Relationship Capabilities, Quality, and Innovation as Determinants of Export Performance

Abstract

The authors employ a resource-based view perspective to understand how a set of capabilities (organizational learning, relationship, and quality capabilities) influences product strategy (product quality and product innovation) and export performance (relationship performance and economic performance). Using two types of respondents from the same firm, they find strong support for the capability–strategy–performance link. The results indicate that managers should invest in relationship management capabilities to improve product innovation and product quality, which in turn leads to export performance enhancement. Furthermore, the findings reveal that though product quality is a critical aspect in international markets, both product innovation and relationship performance play a greater role in enhancing economic performance. The authors conclude with implications for international marketing theory and practice.

Export marketing strategy implementation, export marketing capabilities, and export venture performance

“…Prior studies have highlighted the performance implications of marketing capabilities in international joint ventures (e.g., Fang and Zou 2009) and identify direct performance effects of export venture marketing capabilities (e.g., Piercy et al 1998), indirect performance influences through export marketing programs (e.g., Lages et al 2009), and intended and realized competitive strategies (e.g., Morgan et al 2004). We extend understanding of how a firm's marketing capabilities contribute to export venture performance outcomes.…”

Strategic Effects of Product Innovation, Service Quality, and Relationship Quality on Brand Equity

“…managed strategically (Wood, 2000). While product innovation and service quality (Lages, Silva, & Styles, 2009) have been established as significant strategic factors in determining an organization's competitive advantage and success, there are very limited researches that examined the effect of such factors on brand equity and used relationship quality as a mediating variable between them in a single research framework. Additionally, previous studies examined these factors at the operational level, thus, this study investigates these factors from a strategic perspective to fill existing research gaps on this topic.…”

International Development of German Enterprises on the example of the Wielkopolska Region

“…The export marketing literature promotes firms' innovativeness as a critical export marketing capability (e.g., Kropp, Lindsay & Shoham, 2006;Lages, Silva & Styles, 2009) and as a core driver of exporters' international business success (Calantone, Cavusgil & Zhao, 2006). The studied firms did not deny this but did not see it as being as crucial as it is portrayed in the literature (Uner et al, 2013), which can be caused by the fact that their main task is to develop sales on the local market and support the innovative process written down in the strategy of the whole firm.…”