform best. The highest service innovation is associated with balanced CMO career profiles.
• Market context matters: In stable markets, more specialist-oriented CMO careers tend to be optimal. In dynamic markets, broader career experience becomes more valuable.
• Financial constraints limit impact: When firms face strong financial constraints, differences between CMO profiles diminish and innovation slows for all.
• Operational freedom amplifies effects: Flexible organizational processes allow CMO career advantages to fully translate into higher service innovation.

For practice, the findings highlight that not only who occupies the CMO position matters, but what type of career experience that individual brings to the role. The results further emphasize the importance of context. In stable market environments, more specialist-oriented CMO careers can be particularly effective, whereas in dynamic environments broader experience becomes more valuable. At the same time, sufficient financial resources and operational discretion are critical enabling conditions, as even highly capable CMOs cannot fully leverage their experience under tight budget constraints or rigid procedures. Managers and board members should consider the respective experience when selecting or planning the succession of CMOs in their companies.

The study “Specialist, Generalist, or Both? How Chief Marketing Officers’ Career Experiences Shape the Pace of Service Innovation” by Prof. Dr. David Bendig, Dr. Thomas Schäper, Dr. Lucas Mantke (all University of Münster), and Dr. Nico Schauerte (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) is available here (open access): https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10946705251386793.

Contact for inquiries: 
Dr. Thomas Schäper
University of Münster
Institute for Entrepreneurship 
Leonardo-Campus 9, 48149 Münster
Email: thomas.schaeper@uni-muenster.de