Simone Novello

The influence of distributor support and price adaptation on the export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises

Although a number of studies have examined the antecedents of export performance, little empirical attention has been given to the influence of distribution support and price adaptation on this issue. To address this gap in the literature, this article develops a new model which integrates these two constructs as key variables affecting export performance. The results suggest that support given to the distributor has a strong and positive impact on export performance. In addition, the findings indicate that distribution support plays a mediating role in the model. Contrary to expectations, the results show that price adaptation has no significant impact on export performance. Although in the literature price adaptation and export performance is assumed to have a linear relationship, further analysis shows a non-linear (U-shaped) relationship between these two constructs. The implications of these findings along with the limitations of the study are discussed.

The Influence of Event Authenticity and Quality Attributes on Behavioral Intentions

Many studies have found that the perceived authenticity of cultural and religious events affects event satisfaction and loyalty. Little is currently known about how perceived authenticity is affected by the quality of other event attributes, such as food and the availability of information, which are independent determinants of satisfaction and loyalty. This article explores this complex relationship using empirical data collected through a survey conducted during the 2010 Holy Year in Santiago de Compostela. A total of 400 questionnaires were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM). The results of our analysis of the 2010 Holy Year provide support for the effect of event perceived authenticity on event satisfaction, and they also indicate that event perceived authenticity does not have a direct impact on event loyalty. Instead, its relationship to the intention to revisit is mediated by event satisfaction. In addition, the effects of event attributes were assessed for both event satisfaction and perceived authenticity, and significant differences were found.

A Malmquist-Based Approach to Change in Local Economic Well-being

Murias P., Novello S. and Martínez-Roget F. A Malmquist-based approach to change in local economic well-being, Regional Studies. The focus on the multifaceted nature of well-being has increased substantially in recent years. This paper employs data envelopment analysis (DEA) combined with the Malmquist index to examine the temporal change in the economic well-being of Spanish provinces over the ten-year period between 1996 and 2006. This method not only allows the aggregation of multiple indicators and the estimation of well-being shifts over time, but also shows the sources of variation in local economic well-being. The results seem to suggest that whilst economic well-being has improved in the great majority of provinces, this advancement stems largely from a more favourable environment than from the specific capacity of each province to reduce its relative distance from key benchmarks.