IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/iburev/v18y2009i2p184-198.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Psychic distance in exporter-importer relationships: A grounded theory approach

Author

Listed:
  • Prime, Nathalie
  • Obadia, Claude
  • Vida, Irena

Abstract

Psychic distance is one of the most widely used, researched, and contentious constructs in the fields of international business and marketing. It has been applied to a variety of issues, often leading to inconsistent and conflicting results. In response to this problem, this study critically focuses on the construct of perceptual psychic distance and identifies the weaknesses and inconsistencies across major existing empirical studies regarding the conceptualization, operationalization, and measurement of psychic distance. We employ a grounded theory-based qualitative empirical study with export managers in French manufacturing companies to fill in the gaps identified in this evaluation, leading to a revised definition of psychic distance in the context of exporting. We discuss the major results and the limitations of the study, propose avenues for further research, and outline managerial implications for managing psychic distance in the internationalization strategy.

Suggested Citation

  • Prime, Nathalie & Obadia, Claude & Vida, Irena, 2009. "Psychic distance in exporter-importer relationships: A grounded theory approach," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 184-198, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:18:y:2009:i:2:p:184-198
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969593109000109
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oded Shenkar, 2001. "Cultural Distance Revisited: Towards a More Rigorous Conceptualization and Measurement of Cultural Differences," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 32(3), pages 519-535, September.
    2. Jan Johanson & Jan-Erik Vahlne, 1977. "The Internationalization Process of the Firm—A Model of Knowledge Development and Increasing Foreign Market Commitments," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 8(1), pages 23-32, March.
    3. Jarvis, Cheryl Burke & MacKenzie, Scott B & Podsakoff, Philip M, 2003. "A Critical Review of Construct Indicators and Measurement Model Misspecification in Marketing and Consumer Research," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 30(2), pages 199-218, September.
    4. Jody Evans & Felix T Mavondo, 2002. "Psychic Distance and Organizational Performance: An Empirical Examination of International Retailing Operations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 33(3), pages 515-532, September.
    5. Bernard L Simonin, 1999. "Transfer of Marketing Know-How in International Strategic Alliances: An Empirical Investigation of the Role and Antecedents of Knowledge Ambiguity," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(3), pages 463-490, September.
    6. Yadong Luo & Oded Shenkar & Mee-Kau Nyaw, 2001. "A Dual Parent Perspective on Control and Performance in International Joint Ventures: Lessons From a Developing Economy," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 32(1), pages 41-58, March.
    7. Shawna O'Grady & Henry W Lane, 1996. "The Psychic Distance Paradox," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 27(2), pages 309-333, June.
    8. Srilata Zaheer & Akbar Zaheer, 2006. "Trust across borders," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 37(1), pages 21-29, January.
    9. Chelariu, Cristian & Bello, Daniel C. & Gilliland, David I., 2006. "Institutional antecedents and performance consequences of influence strategies in export channels to Eastern European transitional economies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(5), pages 525-534, May.
    10. Drogendijk, Rian & Slangen, Arjen, 2006. "Hofstede, Schwartz, or managerial perceptions? The effects of different cultural distance measures on establishment mode choices by multinational enterprises," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 361-380, August.
    11. Yamin, Mohammad & Sinkovics, Rudolf R., 2006. "Online internationalisation, psychic distance reduction and the virtuality trap," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 339-360, August.
    12. Douglas Dow & Amal Karunaratna, 2006. "Developing a multidimensional instrument to measure psychic distance stimuli," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 37(5), pages 578-602, September.
    13. W Chan Kim & Peter Hwang, 1992. "Global Strategy and Multinationals' Entry Mode Choice," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 23(1), pages 29-53, March.
    14. Bello, Daniel C. & Chelariu, Cristian & Zhang, Li, 2003. "The antecedents and performance consequences of relationalism in export distribution channels," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 56(1), pages 1-16, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bodlaj, Mateja & Vida, Irena, 2018. "Factors underlying cultural and psychic distance in cross-national activities of export managers: Qualitative insights from a CEE country," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 23(3), pages 351-376.
    2. Goudarz Azar & Rian Drogendijk, 2014. "Psychic Distance, Innovation, and Firm Performance," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 54(5), pages 581-613, October.
    3. Cristina López-Duarte & Marta M. Vidal-Suárez & Belén González-Díaz & Nuno Rosa Reis, 2016. "Understanding the relevance of national culture in international business research: a quantitative analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 108(3), pages 1553-1590, September.
    4. Drogendijk, Rian & Martín Martín, Oscar, 2015. "Relevant dimensions and contextual weights of distance in international business decisions: Evidence from Spanish and Chinese outward FDI," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 133-147.
    5. Goudarz Azar & Rian Drogendijk, 2019. "Ex-post Performance Implications of Divergence of Managers’ Perceptions of ‘Distance’ From ‘Reality’ in International Business," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 67-92, February.
    6. Deligonul, Seyda Z., 2020. "Multinational country risk: Exposure to asset holding risk and operating risk in international business," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(2).
    7. Weber, Clarissa E. & Chahabadi, Dominik & Maurer, Indre, 2020. "Antecedents and performance effect of managerial misperception of institutional differences," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(1).
    8. de Jong, Gjalt & van Dut, Vo & Jindra, Björn & Marek, Philipp, 2015. "Does country context distance determine subsidiary decision-making autonomy? Theory and evidence from European transition economies," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 874-889.
    9. Håkanson, Lars & Ambos, Björn, 2010. "The antecedents of psychic distance," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 195-210, September.
    10. Nebus, James & Chai, Kah Hin, 2014. "Putting the “psychic” Back in Psychic Distance: Awareness, Perceptions, and Understanding as Dimensions of Psychic Distance," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 8-24.
    11. Liu, Steven Y.H. & Deligonul, Seyda & Cavusgil, S. Tamer & Chiou, Jyh-Shen, 2021. "Addressing psychic distance and learning in international buyer-seller relationships: The role of firm exploration and asset specificity," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(4).
    12. Jonas Puck & Markus K. Hödl & Igor Filatotchev & Hans-Georg Wolff & Benjamin Bader, 2016. "Ownership mode, cultural distance, and the extent of parent firms’ strategic control over subsidiaries in the PRC," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 33(4), pages 1075-1105, December.
    13. Trąpczyński, Piotr & Halaszovich, Tilo F. & Piaskowska, Dorota, 2020. "The role of perceived institutional distance in foreign ownership level decisions of new MNEs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 435-449.
    14. Drogendijk, Rian & Slangen, Arjen, 2006. "Hofstede, Schwartz, or managerial perceptions? The effects of different cultural distance measures on establishment mode choices by multinational enterprises," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 361-380, August.
    15. Nordman, Emilia Rovira & Tolstoy, Daniel, 2014. "Does relationship psychic distance matter for the learning processes of internationalizing SMEs?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 30-37.
    16. Nebus, James & Celo, Sokol, 2020. "Cognitive biases in the perceptions of country distance," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 26(3).
    17. López-Duarte, Cristina & Vidal-Suárez, Marta M., 2013. "Cultural distance and the choice between wholly owned subsidiaries and joint ventures," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(11), pages 2252-2261.
    18. Magnani, Giovanna & Zucchella, Antonella & Floriani, Dinorá Eliete, 2018. "The logic behind foreign market selection: Objective distance dimensions vs. strategic objectives and psychic distance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 1-20.
    19. Claude Obadia, 2013. "Foreigness-induced Cognitive Disorientation," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 325-360, June.
    20. Avloniti, Anthi & Filippaios, Fragkiskos, 2014. "Unbundling the differences between Psychic and Cultural Distance: An empirical examination of the existing measures," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 660-674.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:18:y:2009:i:2:p:184-198. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/133/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.