Branding advantage of agri-food companies in competitive export markets: a resource-based theory

PurposeThe purpose of the present study is to investigate the antecedents of export performance and branding advantage, as a key type of competitive advantage in export markets among entrepreneurs and managers of agri-food exporters.Design/methodology/approachA sample of entrepreneurs from 182 exporting firms of the agriculture and food industry participated in a cross-sectional survey. The data were collected by a self-reporting questionnaire and partial least squares were used to analyse the data and assess the path model.FindingsResults revealed that experiential resources strongly promote communication capabilities. Also, communication, distribution and product development capabilities contribute to the creation of the branding advantage in export markets. In addition, a positive relationship between the branding advantage and export performance of agri-food products is confirmed.Research limitations/implicationsThe study targets exporters of agri-food products. Hence, the results should be interpreted regarding the context of low-technology firms. Further, this paper delineates branding advantage considerations that managers need to account for to achieve effective exporting. Practitioners can efficaciously exploit resources to achieve a competitive advantage, considering that they focus on building capabilities, and in particular, communication capabilities.Originality/valueThe present study highlights the role of the branding advantage as an important type of competitive advantage in international entrepreneurship and export markets. It attempts to examine the combined relationships of resources and capabilities with branding advantage and export performance.

Mediating role of innovative climate among leadership and employee performance in textile exporting firms of Pakistan

This research seeks to examine how transformational leadership and ambidextrous leadership impact employee performance. The study focuses on the mediating role of innovation climate in influencing the relationship both directly and indirectly with employee performance. Previous literature shows that many studies have been conducted to measure the employee’s performance under the leadership. Still, no study has covered the mediating role of innovation climate between leadership and employee performance. The present study aims at filling that gap through the presentation of a statistical model. Respondents in the sample included the managerial staff of textile exporting firms of Pakistan. Multiple linear regression and the PROCESS for mediation model in the SPSS was used to analyze the collected data. The results indicated that the CEO transformational leadership and ambidextrous leadership had a significantly positive influence on employee performance. In addition, innovation climate was found to have a strong mediating effect. The researchers recommended the exploration of the impact of other possible moderating variables in future researches. Recommendations were also made for the top management of textile firms for the consideration of innovation climate along with the improvement of employee performance.

Nexus between relationship marketing and export performance of readymade garments exporting firms

he aim of this study to find out the impact of relationship marketing on export performance in readymade garments exporting firms of Pakistan. There is also the aim to find the mediating impact of trust between the relationship of relationship marketing and export performance. The present study aims to fill the existing gap in the literature which has been neglected in the previous studies. Data was collected from the managerial staff of readymade garments exporting firms and apply multiple linear regression. After the analysis of collected data, it was found that all the components of relationship marketing used in the study have positive and significant impact on export performance. It was also found that trust partially mediated the relationship of relationship marketing and export performance. At the end researchers recommended that this model can be used with more mediators and enhancing the sample size. It was also recommended to the management of exporting firms that they should more emphasize on trust to improve its export performance to different countries.

The usefulness of extended input–output tables incorporating firm heterogeneity

This study examines the usefulness of an extended input–output table (EIOT) incorporating the heterogeneity of Japanese firms based on differences in ratios of imported intermediate goods to total output. Using an EIOT, the vertical specialization indicator of Japan was calculated, which corresponds to the foreign value added included in exports. In this process, differences in intermediate input ratios were measured examining different types of firms using firm-level microdata from the Basic Survey of Japanese Business Structure and Activities. The results indicate that distinguishing between exporting and non-exporting firms is relevant for assembly industries such as electronics and automobiles, as widely discussed in the literature. In contrast, for primary materials industries, such as paper, chemical, and metal industries, other distinctions appear to be more relevant. For example, for the chemical industry, wherein firms tend to have large, integrated manufacturing plants, the differences in intermediate import ratios are largest when distinguishing large firms from small and medium firms. For paper and metal industries, which rely on foreign raw materials, the difference is largest when distinguishing between firms with and without foreign affiliates. By incorporating such heterogeneity, the vertical specification indicator increases by 70%; thus, the EIOT captures the foreign value added more comprehensively.

Effects of Export Orientation, Exchange Rates and Leverage on Firm Productivity: Evidence from Pakistan

This article empirically scrutinizes the effect of exchange rate changes, exchange rate uncertainty and firm leverage on firm-level productivity growth. It also examines the differential effects of these variables, conditional on the levels of exports. Finally, it investigates whether a firm’s heterogeneity in terms of its share of exports in total sales matters in determining the response of a firm’s productivity growth to these variables. The empirical analysis is based on an unbalanced panel data set with annual observations of 222 exporting firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange over the 2009–2017 period. We find that both exchange rate changes and exchange rate uncertainty have significant, negative effects on the firm’s productivity growth, and exporting further makes intense these effects. Yet, we show that export activities are positively related to firms’ productivity growth. We also reveal that there is a significant heterogeneity in the effects of exchange rate changes, its uncertainty and leverage, which is attributed to export intensity. Specifically, we observe that the effects are more prominent in firms that export more shares of their output to foreign markets.

An Exploratory Study Into the Export Behaviour of Vietnamese Small and Medium Enterprises

<p>With the fast growth of information, technology and communication, the number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) engaged in exporting activities has increased rapidly. However, the number of research studies on Vietnamese SMEs is quite limited. In order to fill this gap, this study focuses on exploring exporting behaviours of Vietnamese SMEs. Specifically, this study will address three questions related to export motivations, export barriers and firms' performance. This study provides three main contributions. The first contribution is to add to the existing literature regarding exporting study based on Vietnamese context. The second contribution is to provide selected background data involving exporting activities in Vietnam at the current time. The third contribution is to suggest some recommendations for Vietnamese managers, government and associations to help Vietnamese SMEs to develop their exporting activities and improve their firms' performance. In this study, a literature review on export motivations, export barriers, and firms' performance is provided. In order to answer these questions, fourteen in-depth interviews of Vietnamese exporting SMEs and eight in-depth interviews of Vietnamese non-exporting SMEs are conducted. Based on interview data, some key findings are identified. In terms of export motivations, exporting SMEs mentioned 22 reasons why they go overseas whereas non-exporters listed 5 reasons. Exporting SMEs' motivations are influenced by both internal and external stimuli. Compared to exporting firms, non-exporting counterparts pay more attention to the influence of internal factors in decision-making. Non-exporters' stimuli are more proactive in nature than exporters' stimuli. When examining Vietnamese export motivations, the researcher may need to take into account the influence of firm's operating sectors and the percentage of export activities. In terms of export barriers, to develop exporting activities, SMEs exporters identified 18 barriers whereas non-exporters suggested eight difficulties to start their exporting activities. The lack of resources to start or maintain exporting activities is the most mentioned barriers whereas the least mentioned barriers are those related to the environmental area. Exporting experience may be applied to provide a better understanding about the level impacts of different export barriers and the number of export barriers. In terms of firms' performance, both exporters and non-exporters proposed to use economic indicators to measure their firms' performance. There are 19 factors and 11 factors that can be used to explain exporters and non-exporters' performance, respectively. In order to understand Vietnamese SMEs' performance, the combination of the resource-based view and institution-based view need to be applied. This study also suggests some recommendations and implications for future research as well as Vietnamese firms' managers, government and associations to improve SMEs' performance and enhance their exporting activities.</p>

An Exploratory Study Into the Export Behaviour of Vietnamese Small and Medium Enterprises

<p>With the fast growth of information, technology and communication, the number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) engaged in exporting activities has increased rapidly. However, the number of research studies on Vietnamese SMEs is quite limited. In order to fill this gap, this study focuses on exploring exporting behaviours of Vietnamese SMEs. Specifically, this study will address three questions related to export motivations, export barriers and firms' performance. This study provides three main contributions. The first contribution is to add to the existing literature regarding exporting study based on Vietnamese context. The second contribution is to provide selected background data involving exporting activities in Vietnam at the current time. The third contribution is to suggest some recommendations for Vietnamese managers, government and associations to help Vietnamese SMEs to develop their exporting activities and improve their firms' performance. In this study, a literature review on export motivations, export barriers, and firms' performance is provided. In order to answer these questions, fourteen in-depth interviews of Vietnamese exporting SMEs and eight in-depth interviews of Vietnamese non-exporting SMEs are conducted. Based on interview data, some key findings are identified. In terms of export motivations, exporting SMEs mentioned 22 reasons why they go overseas whereas non-exporters listed 5 reasons. Exporting SMEs' motivations are influenced by both internal and external stimuli. Compared to exporting firms, non-exporting counterparts pay more attention to the influence of internal factors in decision-making. Non-exporters' stimuli are more proactive in nature than exporters' stimuli. When examining Vietnamese export motivations, the researcher may need to take into account the influence of firm's operating sectors and the percentage of export activities. In terms of export barriers, to develop exporting activities, SMEs exporters identified 18 barriers whereas non-exporters suggested eight difficulties to start their exporting activities. The lack of resources to start or maintain exporting activities is the most mentioned barriers whereas the least mentioned barriers are those related to the environmental area. Exporting experience may be applied to provide a better understanding about the level impacts of different export barriers and the number of export barriers. In terms of firms' performance, both exporters and non-exporters proposed to use economic indicators to measure their firms' performance. There are 19 factors and 11 factors that can be used to explain exporters and non-exporters' performance, respectively. In order to understand Vietnamese SMEs' performance, the combination of the resource-based view and institution-based view need to be applied. This study also suggests some recommendations and implications for future research as well as Vietnamese firms' managers, government and associations to improve SMEs' performance and enhance their exporting activities.</p>

Where has the rum gone? The impact of maritime piracy on trade and transport

Despite a general agreement that piracy poses a significant threat to maritime shipping, empirical evidence regarding its economic consequences remains scarce. This paper combines firm-level Chinese customs data and ship position data with information on pirate attacks to investigate how exporting firms and cargo ships respond to maritime piracy. It finds that overall exports along affected shipping routes fall following an increase in pirate activity. In addition, piracy induces firms to switch from ocean to air shipping, while remaining ocean shipments become larger. At the ship-level, the paper provides evidence for re-routing, as container ships avoid regions prone to pirate attacks.

Growth of small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises and export market integration by smallholder farmers

Small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) growth and survival constitute opportunities for the smallholders to become integrated into the export market. Smallholders can gain additional incomes from their transactions with SMEs and in turn, poverty problem could be alleviated. This article aims to better understand how export SMEs’ growth and survival strengthens smallholders’ market integration development and livelihood improvement. We collected data from 52 SMEs involved in the cassava and shea butter sectors in Benin. Interviews were organized, based on the need of value market access, with cassava producers in the Center Region, and women collecting and transforming shea nuts into butter in the Center and Northern Regions. When developing the measurement instrument, its validity and trustworthiness are concerned. SPSS was used for descriptive statistics and R was used for Multiple Correspondence Factor Analysis. Results suggest that 96% of SMEs exporting firms perceived exporting as profitable and resources generation tool. 95% of smallholders appreciate SMEs as value added markets for their products. SMEs are institutional context for smallholders exchange experience in value added process, customers’ needs and expectations satisfaction. They earn more profits from their selling when export SMEs grow and survive. Growth and survival are explained by export selling, share of exporting in total selling, satisfaction of Teklehaimanot exporting, manager perception of success and profitability and export profit.