Dario Miocevic

Cognitive and Information-Based Capabilities in the Internationalization of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: The Case of Croatian Exporters

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of information and cognitive‐based capabilities on the international performance as the main rationale behind successful internationalization. The study was conducted on a sample of 125 Croatian exporting small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), and results indicate that there is a significant influence of the cognitive and information‐based capabilities on the SME export performance. The results implicate the role of cognitive complexity as a platform for successful processing of foreign market intelligence which has value‐added impact on the SMEs export performance.

Global mindset – A cognitive driver of small and medium-sized enterprise internationalization: The case of Croatian Exporters

Purpose – Global mindset has gained the respectable attention of international business scholars. Global mindset is a multidisciplinary concept comprised of cognitive and cultural dimensions which both influence the international behavior and decision making of the firm. The key purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that global mindset is a crucial cognitive driver of the small and medium‐sized enterprise (SME) internationalization process. In order to do so, it aims to establish the link between global mindset and export performance outcomes.Design/methodology/approach – Using a literature review, the conceptual model was developed. Data were obtained through survey questionnaire and analyzed using partial least squares (PLS) path modeling on the sample of 121 exporting SMEs in Croatia.Findings – Findings of this study suggest that global mindset is positively, directly and significantly related to the export performance. Furthermore, the link between global mindset and export performance was assessed ...

The antecedents of relational capital in key exporter-importer relationships: An institutional perspective

Purpose – During their process of going international, small and medium-sized manufacturing firms seek to establish long-term relationships with key importers in order to minimize the risks of doing business in a foreign market. In the process of establishing long-term relationships, exporters aim to create relational capital with key importers. Yet, the body of international marketing literature that addresses the importance of relational capital in exporter-importer (E-I) relationships is still underdeveloped. The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of relational norms on relational capital in key E-I relationships under the moderating influence of formal and informal institutional distance. The study’s conceptual framework was developed by integrating relational exchange and institutional theories. Design/methodology/approach – The study was carried out by using a survey methodology. Data were obtained by questionnaire from a sample of 122 small and medium-sized exporters from the manufac...

Exploring Export Promotion Policy from a Justice Perspective A Case Study

Exporting presents one of the most viable ways to internationalize, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. In order to enhance national exporting activity, nations strive to implement various export-oriented policies including export promotion (EP) programs. Unlike mainstream inquiry, this article takes a public policy perspective by analyzing EP program firm-level allocation through the lens of distributive justice. The study conducts exploratory research with the goal of discovering the properties of the resource allocation policy behind specific Croatian financial aid-related EP program. Based on the findings from ANOVA and regression analyses, it is evident that exporters with larger resource capacities receive significantly higher EP funding, but fail to improve their export performance in the following year. These findings question the plausibility of current EP practices, which are discussed in the theoretical and public policy implications. In the end, the limitations and directions for further research are provided.

The Export Market Orientation-export performance relationship in emerging markets: the case of Croatian SME exporters

The subject of Export Market Orientation (EMO) and its link to export performance has gained significant interest among international marketing academia lately. The findings of this study suggest that the EMO concept can be applied in the SME context – an issue that was neglected in earlier research efforts. Further, EMO activities significantly influence the EP of SMEs in the context of Croatian SME exporters. The SMEs operating in foreign markets should embrace EMO activities (intelligence generation, dissemination and responsiveness) as the drivers of a successful internationalisation process.

NEW REALITIES OF THE SME INTERNATIONALIZATION: A CAPABILITY PERSPECTIVE

Abstract This paper deals with an analysis of the internationalization process of Croatian SME exporters. The traditional theory of internationalization suggests that the firm gradually develops an international presence. On the contrary, born global approach indicated that firms can internationalize instantly on a full scale by avoiding incremental steps. However the born global approach to internationalization confirmed that, besides informational and resource based perspective, intangible assets (capabilities) should be assessed. Global mindset represents a viable latent capability of exporting firm, especially the SME. The findings suggest that a significant relationship between global mindset and export market orientation exists suggesting that managerial cognition fosters effective export marketing activity.

Operational capabilities and entrepreneurial opportunities in emerging market firms: Explaining exporting SME growth

The academic inquiry of operational capabilities (OCs) has claimed focal interest in mainstream strategy research. Recent theoretical advances suggest these capabilities are a fundamental trigger to the identification and exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities. However, the extant literature has been, at best, partial with regard to empirical insights that integrate OCs with entrepreneurial opportunities. Addressing this theoretical lacuna from the standpoint of organisational learning theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the interplay between OCs and entrepreneurial opportunities and their overall impact on exporting SME’s growth.,To realise the empirical aims a descriptive research design employing a survey methodology was used. The authors are generated data from a sample of 117 exporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in Croatia. Ordinary least squares regression was employed to test the conceptual model and five derived hypotheses.,The findings demonstrate that market-sensing capabilities are vital in enhancing exporting SME’s opportunity recognition capacity and the rate of international opportunity exploitation that leads to increased firm growth. Also, study findings show that the link between the increased rate of international opportunity exploitation contributes more to the growth when exporting SMEs have highly developed adaptive and innovation capabilities.,This study brings to surface some novel insights about how exporting SMEs can better design their export marketing strategy. The results suggest, OCs occupy key role in the exporting SMEs international venturing efforts by delivering higher growth.,The study contributes to the export marketing strategy field by offering empirical evidence that both capability and opportunity-based views should be assessed simultaneously in explaining exporting SME’s competitiveness. Finally, we offer valuable theoretical and practical implications as well as avenues for further research that should extend our knowledge in the field.