• Korea Trade Review
• /
• v.46 no.5
• /
• pp.231-248
• /
• 2021

This study aims to examine an effective path that links the use of export promotion programs(EPPs) to the export performance of SMEs. In particular, the study focuses on what role the export innovativeness of SMEs plays between EPPs and export performance. In order to verify the conceptual model, the structural equation modeling is applied, using the data collected from a sample of 152 Korean SME exporters. The study highlights the notion that the relationship between the use of EPPs and export performance is not direct and that higher performance can be achieved through export innovativeness, the ability to reconstruct internal resources and to respond quickly to changes in the export market. The results of the empirical analysis show that EPPs partially mediate the relationship between export market-orientation and export innovativeness, and that such mediated export innovativeness continues to fully mediate the relationship between EPPs and export performance. That is, if SMEs make good use of EPPs that meet their needs, they can be encouraged to re-bundle or strengthen their existing resources and capabilities, which in turn lead to higher export performance. The study thus helps extend understanding of EPPs and export performance literature.

• Korea Trade Review
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.103-124
• /
• 2022

For venturing into international markets, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have not only emphasized internal resources but entrepreneurial orientation has also become the need of the day due to its significant role in increasing firm's competitive capabilities. Although research indicates that the competitive strategies can significantly impact export performance, minor attention is given to the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation, business competitive strategy and export performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This study scrutinizes the effect of each dimension of entrepreneurial orientation (i.e., innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactiveness) and each of generic competitive strategies (i.e., cost leadership and differentiation) on the export performance of Chinese SMEs. And we investigated the moderating effect of entrepreneurial orientation on the relationship between the competitive strategies and export performance. We surveyed 217 Chinese SMEs through a structured questionnaire. For the data analysis and hypotheses testing, we used AMOS. 27. The findings display that differentiation and cost leadership strategies significantly improve export performance. The innovativeness, risk-taking and proactiveness also spur Chinese SME's export performance. Further we find that adding entrepreneurial orientation significantly improves our model of the relationship between the competitive strategies and export performance. Thus, our study extends the entrepreneurial orientation literature and provides interesting new insights into how entrepreneurial orientation helps firms create more successful export operations.

• International Commerce and Information Review
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.113-138
• /
• 2012

This study examined the determinants of export performance of small and medium sized manufacturing companies in Korea. Depending on the existing research, taking entrepreneurship and product differentiation capabilities as antecedents of export performance. In addition, the product differentiation capabilities examined whether the role of the mediating effects between entrepreneurship and export performance. Thus, the purpose of the study is look at the integrated model of entrepreneurship, product differentiation capabilities and export performance building and their relationship. On 152 domestic companies, empirical analysis was performed. Empirical analysis was conducted using the PLS(Partial Least Square). And analysis tools were used SmartPLS2.0. In the results of the analysis, risk tolerance and innovativeness of small and medium sized manufacturing businesses, entrepreneurs and product differentiation competence have positive impact export performance in both. Product differentiation capabilities also confirmed that it have a positive impact on the export performance of small manufacturing export enterprises. In analysis of the mediated effect in product differentiation capacity showed a significant mediated effect between innovativeness and export performance. But mediated effects did not indicate a significant risk tolerance. these results suggests the need to actively pursue innovation that more product differentiation capabilities required in export companies to small and medium-sized manufacturing. In other words, when attempting to highlight product differentiation, based on innovation, rather than risk tolerance. In terms of analyzing the mediated role of product differentiation capabilities, this study has theoretical implications for the future research to look at the antecedents of export performance from the perspective of dynamic capabilities and competitive advantage. Also, practical implications in this regard as the innovativeness and taking risks to all important to CEO of small manufacturing enterprises but, stranger in the foreign market competition environment, the role of innovation product is required on raising product differentiation capabilities are presented.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.121-134
• /
• 2015

This study empirically analyzed the effects of international entrepreneurial proclivity of exporting small and medium enterprises on corporate capability and export performance according to product type of industrial and consumer goods. International entrepreneurial proclivity of exporting small and medium enterprises consists of risk-taking, proactiveness, and innovativeness, and corporate capability consists of technological capability and product differentiation capability. Risk-taking, innovativeness, and proactiveness had a significant impact on technological capability in case of industrial goods, and in case of consumer goods, only risk-taking and innovativeness had significant impact. Product differentiation capability of consumer goods was significantly influenced by the order of innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking while only innovativeness had a negative impact on industrial goods. When the impact of corporate capability on export performance was examined, only technological capability had a significant impact on both financial and strategic performance in case of industrial goods while both technological capability and product differentiation capability had significant impact in case of consumer goods. After examining the direct impact of international entrepreneurial proclivity on financial performance, it was found that financial performance in the case of industrial goods was significantly influenced by the order of proactiveness and risk-taking, and in the case of consumer goods by the order of innovativeness and proactiveness. However, the impact of international entrepreneurial proclivity on strategic performance showed different results. In case of industrial goods, only risk-taking had a significant impact on strategic performance while in the case of consumer goods it was significantly influenced by the order of innovativeness, proactivenesspro, and risk-taking. The direct impact of international entrepreneurial proclivity on export performance was different in case of financial and strategic performance, and there was difference regarding product type as well. It suggests that different approach is needed according to product type in order to increase export performance since the impact of international entrepreneurial proclivity on corporate capability, the impact of corporate capability on export performance, and the impact of international entrepreneurial proclivity on export performance were all different according to product type.

• International Area Studies Review
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.3-25
• /
• 2012

This study is to look at the relationship of entrepreneurship(innovativeness, risk-taking), the learning competence, environmental factors(the domestic market hostility, the speed of technological change) and export performance in international new ventures(INVs). In addition, the integrated model is constructed for the purpose of analysis of the moderating effects of environmental factors. Through the existing investigation, nine hypotheses are set up. PLS(Partial Least Square) analysis method is used to sample of 115 INVs. Analysis, the two elements of entrepreneurship influenced the positive(+) in the learning competence and export performance. And the relationship of learning competence and export performance is significant. In the moderating effects, only the domestic market hostility has a significant moderating effects between the learning competence and innovativeness. The results of this research shows that innovativeness influence the learning competence playing a positive role in the performance in the domestic market is higher. This point illustrates the practical implications of the importance of innovation in learning empowerment.

• International Commerce and Information Review
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.23-44
• /
• 2014

This study examined the relationship between entrepreneurship, learning competence and the export performance of international new ventures that enterprises entering foreign markets immediately after starting their business in Korea, and the mediating effect of learning competence. A research framework was developed with two entrepreneurship factors(risk taking and innovativeness), learning competence factors, and export performance. Six hypotheses were proposed and tested on 115 samples using LISREL. Research findings suggest that the two entrepreneurship factors positively influenced learning competence. However, export performance was affected by only innovativeness. Also, the learning competence positively affected export performance. Learning competence was found to mediate between entrepreneurship and export performance.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.41-70
• /
• 2013

In this paper, we analyzed whether there exists positive relation between firm's global activity and various innovation output and, if it exists, what are the major factors by which innovation outputs can be generated, focusing on the different degree of global activity. We found that for foreign MNC affiliates, their superior information access to existing knowledge is much more important and for non-MNC exporters and domestic MNC parents not only access to existing knowledge but also active investment in new knowledge is important. When we analyze the product and the process innovation separately, we found that for the process innovation information flows from existing knowledge is relatively more important while for product innovation investment in new knowledge and information flows from existing knowledge are almost equally important. Thus in Korea policies that promote both direct R&D activities and information flows should be pursued at the same time to enhance firms' innovativeness.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.1-16
• /
• 2012

Under the international business circumstance, global supply chain management is considered a vital strategic challenge to small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) suffering from deficient resources and capabilities to exploit overseas markets comparing with large corporations. That is because they can expand their business domains into overseas markets by establishing strategic alliances with global supply chain partners. Although a wide range of previous researches have emphasized the cooperative networks in the chain, most are ignoring the importance of developing relational characteristics such as trust and reciprocity with the partners. Besides, verifying the relational factors influencing firms' export performances, some studies proposed different and inconsistent factors. According to the social capital theory, which is the social quality and networks facilitating close cooperation of inter-individual and inter-organization, provides the integrated view to identify the relational characteristics in the aspects of network, trust and reciprocal norm. Meanwhile, a number of researchers shows that global entrepreneurship is the internal and intangible resource necessary to promote SMEs' internationalization. Upon closer examination, however, they cannot explain clearly its influencing mechanism in the inter-firm cooperative relationships. This study is to verify the effect of social capital accumulated within global supply chain on SMEs' qualitative and quantitative export performance. In addition, we shed new light on global entrepreneurship expected to be concerned with the formation of social capital and the enhancement of export performances. For this purpose, the questionnaires, developed through literature review, were collected from 192 Korean SMEs affiliated in Korean Medium Industries Association and Global Chief Executive Officer's Club focusing on their memberships' international business. As a result of multi-regression analysis, the social capital - network, trust and reciprocal norm shared with global supply chain partner - as well as global entrepreneurship - innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking - have positive effect on SMEs' export performances. Also global entrepreneurship affects positively social capital which has mediating effect partially in the relationship between global entrepreneurship and performances. These results means that there is a structural process - global entrepreneurship(input), social capital(output), and export performances(outcome). In other words, a firm should consistently invest in and develop the social capital with global supply chain partners in order to achieve common goals, establish strategic collaborations and obtain long-term export performances. Furthermore, it is required to foster the global entrepreneurship in an organization so as to build up the social capital. More detailed practical issues and discussion are made in the conclusion.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.1-20
• /
• 2008

This study aims to identify factors affecting the purchase of Korean IT products in overseas markets. The empirical investigation on Chinese and Japanese, which are major overseas markets of Korean IT products and within Korean wave of influence, ascertains that they have had experiences in purchasing Korean IT products such as MP3, hand held phone, and digital camera. In addition, it was revealed that the country image of Korea and valuation of Korean IT products have been enhanced by Korean wave. The result of multiple regression analysis shows that the purchase of Korean IT products is dependent upon social influence, country image, product attributes, preference on Korean wave, and cultural influence. In the separated hypotheses test of China and Japan, the same factors are found to be significant variables affecting the purchase of Korean IT products but practicality, innovativeness, and norms of consumers are found to be significant only in Chinese market. These results imply what should be considered to expedite the export of Korean IT products. In particular, this study finds different factors affecting the purchase of Korean IT products in different countries.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.21-33
• /
• 2016

This paper aims to investigate the relations among the entrepreneurship, SWOT factors, and performance in Korean hidden champion firms. 112 potential Korean hidden champions were drawn at random from the hidden champion candidates of Export-Import Bank of Korea. For analyzing the relationship of them, the entrepreneurship factors categorized with organizational risk taking, innovativeness, and proactiveness from previous researches(Khandwalla, 1977; Miller, 1983; Miller & Friesen, 1978, 1982). Also, four SWOT factors classified into strength, weakness, opportunities, and threat by confirmatory factor analysis. As a result, we found some statistically significant effects between the SWOT factors and entrepreneurship factors, and they sequentially affects to performance. That is, as a presented with previous research, there is verified that entrepreneurship is caused by organizational risk taking, innovativeness, and proactiveness. Also, SWOT factors significantly affect to business performance. Some guidelines for practicing potential Korea hidden champions as a result of this would include; first of all, it is important to support the potential hidden champions consulting approach in global perspectives; secondly, effective governmental support programs for hidden champions should be developed for positive impacts of according to these results.