The major challenge arising of combining insights from the upper echelons and
executive succession literature is the level of theory, as the construct of succession is
at the individual level (outcomes, such as turnover and succession, are defined at the
lowest individual level of analysis) whereas diversity is a team level construct.
Dismissal or appointment of individual members causes changes in team composition.
However, diversity as a theoretical construct is not at individual level (e.g., the
difference of the dismissed or selected team member to the existing members).
Furthermore, the event of executive succession is a discrete event whereas team
composition is continuous. Hence, testing an antecedent theory of upper echelon
composition would require a longitudinal research approach.