Responsive and proactive market orientation in relation to SMEs’ export venture performance: The mediating role of marketing capabilities

• Published in: Journal of business research 2022-01, Vol.138, p.256-265
• Main Authors: Bodlaj, Mateja, Čater, Barbara
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Differentiation advantage; Export venture performance; Market orientation; Marketing capabilities
• ISSN: 0148-2963; 1873-7978
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.09.034

•Both forms of market orientation have different effects on marketing capabilities.•Responsive market orientation is better at enhancing exporting SMEs’ pricing capabilities.•Proactive market orientation is more beneficial for enhancing product development capabilities.•Both marketing capabilities are positively related to differentiation advantage.•Differentiation advantage enhances SMEs’ export venture performance. This study aims to improve understanding of how export market orientation and marketing capabilities relate to export venture performance. Results are reported for a sample of 339 exporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across multiple industries from a highly open post-transitional European country. The findings show that a responsive and a proactive market orientation have different effects on pricing and product development capabilities, which in turn are both positively related to differentiation advantage and thereby export venture performance. These findings may help exporting SMEs while deciding on how to allocate their limited resources to improve their export market orientation and marketing capabilities with a view to enhancing their export venture performance.