Measures Of Export Performance Research Articles

A systematic literature review on determinants and measures of export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises

A systematic literature review on determinants and measures of export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises

A systematic literature review on determinants and measures of export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises

A systematic literature review on determinants and measures of export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises

Exports and Growth: Learning from the Case of Southern U.S. Metropolitan Areas

The relationship between exports and economic growth is a paradigmatic element of modern economic growth policy, despite the absence of strong evidence of a connection. Until recently, data on export production prevented an extensive empirical analysis of metropolitan-scale trade. This article examines the export growth dynamics across large metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) within the southern United States, a region that has been impacted by economic globalization. These analyses found that some Southern metropolitan areas differ from regional and national averages in selected measures of export performance. Additionally, the export performance of Southern cities was not correlated with all indicators of economic development. This article concludes that export dynamics should be viewed increasingly from an urban frame, with particular emphasis on the production of globally consumed knowledge products and advanced manufacturing. Moreover, export policy should be directed toward the individual strengths of urban regions.

Managerial assessments of export performance: What do they reflect?

Export performance is often measured by managers’ subjective assessments, but little is known about what such assessments reflect. This article addresses this gap in the literature by analyzing the association between subjective and objective measures of export performance. We examined which aspects managers take into consideration when subjectively assessing the export performance of their firm. We also examined whether managers’ assessments had any predictive power concerning the future development of their firm’s export sales.Our empirical evidence is based on Norwegian small and medium-sized enterprises operating mainly in business-to business markets. Our analyses show that managers’ subjective assessment of export performance at the firm level is significantly associated with the percentage of the total firm sales that are exported. This is true for assessments of economic as well as non-economic performance. Subjective assessments, however, were not associated with actual export sales levels or with export growth.

The Impact of AFT on Export Performance of Selected Asian Developing Countries

By liberalizing trade and capitalizing on areas of comparatives advantages, the developing countries can benefit economically. There are a lot of obstacles which constraints the ability of countries to engage in international trade. Aid-for-Trade (AFT) is a part of overall Official Development Assistance (ODA)-which helps developing countries to build their trade in global markets. This paper employs System-GMM technique to examine whether AFT helps Asian aid-receiving countries to improve their export performance over the period 2000-2015. The results show a positive and significant effect of AFT in multiple measures of export performance. However, the aids should be targeted and avoid any misusing.

The effects of the board composition, board size and CEO duality on export performance

PurposeThis study aims to understand the antecedents of export performance at the firm level. Building on agency theory but taking into account emerging market settings and institutional differences, the authors investigate how the board composition determines the export competitiveness of the firms operating in an emerging country from the point of view of corporate governance mechanisms.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from 221 exporting firms for four years (2007-2010), the authors find that there is a significantly positive relationship between board size and all measures of export performance, while a higher presence of outside directors on the board is negatively associated with export performance, consistently with expectations. The separation of chairman of board of directors and chief executive officer (CEO) positions has significantly positive impact on export performance. On the other hand, the authors find no support for the position that inside director professional representation neither reduce nor increase all measures of export performance of firms. In other words, the convergence with Western practices and consistently with agency theory’s claims is evident for both board size and CEO duality. However, the effects of inside professional and outside directors are no consistent with agency theorists’ expectations.FindingsUsing data from 221 exporting firms for four years (2007-2010), the authors find that there is a significantly positive relationship between board size and all measures of export performance, while a higher presence of outside directors on the board is a negatively associated with export performance, consistently with expectations. The separation of chairman of board of directors and CEO positions has significantly positive impact on export performance. On the other hand, the authors find no support for the position that inside director professional representation neither reduce nor increase all measures of export performance of firms. In other words, the convergence with Western practices and consistently with agency theory’s claims is evident for both board size and CEO duality. However, the effects of inside professional and outside directors are no consistent with agency theorists’ expectations.Research limitations/implicationsExport performance is one of the most widely researched areas within international marketing research but least reached topic of management. However, exporting continues to be an important mode of internationalization for multinational companies, especially operating an emerging economy. This study is one of the first studies on the impact of governance factors such as board structure on only export performance rather than overall (firm) performance in light of international management. In other words, the study of the determinants of exports in the context of an emerging economy is an important contribution to the literature, given that our understanding of how the board composition determines the export competitiveness from the point of view of firms operating in an emerging country such as Turkey. Moreover, this research investigates this relationship at objective export performance dimensions using primary data set from listed and non-listed export firms.Practical implicationsThe current study offered in-depth information to multinational companies that aim to gain a competitive exporting advantage in Turkey. Further, the results of this study give managers an opportunity to see the reasons behind the success of the exporting firms from the point of view of corporate governance mechanism.Originality/valueIn this paper, the authors contribute to this recent stream of research providing evidence on the effects of governance mechanism on the export performance from the point of view of emerging countries. Building on agency theory but taking into account emerging market settings and institutional differences, and international management, the authors provide a new framework that models the linkages between board composition and export performance. This work helps us to gain a deeper understanding of how board dynamics contribute to the internalization of firms. Research in this area has been sparse, although some studies have linked governance with export intensity. In this effort, the authors differentiate from previous studies in several ways.

Cultural intelligence of entrepreneurs and international network ties

Purpose– This paper aimed to investigate whether the cultural intelligence (CQ) of entrepreneurs is associated with the quality of the relationships firms develop with foreign networks.Design/methodology/approach– The samples include small and medium manufacturing firms in Thailand. Data were collected with a self-administered questionnaire survey. A list of 1,000 firms was randomly selected from the directory of Thai exporters. A total of 129 surveys were returned. Partial least square regression was used to analyze the data.Findings– The results revealed a positive association between the CQ of entrepreneurs and the quality of the relationships that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) had with foreign customers, foreign suppliers and foreign competitors. The quality of the relationships was also associated positively with export performance. However, there was no significant evidence for the role of the quality of relationships with foreign competitors in export performance.Research limitations/implications– The use of cross-sectional data makes it difficult to claim causality between the constructs. Moreover, the CQ and export performance measures that use subjective evaluation may cause bias. The small sample size also limits the generalizability of the results.Practical implications– The results suggested that CQ is a key capability entrepreneurs must develop to conduct business more successfully in foreign markets.Social implications– Because SMEs are considered a key driver of a country’s economic development, CQ training could be an important choice on which the government should focus. Furthermore, as the world economy is more integrated, CQ training can significantly help people improve cross-cultural communication skills which are essential for them to be successful in today’s globalized economy.Originality/value– Despite the increasing popularity of CQ research, evidence for its contribution to the ability of entrepreneurs to develop good relationships with foreign firms is lacking. The main contribution of this study is to bridge this research gap by providing empirical evidence.

Influence of internationalization orientation on export performance: in the perspective of Malaysian manufacturing firms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate several concepts of inward and outward internationalization and their impact on export performance in the context of Malaysian manufacturing exporting firms. Design/methodology/approach – Mail survey was administered to gather data from the Malaysian manufacturing firms that have been identified to have business export trading to the major oil and gas producer countries in the Middle East. A total of 120 respondents were received and further analysis was tabulated. Findings – Findings revealed that the outward internationalization is positively related to economic and non-economic measures of export performance. It indicates that an outward internationalization related to organizational capability has a major contribution to the export performance of Malaysian manufacturing and exporting firms. On the other hand, top management international orientation as an inward internationalization is negatively and significantly associated with economic measures, but not in the non-economic measures of the export performance. Research limitations/implications – The cross-sectional nature of this study may have limitations with respect to examining the direction and causality of some of the variables. The findings are limited to Malaysian manufacturing firms exporting to targeted markets. The significant of this study emanates from its expected theoretical implications to knowledge and practical implications to business and public organization. It lends support to the internationalization theory and contributes to a firm’s performance and enhances their export marketing knowledge with useful implications for international and relationship marketing. Originality/value – The results support the proposition that internationalization of firms from emerging nations are dependent on learning, acquiring and applying the knowledge from other firms particularly from firms originating from advanced developed nations.

Export performance: multiple predictors and multiple measures approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents of export performance within the parameters of the structure-conduct-and-performance (SCP) paradigm, resource-based view (RBV), rational choice (RC) and perceptual view (PV), theoretical templates. Design/methodology/approach – The study surveyed continuing manufacturing exporters from New Zealand (n=118) using an electronic method. Linear regression analysis was used to determine the relationships among the groups of predictors and three types of measures. Findings – The results found that strategic factors (encapsulating RC) were strong predictors of both export intensity (EI) and export intensity growth, followed by export barriers (representing PV). Conversely, firm factors (representing an amalgamation of SCP and RBV variables) generated lower explanatory power in predicting export performance. Regarding measures of export performance, EI carried the highest efficacy. Practical implications – This research suggests export performance depends primarily on deliberate strategic initiatives (RC) (regarding, products, markets and approaches to order generation), and implicitly challenges the resource and natural selection based advantages inherent in firm factors. Originality/value – This is one of the few studies on export performance to test the explanatory power of competing theoretical views using a multiple measures approach. Insights from this research extend to the very definition of an internationalizing SME with significant implications for export researchers.

Resources, capabilities and export performance: multidimensional evidence of Chile

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the relation between to export performance measures; growth exports and export intensity with the resources, capabilities and characteristics of the firms as factors determining its success.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a questionnaire, answered by 133 firms from a random sample of 480 Chilean firms.FindingsThe two performance measures of the study, export intensity and growth of the exports resulted equally predictive of the export success, but with a different set of variables. The export growth was strongly related with the firms that had recently started, that have executive staff with an overseas education and a long term commitment to export, did research and development, followed market developing strategies and strategic alliances. The export intensity shows a strong relation with smaller firms, more experienced and involved in foreign markets. The successful companies in the foreign markets are very opportune and flexible in satisfying the needs of their clients and innovate their products.Research limitationsThe biggest limitation of this research is that it was conducted only in one South American country with a limited sample size.Originality/valueSmaller firms require support from the State, to finance market studies, to access international fairs and financial sources. The findings are innovative for the export management in developing countries, intensive in natural resources, especially those of small size such as the case of Chile.PropósitoEstudiar la relación entre dos medidas del desempeño exportador, crecimiento de exportaciones e intensidad de exportaciones, con los recursos, capacidades y características de la firma como factores determinantes de su éxito.Diseño/metodología/enfoqueUn estudio basado en un cuestionario, respondido por 133 firmas de una muestra aleatoria de 480 firmas chilenas, representativa de las firmas exportadoras, seleccionadas aleatoriamente.HallazgosLas dos medidas de desempeño exportador del estudio, intensidad de exportaciones y crecimiento de las exportaciones resultaron igualmente predictivas del éxito exportador, pero con diferentes conjuntos de variables predictivas.Limitaciones de la investigación/implicacionesLa mayor limitante de esta investigación es que fue realizada en sólo un país de Sudamérica con un tamaño de muestra algo limitado.Implicaciones prácticasEl crecimiento de exportaciones estuvo fuertemente relacionado con las firmas que se iniciaron recientemente, que poseen personal ejecutivo educado en el extranjero y un compromiso de largo plazo a exportar, realizan investigación y desarrollo, siguen estrategias de desarrollo de mercados. La intensidad de exportación expresa una relación fuerte con las firmas más pequeñas, más experimentadas e involucradas en los mercados extranjeros. Las compañías exitosas en los mercados de exportación son muy oportunas y flexibles en satisfacer las necesidades de sus clientes, innovan en sus productos y siguen estrategias de alianzas cooperativas y redes.Implicaciones socialsLos gobiernos deberían apoyar a las firmas pequeñas, financiando estudios de mercado, apoyando su acceso a ferias internacionales y financiamiento.Originalidad/valorLos hallazgos son originales para la gestión de exportaciones en países en desarrollo, intensivos en recursos naturales, especialmente aquéllos de un pequeño tamaño, como Chile.

The differences between successful and unsuccessful new manufacturing products in international markets

Purpose – Developing new products for international markets offers great growth opportunities for companies by positively influencing company performance. Specifically, the research purpose is to determine the effects of new product success factors on the measures of company export performance, namely export sales, export growth and export profitability. Design/methodology/approach – The study examines the new product success factors, discriminating successful new products from unsuccessful ones in international markets. A pre-tested structured questionnaire is employed for collecting data from the companies. The population frame consists of exporting manufacturing companies and was determined from the records of the Export Promotion Centre of Turkey (IGEME). Of the 250 questionnaires sent out, 116 were completed and returned yielding a response rate of 46.4 percent. The study analysed data from 202 new product projects. Findings – The research determined that various new product success factors have different levels of effect on company performance in international markets, mainly measured in terms of sales, market share and profitability. Specifically, it identified that pre-development and development activities, a large and fast-growing foreign market with huge demand, order of entry and large and well-executed advertising activities differentiate successful new products from unsuccessful ones. Product characteristics are, on the other hand, not found to be a strong factor differentiating successful new products from unsuccessful ones in international markets. Originality/value – The main objective of the study is to integrate knowledge from two disciplines and expand new product success factors for international markets. The paper aims to bring together all the factors leading to the success of new products in international markets, and to test the effects of those factors on company performance. It is hoped that the findings will help managers and policy makers.

Level of analysis in export performance research

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide researchers and journal reviewers with guidance regarding the appropriate level of analysis when developing and testing theory on export performance determinants. The authors’ focus is on the implications this has for the measurement of export performance.Design/methodology/approachThe paper takes the form of an essay.FindingsResearchers should measure export performance at the level at which the theory is developed. Most export performance theory developed is inherently export function level theory, requiring export function level measurement of performance. Less commonly, researchers may develop theory at the intra‐firm level, which requires performance data from multiple export ventures within firms for theory testing purposes. Researchers rarely have cause to collect data from a single export venture from firms, since data at this level are unlikely to generalize to the firm as a whole, and may lead to a biased picture of the determinants of overall export performance.Originality/valueResearchers sometimes find that their passage to publication is blocked by reviewers who insist that measurement of export performance should occur at an incorrect level. Typically, the reviewer demands export performance assessment at the export venture level when the theory being tested is inherently an export function level theory. In this paper, the authors hope to correct poorly informed opinion regarding the use of venture level export performance measures, and encourage the use of measures of export performance that match the theory being tested.

Achieving Export Performance: Contribution of Relational Elements

In international operations relational elements can be useful through network ties to exploit global market opportunities and enhance relationships with foreign partners. Relational elements are known as irregular interactions of weak ties that obtain new information and to access to the various information sources. It also is as strong ties that characterize by regular and stronger social interactions, where can perceive more reliable information and transfer knowledge more effective for experiential learning. This exploratory study attempts to correlation between relational elements and export performance among Malaysian firms exporting to the nations around the Persian Gulf. The findings indicate that trust is ranked highest and is followed by favour and friendship. Trust is positively and significantly correlated with economic and non-economic measures of export performance. Favour is positively related with export performance (economic and non-economic) while it is significantly correlated with only two dimensions of non-economic measures of export performance. Friendship is positively related with export performance (economic and non-economic) and significantly correlated with one dimension of economic measures and one dimension of non-economic measures of export performance.

Export performance under the microscope: A glance through Spanish lenses

The aim of the paper is to provide a comprehensive picture of the export performance determinants of Spanish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by jointly studying the influence of internal (managerial and organisational) and external (environmental) antecedents as well as responding to recent calls for research in the international business literature by investigating the potential relationship existing between objective and subjective (perceptual) measures of export performance. Based on the literature review and mainly embedded in the resource-based view of the firm, the proposed conceptual model is tested within a sample of Spanish exporting firms using regression analysis and structural equation modelling. The results show that managerial foreign language skills and international business knowledge, firm's export commitment as well as the technological intensity of the industry are the most influencing antecedents of export performance. Moreover, a strong positive relationship is observed between the objective and subjective export performance measures. The authors draw several concluding remarks highlighting the contributions, implications and limitations of the study before discussing some future research directions.

Foreign Aid and Export Performance: A Panel Data Analysis of Developing Countries

The effect of foreign aid on economic activity of a country can be dampened due to potentially adverse effects on exports through a real exchange rate appreciation. In this study we examine the long-term relationship between export performance and foreign aid in developing countries while accounting for other factors. The estimates of direct effect of foreign aid on exports are imprecise. However, the effect of the quadratic term of foreign aid on exports is negative and precise. This implies large amount of foreign aid does adversely affect export performance. The results are robust to the use of two different export performance measures and different sub-samples.

The Implications of Export Performance Measurement for the Significance of the Determinants of Export Performance

The empirical research on the determinants of export performance has produced fragmented and conflicting results. Differences in how export performance has been conceptualized and operationalized are believed to explain some of the discrepancies found in the literature. To investigate this hypothesis, based on a survey of Brazilian exporters of manufactured goods, a set of thirteen independent variables (firm and export market characteristics) was regressed against six different dependent variables (financial and non-financial measures of export performance), all widely cited in the literature. The results reveal that different combinations of a few of the independent variables can significantly explain substantial portions of the variance of particular measures of export performance. In addition, comparison of the several regression models obtained confirms that the use of different measures of export performance as dependent variables may account, at least in part, for the disagreements between previous research findings.

Marketing strategy determinants of export performance: a meta-analysis

Identifying the marketing strategy elements that influence export performance has been the subject of sizeable empirical research. However, the findings reported in the literature are characterized by fragmentation and diversity, limiting theory development, and improvement of management practice in the field. This article aims to synthesize extant knowledge on the subject based on a meta-analysis of empirical studies on the export marketing strategy–performance relationship. The assessment reveals that: (a) although many marketing strategy variables demonstrate positive effects on overall export performance, the relationship is not always significant; (b) of the export performance measures examined in various studies, stronger effects are observed in relation to export proportion of sales; and (c) time of study, geographic focus, and product type had a limited impact on the effect of marketing strategy elements on export performance. Implications for export management and future research are discussed.

The Impact of Firms’ Export Orientation on the Export Performance of High-Tech Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

The authors provide empirical support for the importance of a proactive export orientation in driving export success in the uncertain high-tech environment. Regression analysis demonstrates that proactive and conservative export strategies and motivations produce opposite effects on multiple measures of export performance for these small and medium-sized Canadian high-tech firms in the information technology and telecommunications sector.

Revisiting Firm Characteristics, Strategy, and Export Performance Relationship:: A Survey of the Literature and an Investigation of New Zealand Small Manufacturing Firms

The purpose of this study is to examine differences between low vs. high-performance exporters. For this purpose, the effects of selected firm-related and export strategy-related variables on three selected measures of export performance (i.e., annual export sales, export growth, and percentage of total sales from export) are tested. The results of discriminant analysis demonstrate significant differences between low- vs. high-performance exporters.

Examining determinants of export performance in small open economies

Maintaining the standard of living in small open economies requires engaging in international exchange. We report the results of a study that was conducted in Austria and refer to certain of the dramatic changes taking place in Europe. The objective is to examine decision-makers’ experiences in managing companies in a small open economy on several factors impacting export performance. Analyzing the effects of multiple determinants on different export performance measures, our findings reveal that in addition to firm size, the most promising predictors of export performance are management’s motives to internationalize and the use of a differentiation strategy. These findings are important because the latter two dimensions are management decision variables. The results of the study are relevant for managers operating in small open economies whose companies must consider both domestic and international developments.