Antecedents of export performance: the case of an emerging market

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework for understanding the relationships between resource commitment, management experience, firm size, internationalization, internal export barriers and export performance in firms. Specifically, this paper empirically investigates the impact of resource commitment, management experience, firm size, and internationalization on export performance, using internal export barriers as an intervening variable. These antecedents of export performance are selected because they are constraints that managers have an opportunity to influence. This study is therefore relevant to the managerial process. Design/methodology/approach – A survey design using firms from Ghana was chosen. This was expected to be an appropriate population from which data could be gathered to investigate the authors' hypotheses. In order to test these hypotheses, questionnaires were designed to collect data from small and medium export firms in an emerging market. Data on resource commitment, management experience, firm size, internationalization, internal export barriers and export performance were collected. The data was then analysed by applying path analysis using LISREL 8 in testing the hypotheses. Findings – Results from the study shows that in this market, firm size is related positively to internal export barriers, firm size and internal export barriers are related positively to export performance, and that internationalization is related negatively to export performance. The observation suggests that a large firm size and a good internationalization strategy are the most effective strategic options for enhancing firm export performance in this market. Another observation from the study was that firms in emerging markets lack the needed resource commitment to export. Practical implications – Results of this study add to prior literature by identifying variables which contribute to the improvement of both internal export barriers and export performance in an emerging market (sub-Saharan Africa). The study provides advice to managers who are trying to improve the export performance of a firm in an emerging market and to policy makers about how an emerging market can improve its export industry. Originality/value – This research work serves as an important guide for future researchers who intend to study export problems in other emerging economies. Policy makers in emerging economies may refer to this work to identify export problems that firms face in order to provide timely and effective assistance to small and medium scale enterprises engaged in export ventures. The paper believes the benefit of internationalization is realized as managers' leverage the learning opportunities accumulated over the years through exposure to the international market. Managers need to develop considerable capabilities and competencies to identify the specific barriers they must overcome in order to formulate appropriate export strategies.