Exporter networks, innovation, and performance: an institutional approach

Several studies have attempted to analyze the determinants of export performance. Most of them have been dedicated to assessing the role of corporate, managerial, and organizational resources, as well as company size and experience. Others sought to measure the effect of innovation on export performance. However, there are few studies that address the effect institutional framework has on export performance. The present study aims to evaluate the institutional determinants of companies' export performance, seeking to fill a gap in the international business literature by examining the ways in which the institutional framework of the country of origin affects companies' export performance. Although several studies have investigated the effect country of origin institutions have on internationalization and export performance, there are few studies that have evaluated the modes and mechanisms by which such institutions act and shape companies' export performance. This study's contribution is using structural equation modeling to show that institutional framework has no direct effect on export performance, but acts indirectly through specific transmission mechanisms. This approach points to social networks and innovation as two mechanisms that perform specific functions to configure institutional effects. Although the empirical results did not show statistical significance for the innovation dimension, the network mechanism has been shown as a specific and efficient mechanism for transmitting institutional framework effects on export performance.

已有多项研究尝试剖析出口绩效的影响因素。其中多数研究聚焦于评估企业资源、管理资源与组织资源，以及企业规模和经营经验所发挥的作用；另有部分研究旨在衡量创新对出口绩效的影响效应。然而，鲜有研究探讨制度框架（institutional framework）对出口绩效的影响。本研究旨在评估企业出口绩效的制度层面影响因素，通过剖析母国制度框架对企业出口绩效的作用路径，弥补国际商务研究领域的相关空白。尽管已有多项研究探讨了母国制度对企业国际化与出口绩效的影响，但鲜有研究剖析此类制度作用于并塑造企业出口绩效的具体方式与传导机制。本研究的贡献在于借助结构方程模型（Structural Equation Modeling）证实：制度框架对出口绩效并无直接影响，而是通过特定传导机制发挥间接作用。本研究指出，社会网络与创新是两类承担特定功能、实现制度效应传导的机制。尽管实证结果未显示创新维度具备统计显著性，但网络机制已被证实为传导制度框架对出口绩效影响的特定且高效的路径。