EXPORT MARKET ORIENTATION, INTERFIRM COMMUNICATION, INTERFIRM COOPERATION AND EXPORT PERFORMANCE

The purpose of this study is to assess the role of export market orientation on interfirm communication and interfirm cooperation, and ultimately, on export performance. Drawing upon the resource-based view, cognitive structures in social psychology, and relationship marketing theory, a conceptual model is developed and relationships between the key constructs are tested empirically from a diverse sample of 242 exporting firms in Thailand. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The findings indicate that highly export market-oriented firms engage in higher levels of communication frequency and communication quality. However, while communication quality is related to cooperation, communication frequency is not. These results have significant theoretical implications for academics of international business and marketing, as well as practical implications for exporters.