Export market orientation and its consequences: a meta-analytic review and assessment of contextual and measurement moderators

Abstract

Purpose In spite of the considerable research interests particularly devoted to meta-analyze the empirical findings on market orientation in the domestic context, much little attention has been assigned to the role of market orientation in the field of exporting. Owing to the fast progress in the momentum of the empirical articles pertaining to export market orientation, this study aims to quantitatively synthesize all empirical studies on the export market orientation’s linkage with performance-related consequences, firm capabilities and strategy-related consequences. Besides, this meta-analysis endeavors to examine the impact of potential contextual and measurement moderators on export market orientation and its consequences by following a meta-analysis perspective. Design/methodology/approach The quantitative evidence was drawn from a meta-analysis of 89 total effects (N = 8,652). Findings The meta-analysis results reveal that export market orientation has a major impact on both innovation performance and firm capabilities. Moreover, the meta-analytic evidence also indicates that the strength of the association between export market orientation and capability building/strategy-related consequences is greater for firms operating in high collectivist cultures, whereas the magnitude of the correlation between export market orientation and performance-related consequences is stronger for least developed countries. Originality/value On the basis of the findings, this study considerably contributes to the related body of research by aggregating fragmented empirical evidence in the extant literature and providing beneficial insights for both researchers and practitioners.