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1 – 10 of over 17000Fatma Demirağ and Aydın Kayabaşı
The Uppsala internationalization model is one of the widely accepted models for the development of exports. This model suggests that the explanation of relations between psychic…
Abstract
Purpose
The Uppsala internationalization model is one of the widely accepted models for the development of exports. This model suggests that the explanation of relations between psychic distance, its antecedents and marketing mix adaptation would lead to successful export practices. Consequently, this study aims to determine the determinants of export performance, antecedents of psychic distance and marketing mix adaptation.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a mixed-methods research design in which qualitative and quantitative research methods were used together. The face-to-face interview method was used to identify the psychic distance antecedents. The face-to-face interview was with eight Turkish exporting firms. Based on the data obtained from face-to-face interviews, a scale for measuring the antecedents of psychic distance has been developed and used in the quantitative study. The scales used for measuring marketing mix adaptation, export performance and psychic distance perception, which has both individual and country dimensions, were adapted from the literature. Data were collected from 221 Turkish exporting companies for quantitative research. Structural equation modeling was used to test relationships between the variables.
Findings
As a result of the data analysis of face-to-face interviews, six antecedents of psychic distance were determined. According to the subsequent quantitative research results, it has been determined that employee expertise, which is one of the antecedents of psychic distance, only affects the country dimension of psychic distance perception; the cooperation, institutionalization and international market experience affect both the country and individual dimensions of psychic distance perception. The country and individual dimensions of psychic distance were found to have an impact on the product, price, promotion and distribution dimensions of marketing mix adaptation. Only the product dimension of marketing mix adaption was found to affect export performance.
Practical implications
This study offers a comprehensive perspective for both theoretical and practical studies by discussing various aspects that would help improve the exporting activities of firms within the scope of antecedents of perceived psychic distance.
Originality/value
In this research, a scale was developed for measuring the antecedents of psychic distance, and the variables affecting export performance were analyzed holistically.
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Sunil Venaik and David F. Midgley
This paper aims to identify the archetypes of marketing mix standardization-adaptation in MNC subsidiaries and to examine the relationships between MNC subsidiary strategy…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify the archetypes of marketing mix standardization-adaptation in MNC subsidiaries and to examine the relationships between MNC subsidiary strategy, environment and performance through the theoretical lenses of fit and equifinality.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use a mail survey to collect data from MNC subsidiary business units located in multiple countries. They apply a novel archetypal analysis method to identify the diverse archetypes of marketing mix standardization-adaptation in MNC subsidiaries. Finally, through cross-tabulation and regression analysis, they examine the relationships between MNC strategy, environment and performance.
Findings
They identify four archetypes of MNC subsidiary standardization-adaptation including a new archetype that is not recognized in the literature. This analysis finds partial support for both fit and equifinality, suggesting complementarity between the two theories.
Research limitations/implications
The study could be extended with longitudinal data to examine the dynamics in MNC marketing mix strategy and performance in response to the changing business environment.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that MNC subsidiary managers could deploy a broader set of international marketing strategy configurations than those currently prescribed to enhance performance.
Originality/value
The authors use a novel configuration-based archetypal analysis method and extend the theoretical typology of international marketing strategies pursued by MNC subsidiaries. The partial support for both fit and equifinality expands the theoretical lens through which we can examine the relationships between MNC marketing strategy, environment and performance.
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Maria João Guedes, Nuno Fernandes Crespo and Pankaj C. Patel
Building on contingency theory, this paper aims to investigate the extent to which the “4Ps international adaptation strategy” and internationalization intensity shape the…
Abstract
Purpose
Building on contingency theory, this paper aims to investigate the extent to which the “4Ps international adaptation strategy” and internationalization intensity shape the servitization–profitability relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use primary (survey) and secondary (archival) data to perform multiple regression analysis.
Findings
The results indicate a positive relationship between servitization and profitability, and international intensity strengthens this association. The effects, however, are not consistent across the 4Ps – the price international adaptation strategy strengthens the positive relationship between servitization and profitability, while product and place international adaptation strategies weaken that relationship.
Practical implications
The findings have implications for the role of international intensity and the 4Ps in the marketing servitization context.
Originality/value
The study provides guidance for small firms in realizing higher performance by leveraging the 4Ps in the servitization context. Counter to expectations, placement and product lead to lower performance with increasing servitization, whereas price strengthens this relationship. The study adds to the international industrial management and marketing literature, providing evidence that contingency factors such as international marketing mix adaptation/standardization strategies moderate the servitization–profitability relationship.
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Antonio Navarro-García, Marta Peris-Oritz and Ramón Barrera-Barrera
This paper has two objectives in the area of industrialised small- and medium-sized industrial company (SME) export activity. First, it responds to the gap in the literature on…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper has two objectives in the area of industrialised small- and medium-sized industrial company (SME) export activity. First, it responds to the gap in the literature on the role of market intelligence in the interrelations between perceived psychic distance, marketing mix decisions and export performance. The second objective concerns the influence of resource heterogeneity (size and export department) in the proposed model.
Design/methodology/approach
The current paper tests a posited research model and its hypotheses using the data from a multi-sector sample of exporters (196 Spanish industrial SMEs). The data are analyzed using a partial least squares approach.
Findings
The results of the empirical study show that: strategic decisions to adapt marketing mix elements to suit foreign markets have a positive effect on export performance; strategic adaptations are more numerous when export managers perceive a greater psychic distance; an export department helps develop market intelligence ability, which positively moderates the impact of strategic adaptations on export performance; and size does not have a significant effect on the interrelations studied.
Practical implications
Export managers in industrial SMEs can use the results and conclusions of this present paper to systematise their decision-making in export activity.
Originality/value
This paper makes a significant contribution towards covering an important gap in research into industrial SME exporters, by demonstrating the importance of market intelligence in export activity.
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Manfred Fuchs and Mariella Köstner
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships among organizational factors (export market experience, international commitment), external environment (competitive…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships among organizational factors (export market experience, international commitment), external environment (competitive intensity), export marketing strategy and export success. The findings yielded by the analyses confirm that export market-specific experience and international commitment are significant drivers of export success. In addition, the results indicate that the degree of product adaptation is positively related to profitability and overall success, while price and distribution adaptation to local conditions have a direct impact on sales growth. Finally, the authors found evidence that international commitment exerts a positive effect on the adaptation of marketing strategies to country-specific requirements. Thus, the study findings can be used to formulate business and marketing strategies to improve firm’s success in overseas markets.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used PLS for dealing with formative and reflective measures and used a sample of 200 export ventures that exported on the average in more than 15 countries.
Findings
This study clearly shows that export venture success is linked to managerial commitment and experiential knowledge and that firms contribute to export venture success by adapting product to foreign markets. It is also shown that firms in more competitive environments increase their effort to adapt, leading to better export venture performance.
Research limitations/implications
Although Austrian companies are typically characterized as small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the study is limited to this sample.
Practical implications
Managers in SME should concentrate their effort on a small set of export venture countries of concentrate their capabilities and effort (commitment and personal) to increase adaptation in those selected market, which will lead to increasing export venture performance.
Originality/value
The study differentiates between formative and reflective measures which most studies in this genre do not, which is a fundamental conceptual shortcoming. This study shows with robust result the interrelation between commitment and managerial experience (intra-firm factors) and the degree of competition in foreign markets and how marketing mix adaptation affects export venture performance measured over a period of five years.
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This study examines the impact of specific firm characteristics, environmental characteristics and marketing mix strategy on export marketing performance. Data were gathered via a…
Abstract
This study examines the impact of specific firm characteristics, environmental characteristics and marketing mix strategy on export marketing performance. Data were gathered via a mail survey of firms engaged in exporting. The results indicate that firm characteristics and environmental characteristics impact significantly on both overall performance and marketing mix strategy adaptation by exporting firms. However, the decision to adapt or standardise the marketing mix strategy did not significantly impact marketing performance, implying that either standardisation or adaptation is appropriate and yields comparable performance.
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Emilio Ruzo, Fernando Losada, Antonio Navarro and José A. Díez
The purpose of this paper is to use the resource‐based view (RBV) to analyze the influence of the resources available for the export activity (deriving from the firm's size…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to use the resource‐based view (RBV) to analyze the influence of the resources available for the export activity (deriving from the firm's size, experience and structure) and the international marketing strategy on export performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of Spanish companies is analyzed using logit modeling.
Findings
The results show that the resources available are essential antecedents of the type of export strategy chosen by the firm to compete in international markets and of its export performance. Likewise, although the international expansion strategy adopted does not affect export performance, the decision about whether to standardize or adapt the marketing‐mix elements does have an impact.
Originality/value
The paper tries to solve the problem arising from the contradictory results on the effect of export performance antecedents using the RBV as theoretical foundation. With that purpose, the authors analyze jointly the factors proposed as potential determinants in this research.
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Luis Filipe Lages and David B. Montgomery
This paper argues that performance should be investigated as an independent variable. Using survey data of over 400 managers responsible for the main export ventures of Portuguese…
Abstract
This paper argues that performance should be investigated as an independent variable. Using survey data of over 400 managers responsible for the main export ventures of Portuguese SMEs (small and medium exporters), this paper shows that past performance plays a crucial role in building SMEs' commitment to exporting and to the determination of their current marketing strategy. Findings also show that marketing strategy adaptation to the foreign market is particularly noted in firms exporting to the most developed markets, rather than in firms exporting to the most competitive environments. Future international marketing research is encouraged to focus on understanding both the direct and indirect relationships among past performance, firm's commitment to exporting, and current marketing strategy under the influence of external forces. Such a focus has the potential to enrich the theory and generate relevant managerial and public policy implications.
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Given the fact that emerging economies have idiosyncratic characteristics, international marketing strategies of emerging-market exporting firms have been firmly acknowledged to…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the fact that emerging economies have idiosyncratic characteristics, international marketing strategies of emerging-market exporting firms have been firmly acknowledged to be rather peculiar compared to exporting firms based in developed countries. In this sense, it is therefore incumbent to synthesize the stream of research on international marketing strategy with a particular focus on emerging-market exporting firms. Accordingly, the main purpose of this study is to critically assess the related empirical body of research, and to build a conceptual framework for further development by drawing on the knowledge gaps identified.
Design/methodology/approach
To serve the research objective, this study adopts a systematic literature review methodology. In this sense, 51 articles were content-analyzed as to theoretical underpinnings, scope of research, research methodology, and empirical issues; and a comprehensive conceptual framework and research propositions were developed.
Findings
The findings of this review delineate that the pertinent literature is characterized by some contextual, methodological, and empirical weaknesses. In a nutshell, although the last decades have witnessed a burgeoning interest; the pertinent literature is still at the introductory stage and needs additional improvement.
Originality/value
By addressing the research gap concerning the requirement to synthesize and compile the empirical line of research on international marketing strategy of emerging-market exporting firms, this review study provides novel and valuable insights into the existing knowledge on the subject.
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Focuses on the issue of product standardization versus adaptation, with special reference to the practices of Japanese multinational companies (MNCs) operating in the Middle East…
Abstract
Focuses on the issue of product standardization versus adaptation, with special reference to the practices of Japanese multinational companies (MNCs) operating in the Middle East. Reveals that the degree of adaptation of Japanese goods is generally moderate, with labelling, packaging and internal features attracting most alterations. Product adaptations were more profound among firms producing consumer goods, as well as those having a long presence in the Arab market. Also suggests that the impact of factors affecting the standardization/ adaptation decision differed according to the specific product aspect, with demographic and political‐legal forces being the most influential overall. With respect to future product strategy, participant firms stated that they would proceed more or less as at present, the only exception being some additional adaptations as regards external characteristics of the product.
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