Resource-based theory and international growth strategies: an exploratory study

The resource-based approach incorporates traditional strategy insights concerning a firm's distinctive competencies. Furthermore, the resource-based approach also provides value-added theoretical propositions that are testable within the diversification strategy literature. This paper examines to what extent the resource-based theory can be used to predict other growth strategies than diversification. Based on an exploratory study from an export growth strategy context, the resource-based theory seems to be able to identify firms with growth ambitions, and to some degree to predict the intended growth strategy of the firm. The results and measurement problems are discussed.