IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/entthe/v27y2003i3p227-245.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Competitive Strategy and Performance of Exporting SMEs: An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of Their Export Information Search and Competencies

Author

Listed:
  • Pierre–André Julien
  • Charles Ramangalahy

Abstract

The SMEs’ limited capacity to acquire information and use sources is a major factor explaining their low level of involvement and performance on export markets. Nonetheless, a small amount of applied research has been undertaken on this subject. We present the results of an inquiry into the impact of information search and competencies on the competitive strategy and export performance of 346 exporting manufacturing SMEs. The research model postulates that the performance of these SMEs is determined by their general competitive strategy, which in turn is explained by the ability of the business to acquire and manage foreign market information. The results of an analysis using a PLS method confirm three of the four hypotheses.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierre–André Julien & Charles Ramangalahy, 2003. "Competitive Strategy and Performance of Exporting SMEs: An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of Their Export Information Search and Competencies," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 27(3), pages 227-245, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:27:y:2003:i:3:p:227-245
    DOI: 10.1111/1540-8520.t01-1-00002
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/1540-8520.t01-1-00002
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/1540-8520.t01-1-00002?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Naidu, G. M. & Rao, T. R., 1993. "Public sector promotion of exports: A needs-based approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 85-101, May.
    2. Ikujiro Nonaka, 1994. "A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 5(1), pages 14-37, February.
    3. Samiee, Saeed & Walters, Peter G. P., 1990. "Influence of firm size on export planning and performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 235-248, May.
    4. Reid, Stan, 1984. "Information acquisition and export entry decisions in small firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 141-157, June.
    5. Jay B. Barney & Edward J. Zajac, 1994. "Competitive Organizational Behavior: Toward an Organizationally‐Based Theory of Competitive Advantage," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(S1), pages 5-9, December.
    6. Jean-Emile Denis & Daniel Depelteau, 1985. "Market Knowledge, Diversification and Export Expansion," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 16(3), pages 77-89, September.
    7. Belich, Thomas J. & Dubinsky, Alan J., 1995. "Factors related to information acquisition in exporting organizations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 1-11, May.
    8. Pierre-Andre Julien & Louis Raymond & Real Jacob & Charles Ramangalahy, 1999. "Types of technological scanning in manufacturing SMEs: an empirical analysis of patterns and determinants," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(4), pages 281-300, October.
    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. repec:dgr:rugsom:98b27 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Leonidou, Leonidas C. & Katsikeas, Constantine S., 2010. "Integrative assessment of exporting research articles in business journals during the period 1960-2007," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(8), pages 879-887, August.
    3. Samiee, Saeed & Walters, Peter G. P., 1999. "Determinants of structured export knowledge acquisition," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 8(4), pages 373-397, August.
    4. Voerman, J.A. & Wedel, M. & Zwart, P.S., 1998. "Export market information behaviour of SME's : the influence of firm characteristics," Research Report 98B27, University of Groningen, Research Institute SOM (Systems, Organisations and Management).
    5. Leonidou, Leonidas C. & Theodosiou, Marios, 2004. "The export marketing information system: an integration of the extant knowledge," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 12-36, February.
    6. Andersen, Poul Houman, 2006. "Listening to the global grapevine: SME export managers' personal contacts as a vehicle for export information generation," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 81-96, February.
    7. Knight, Gary A. & Liesch, Peter W., 2002. "Information internalisation in internationalising the firm," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 55(12), pages 981-995, December.
    8. Diamantopoulos, Adamantios & Souchon, Anne L., 1999. "Measuring Export Information Use: Scale Development and Validation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 1-14, September.
    9. Nguyen, Tho D. & Barrett, Nigel J. & Fletcher, Richard, 2006. "Information internalisation and internationalisation--Evidence from Vietnamese firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(6), pages 682-701, December.
    10. Nathalie Belhoste & Rachel Bocquet & Véronique Favre-Bonté, 2021. "Export support services and SME internationalization process," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) hal-03891562, HAL.
    11. Casillas, José C. & Moreno, Ana M. & Acedo, Francisco J. & Gallego, María A. & Ramos, Encarnación, 2009. "An integrative model of the role of knowledge in the internationalization process," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 311-322, July.
    12. Martín Martín, Oscar & Chetty, Sylvie & Bai, Wensong, 2022. "Foreign market entry knowledge and international performance: The mediating role of international market selection and network capability," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(2).
    13. Christian Volpe Martincus & Jerónimo Carballo & Pablo M. Garcia, 2012. "Public programmes to promote firms’ exports in developing countries: are there heterogeneous effects by size categories?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(4), pages 471-491, February.
    14. Morgan, Robert E. & Katsikeas, Constantine S., 1997. "Obstacles to export initiation and expansion," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 677-690, December.
    15. Haahti, Antti & Madupu, Vivekananda & Yavas, Ugur & Babakus, Emin, 2005. "Cooperative strategy, knowledge intensity and export performance of small and medium sized enterprises," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 124-138, May.
    16. Montgomery, David B. & Lages, Luis Filipe, 2001. "Export Assistance, Price Adaptation to the Foreign Market, and Annual Export Performance Improvement: A Structural Model Examination," Research Papers 1700, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    17. Kumcu, Erdogan & Harcar, Talha & Kumcu, M. Ercan, 1995. "Managerial perceptions of the adequacy of export incentive programs : Implications for export-led economic development policy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 163-174, February.
    18. Joan Freixanet, 2014. "Innovation and internationalization: relationship and implications for management and public policy," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Knowledge, Center for International Scientific Research of VSO and VSPP, vol. 2(2), pages 57-75, December.
    19. Freixanet, Joan, 2022. "Export promotion programs: A system-based systematic review and agenda for future research," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(4).
    20. Frances Fabian & Henry Molina & Giuseppe Labianca, 2009. "Understanding Decisions to Internationalize by Small and Medium-sized Firms Located in an Emerging Market," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 49(5), pages 537-563, October.
    21. Nathalie Belhoste & Rachel Bocquet & Veronique Favre-Bonté & Frédéric Bally, 2019. "How do SMEs use support services during their internationalisation process: A comparative study of French traditional SMEs and INVs in Asia," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) hal-02380381, HAL.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:sae:entthe:v:27:y:2003:i:3:p:227-245. 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: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    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.