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Experience as a catalyst of export destinations: The ambidextrous connection between international experience and past entrepreneurial experience

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  • Lafuente, Esteban
  • Vaillant, Yancy
  • Alvarado, Marco
  • Mora-Esquivel, Ronald
  • Vendrell-Herrero, Ferran

Abstract

This paper examines how different forms of accumulated exploitable knowledge—i.e., export experience with the current firm and past entrepreneurial experience—stimulate export destinations, defined as the number of foreign markets where businesses sell their products/services. The proposed hypotheses are tested on a unique sample of Costa Rican entrepreneurial businesses for 2017. Results from the sequential deductive triangulation analysis (QUAN → qual) reveal that the ambidextrous connection between export experience with the current firm and past entrepreneurial experience is an essential prerequisite for explaining export destination figures. Also, the positive effect of export experience with the current business on export destinations is more prevalent among firms created by serial entrepreneurs. These findings corroborate our argument line on the importance of generative-based learning processes. Furthermore, the results of the qualitative analysis suggest that task-specific international experience and experience gained through past business venturing are relevant micro-foundations of international business expansion in the context of the export destinations of entrepreneurial firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Lafuente, Esteban & Vaillant, Yancy & Alvarado, Marco & Mora-Esquivel, Ronald & Vendrell-Herrero, Ferran, 2021. "Experience as a catalyst of export destinations: The ambidextrous connection between international experience and past entrepreneurial experience," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(1).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:30:y:2021:i:1:s0969593120301141
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2020.101765
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneurship; Serial entrepreneurs; Entrepreneurial experience; Generative learning process; Internationalization; Export destinations;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • M2 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Economics

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