{"title":"Enhancing international marketing capability and export performance of emerging market SMEs in crises: strategic flexibility and digital technologies","authors":"Nadia Zahoor, Y. Lew","doi":"10.1108/imr-12-2021-0350","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis study investigates to what extent strategic flexibility of international strategic alliances (ISAs) affects export performance of emerging market small and medium-sized enterprises (ESMEs) via international marketing capability in crises. It also examines whether these ESMEs’ adoption of digital technology strengthens the impact of strategic flexibility of ISAs on international marketing capability.Design/methodology/approachBased on the international alliance and dynamic capability perspectives on strategic flexibility, the authors develop a conceptual model and empirically examine the mediation and moderation effects between strategic flexibility of ISAs, international marketing capability, export performance and adoption of digital technology. The authors collected survey data from 129 ESMEs located in Pakistan between May 2021 and August 2021 and tested the conceptual model with hierarchical-moderated regression analysis.FindingsThe findings suggest that strategic flexibility of ISAs positively impacts on export performance of ESMEs in crises. Moreover, the authors found that international marketing significantly mediates the relationship between strategic flexibility of ISAs and export performance of ESMEs. Also, the adoption of digital technologies significantly moderates the relationship between strategic flexibility of ISAs positively and international marketing capability.Originality/valueThe authors take strategic flexibility of ISAs in the context of the emerging market and how ESMEs enhance export performance in a time of crisis, which extends the prior ESMEs’ international marketing strategy and crisis management literature. In particular, the authors show that strategic flexibility of ISAs is a vital dynamic capability to enhance export performance of ESMEs via international marketing capability and adoption of digital technologies.","PeriodicalId":14456,"journal":{"name":"International Marketing Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.8000,"publicationDate":"2023-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"8","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Marketing Review","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/imr-12-2021-0350","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BUSINESS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 8
Abstract
PurposeThis study investigates to what extent strategic flexibility of international strategic alliances (ISAs) affects export performance of emerging market small and medium-sized enterprises (ESMEs) via international marketing capability in crises. It also examines whether these ESMEs’ adoption of digital technology strengthens the impact of strategic flexibility of ISAs on international marketing capability.Design/methodology/approachBased on the international alliance and dynamic capability perspectives on strategic flexibility, the authors develop a conceptual model and empirically examine the mediation and moderation effects between strategic flexibility of ISAs, international marketing capability, export performance and adoption of digital technology. The authors collected survey data from 129 ESMEs located in Pakistan between May 2021 and August 2021 and tested the conceptual model with hierarchical-moderated regression analysis.FindingsThe findings suggest that strategic flexibility of ISAs positively impacts on export performance of ESMEs in crises. Moreover, the authors found that international marketing significantly mediates the relationship between strategic flexibility of ISAs and export performance of ESMEs. Also, the adoption of digital technologies significantly moderates the relationship between strategic flexibility of ISAs positively and international marketing capability.Originality/valueThe authors take strategic flexibility of ISAs in the context of the emerging market and how ESMEs enhance export performance in a time of crisis, which extends the prior ESMEs’ international marketing strategy and crisis management literature. In particular, the authors show that strategic flexibility of ISAs is a vital dynamic capability to enhance export performance of ESMEs via international marketing capability and adoption of digital technologies.
期刊介绍:
International Marketing Review (IMR) is a journal that has, as its core remit, the goal of publishing research that pushes back the boundaries of international marketing knowledge. IMR does this by publishing novel research ideas, and by publishing papers that add substance to, question the basic assumptions of, reframe, or otherwise shape what we think we know within in the international marketing field. IMR is pluralistic, publishing papers that are conceptual, quantitative-empirical, or qualitative-empirical. At IMR, we aim to be a journal that recognizes great papers and great research ideas, and works hard with authors to nurture those ideas through to publication. We aim to be a journal that is proactive in developing the research agenda in international marketing, by identifying critical research issues, and promoting research within those areas. Finally, IMR is a journal that is comfortable exploring, and that fosters the exploration of, the interfaces and overlaps between international marketing and other business disciplines. Where no interfaces or overlaps exist, IMR will be a journal that is ready to create them. IMR’s definition of international marketing is purposefully broad and includes, although is not restricted to: -International market entry decisions and relationships; -Export marketing and supply chain issues; -International retailing; -International channel management; -Consumer ethnocentrism, country and product image and origin effects; -Cultural considerations in international marketing; -International marketing strategy; -Aspects of international marketing management such as international branding, advertising and new product development.