Learning by exporting: the moderating role of employee human capital

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the means by which exporters foster innovation via the learning-by-exporting effect and to appraise the moderating role of employee human capital in the export–innovation relationship. Design/methodology/approach Leveraging the linked-survey-secondary data from the Human Capital Corporate Panel (HCCP) spanning 2011–2017, with 890 observations from 228 Korean exporters, this study utilizes Generalized Least Squares (GLS) regression to empirically test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The results indicate that exporting significantly boosts a firm’s innovation performance by encouraging the generation of new concepts in products, services, technologies and/or production lines. Moreover, the presence of international talent and highly educated staff positively moderates the relationship between export intensity and innovation performance. Originality/value By integrating organizational learning and human capital theories, this study yields theoretical and managerial insights by elucidating the roles of exporting and human capital in advancing innovation performance, thereby guiding corporate export strategies and human resource policies.