Are Political Factors More Relevant Than Economic Factors in Firm-Level Renewable Energy Technology Export? Evidence from Path Analysis

Abstract

Renewable energy technology (RET) firms are key economic entities in the export of RET-related products and components, in which RET firms’ exports are affected largely by policy and market. Nonetheless, the effects of policy and market factors on RET firm-level export have never received attention from researchers. This study aims to fill the gap by taking a political economy approach to establish a structural equation model to analyze the path of political-economic factor-firms’ market orientation-based export. This study reveals that RET firms’ market-orientation-based export enhancement depends entirely on political forces. Particularly, two government intervention instruments, environmental policy and export promotion policy, were highlighted. However, the effects of renewable energy policies on the exports of RET firms through market orientation are negative and statistically significant. This study proves that the effects of inter-firm competition and market attractiveness on RET firms’ exports through their market orientation are negative and statistically significant and insignificant, respectively. Further, this study demonstrates that RET firms’ market orientation has a significant positive effect on their export performance. We conclude that in order to improve RET-related policy effectiveness and efficiency, it will be useful to consider firms’ heterogeneity in response to external factors. Additionally, a full mediation model in the academic investigation of the effects of various external factors, including public policies and market factors, on firm-level export, and the implementation of firm-level export-induced policy, taking into account firms’ managerial interpretations to external factors, should be considered.