Firms frequently create executive links between units by transferring or sharing people. Organization theory has emphasized that “boundary-spanning” by people can be a source of innovation and change as these executives combine knowledge from different domains. Within the organization,...

This article explores how knowledge embodied in executives is tied to the organizational context in which it develops. Drawing on the knowledge-based view of the firm and human capital theory, we predict that executives will move between units with similar ‘structural composition' — a...