Marketing strategy determinants of export performance: a meta-analysis

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Abstract

Identifying the marketing strategy elements that influence export performance has been the subject of sizeable empirical research. However, the findings reported in the literature are characterized by fragmentation and diversity, limiting theory development, and improvement of management practice in the field. This article aims to synthesize extant knowledge on the subject based on a meta-analysis of empirical studies on the export marketing strategy–performance relationship. The assessment reveals that: (a) although many marketing strategy variables demonstrate positive effects on overall export performance, the relationship is not always significant; (b) of the export performance measures examined in various studies, stronger effects are observed in relation to export proportion of sales; and (c) time of study, geographic focus, and product type had a limited impact on the effect of marketing strategy elements on export performance. Implications for export management and future research are discussed.

Section snippets

Search criteria

Six criteria were developed to screen studies for inclusion in this analysis. First, although the major part of empirical research in exporting is fairly recent, for the sake of completeness, all research conducted since 1960 has been considered. Second, the focus of the study must be on the relationship between marketing strategy variables and export performance, either as a primary objective or as part of a wider research design.7

Characteristics of studies reviewed

As empirical findings tend to be idiosyncratic in relation to the research method employed, it is important to examine methodological aspects of the studies included in this meta-analytical exercise. The research methodologies used in the studies were evaluated along five dimensions. These refer to (a) fieldwork characteristics (i.e., time of study, geographic focus, and product type), (b) sampling and data collection (i.e., unit of analysis, company size, sampling design, sample size, response

Findings and analysis

The p-values derived for each of the 32 export marketing strategy variables were subsequently combined using the method of “adding weighted Z-values.”13 In this context, three levels of analyses were pursued: (a) the influence of marketing strategy variables on

Limitations

As with any study using meta-analysis, the findings reported here should be viewed within the context of limitations endemic to such studies. First, meta-analysis procedures have been criticized for mixing results from research of different quality (Wachter, 1998) and for their bias toward the publication of studies that reject their null hypotheses (Rust et al., 1990). Second, although every effort was made to systematically and comprehensively review the export literature and select the

Conclusions and implications

While this study has primarily assessed the association between export marketing strategy and performance (based on analysis of the extant literature), it also provides some valuable insights into the general debate on the strategy–performance relationship. The strategic management literature has reported mixed results with regard to the relationship between strategy and performance Greenley, 1986, Pearce et al., 1987. The main variables considered in the present study (i.e., export marketing

Future research directions

This meta-analytical study has yielded valuable information, which future research can build upon in numerous ways. First, studies relating the full set of marketing strategy variables identified in this assessment to various facets of export performance within the context of an integrated model would be of immense value (Evangelista, 1994). Such studies should be supplemented by additional marketing strategy variables not adequately covered by extant empirical research, including foreign

Studies included in meta analysis

  • Amine and Cavusgil, 1986Atuahene-Gima, 1995

  • Beamish et al., 1993

  • Beamish et al., 1986

  • Bilkey, 1982

  • Cavusgil and Zou, 1994

  • Cooper and Kleinschmidt, 1985

  • Cunningham and Spigel, 1971

  • De Luz, 1993

  • Diamantopoulos and Inglis, 1988

  • Dominguez and Sequeira, 1993

  • Donthu and Kim, 1993

  • Evangelista, 1994

  • Fenwick and Amine, 1979

  • Fraser and Hite, 1990

  • Johnson and Arunthanes, 1995

  • Karafakioglu, 1986

  • Katsikeas et al., 1996

  • Kaynak and Kuan, 1993

  • Koh and Robicheaux, 1988

  • Lee and Yang, 1990

  • Louter et al., 1991

  • Madsen, 1987

  • McDougal and

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