A comparison of interfirm relational capabilities in internationalising small-business enterprises (SBEs) and large firms in a developing country

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management

Volumn 13, Issue 3-4, 2011, Pages 296-313

  Matanda, Margaret Jekanyika ^a   Ndubisi, Nelson Oly ^b  

^a MONASH UNIVERSITY   (Australia)

^b Jalan Broga University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus   (Malaysia)

Author keywords

Internationalisation; Large buyers; Large firms; Relational capabilities; Small business enterprises

Indexed keywords

EID: 79955434682     PISSN: 1368275X     EISSN: 17415098     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2011.039824     Document Type: Article

References (84)

1. Andaleeb, S. (1992) 'The trust concept: research issues for channels of distribution', in Sheth, J. (Ed.): Research in Marketing, Vol. 11, pp. 1-34, JAI Press, London.
2. Anderson, E. and Weitz, B. (1992) 'The use of pledges to build and sustain commitment in distribution channels', Journal of Marketing, February, Vol. 24, pp. 18-34.
3. Aulakh, P., Katobe, M. and Sahay, A. (1996) 'Trust and performance in cross-border marketing partnerships: a behavioural approach', Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 1005-1032.
4. Barney, J. B. (1991) 'Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage', Journal of Management, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 99-120.
5. Bradley, F., Meyer, R. and Gao, Y. (2006) 'Use of supplier-customer relationships by SMEs to enter foreign markets', Industrial Marketing Management, Vol. 35, No. 6, pp. 652-665. (Pubitemid 43942179)
6. Brass, D. J. and Burkhardt, M. E. (1993) 'Potential power and power use: an investigation of structure and behaviour', Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp 441-470.
7. Buckley, P. J. and Casson, M. C. (1998a) 'Analyzing foreign market entry strategies: extending the internalization approach', Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 29, No. 3, pp. 539-562.
8. Buckley, P. J. and Casson, M. C. (1998b) 'Models of the multinational enterprise', Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 29, No. 1, pp. 21-44.
9. Carson, D., Gilmore, A. and Rocks, S. (2004) 'SME marketing networking: a strategic approach', Strategic Change, Vol. 13, No. 7, pp. 369-373.
10. Cavusgil, S. T., Bilkey, W. J. and Tesar, G. (1979) 'A note on the export behavior of firms: exporter profiles', Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 10, pp. 91-97.
11. Coviello, N. and Munro, H. (1997) 'Network relationships and the internationalisation process of small software firms', International Business Review, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 361-386. (Pubitemid 127162921)
12. Cox, A., Watson, G., Lonsdale, C. and Sanderson, J. (2004) 'Managing appropriately in power regimes: relationship and performance management in 12 supply chain cases', Supply Chain Management, Vol. 9, No 5, pp. 357-371 (Pubitemid 41137068)
13. Cravens, D. and Piercy, N. (1994) 'Relationship marketing and collaborative networks in service', International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 5, No. 5, pp. 39-53.
14. Cronbach, L. J. (1951) 'Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests', Psychometrica, Vol. 16, pp. 297-334.
15. Das, T. K. and Teng, B-S. (2000) 'A resource-based theory of strategic alliances', Journal of Management, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 31-61.
16. Daviron, B., (2002) 'Small farm production and the standardization of tropical products', in Daviron, B. and Gibbon, P. (Eds.): Special Issue on Global Commodity Chains and African Export Agriculture, Journal of Agrarian Change, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 162-184. (Pubitemid 38615857)
17. Dhanaraj, C. and Beamish, P. W. (2003) 'A resource-based approach to the study of export performance', Journal of Small Business Management, Vol. 41, No. 3, pp. 242-261. (Pubitemid 36853097)
18. Dolan, C. and Humphrey, J. (2000) 'Governance and trade in fresh vegetables: the impact of UK supermarkets on the African horticulture industry', Journal of Development Studies, Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 147-176.
19. Dolan, C. and Humphrey, J. (2004) 'Changing governance patterns in the trade in fresh vegetables between Africa and the United Kingdom', Environment and Planning A, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 491-509. (Pubitemid 38439275)
20. Doney, P. and Cannon, J. (1997) 'An examination of the nature of trust in inter-organisational relationships', Journal of Marketing, Vol. 61, No. 2, pp. 35-47.
21. Elg, U. (2002) 'Inter-firm market orientation: its significance and antecedents in distribution networks', Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. 18, Nos. 7/8, pp. 633-656.
22. Elg, U. (2003) 'Retail market orientation: a preliminary framework', International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 107-117.
23. Emerson, R. E. (1962) 'Power-dependence relations', American Sociological Review, Vol. 27, pp. 31-41.
24. Eriksson, K., Majkgard, A. and Sharma, D. D. (2000) 'Path dependence and knowledge development in the internationalization process', Management International Review, Vol. 40, No. 4, pp. 307-328.
25. Fornell, C. and Lackner, D. (1981) 'Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement errors', Journal of Marketing Research, February, Vol. 18, pp. 39-50.
26. Frambach, R. T. and Schillewaert, N. (2002) 'Organizational innovation adoption: a multi-level framework of determinants and opportunities for future research', Journal of Business Research, Vol. 55, No. 2, pp. 163-176. (Pubitemid 39644622)
27. Frazier, G. (1999) 'Organizing and managing channels of distribution', Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 226-240.
28. Freeman, S., Edwards, R. and Schroder, B. (2006) 'How smaller born-global firms use networks and alliances to overcome constraints to rapid internationalization', Journal of International Marketing, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 33-63. (Pubitemid 44432929)
29. Gabrielsson, P., Gabrielsson, M., Darling, J. and Luostarinen R. (2006) 'Globalizing internationals: product strategies of ICT manufacturers', International Marketing Review, Vol. 23, No. 6, pp. 650-671. (Pubitemid 44570988)
30. Ganesan, S. (1994) 'Determinants of long-term orientation in inter-organisational relationships', Journal of Marketing, April, Vol. 58, pp. 1-19.
31. Gerbing, D. and Anderson, J. C. (1988) 'The updated paradigm for scale development incorporating unidimensionality and its assessment', Journal of Marketing Research, May, Vol. 25, pp. 186-192.
32. Ghauri, P. N., Lutz, C. H. and Tesform, G. (2003) 'Using business networks to solve export marketing problems of small and medium-sized manufacturing firms from developing countries, ' European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 37, Nos. 5/6, pp. 728-752.
33. Gulati, R. (1995) 'Does familiarity breed trust? The implications of repeated ties for contractual choice in alliances', Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 38, pp. 85-112.
34. Gulati, R. (1998) 'Alliances and networks', Strategic Management Journal: Special Issue, Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 293-317.
35. Gundlach, G., Achrol, R. and Menzer, J. (1995) 'The structure of commitment and exchange', Journal of Marketing, January, Vol. 59, pp. 78-92.
36. Han, S. (1992) 'Antecedents to inter-organizational long-term relationships: an exploratory model of structural bonding and social bonding', Working Paper 6, Penn State-Institute of the Study of Markets.
37. Han, S., Wilson, D. and Dant, S. (1993) 'Buyer-supplier relationships today', Industrial Marketing Management, Vol. 22, No. 4, pp. 331-338.
38. Harland, C. M. (1996) 'Supply chain management: relationships, chains and networks', British Journal of Management, Vol. 7, S63.
39. Heide, J. B. (1994) 'Interorganizational governance in marketing channels', Journal of Marketing, Vol. 58 No. 1, pp. 71-85.
40. Hewett, K. and Bearden, W. O. (2001) 'Dependence, trust, and relational behavior on the part of foreign subsidiary marketing operations: implications for managing global marketing operations', Journal of Marketing, October, Vol. 65, pp. 51-66.
41. Hibbard, J., Kumar, N. and Stern, L. (2001) 'Examining the impact of destructive acts in marketing channel relationships', Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 38, No. 1, pp. 45-61.
42. Hingley, M. K. (2005) 'Power imbalanced relationships: cases from the UK fresh food supply', International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Vol. 3, No. 8, pp. 551-69. (Pubitemid 40960733)
43. Hitt, M. A., Ahlstrom, D., Dacin, M. T., Levitas, E. and Svobodina, L. (2004) 'The institutional effects on strategic alliance partner selection in transition economies: China vs. Russia', Organization Science, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 173-185. (Pubitemid 38640217)
44. Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., Camp, S. M. and Sexton, D. L. (2001) 'Strategic entrepreneurship: entrepreneurial strategies for wealth creation', Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 22, Special issue, pp. 479-491.
45. Hoffer, C. W. and Schendel, D. E. (1978) Strategy Formulation: Analytical Concepts, West Publishing, St. Paul, M. N.
46. Huber, G. P. (1991) 'Organizational learning: the contributing processes and the literatures', Organization Science, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 88-115
47. Jaffee, S. and Morton, J. (1995) Marketing Africa's High Value Foods; Comparative Experiences of an Emergent Private Sector, Kendal Hunt Publishing Company, ODA.
48. Karadeniz, E. E. and Göçer, K. (2007) 'Internationalization of small firms:a case study of Turkish small-and medium-sized enterprises', European Business Review, Vol. 19, No. 5, pp. 387-403.
49. Karagozoglu, N. and Lindell, M. (1998) 'Internationalization of small and medium-sized technology-based firms: an exploratory study', Journal of Small Business Management, Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 44-59.
50. Katsikeas, C. S., Bell, J. and Morgan, R. E. (1998) 'Editorial: advances in export marketing theory and practice', International Marketing Review, Vol. 15, No. 5, pp. 322-332.
51. Keysuk, K. and Changho, O. (2002) 'On distributor commitment in marketing channels for industrial products: contrast between the United States and Japan', Journal of International Marketing, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 72-97.
52. Kumar, K., Subramanian, R. and Yauger, C. (1998) 'Examining the market orientationperformance relationship: a context-specific study', Journal of Management, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 201-233. (Pubitemid 128181893)
53. Kumar, N., Scheer, L. and Steenkamp, J. (1995a) 'The effects of supplier fairness on vulnerable resellers', Journal of Marketing Research, February, Vol. 32, pp. 54-65.
54. Kumar, N., Scheer, L. and Steenkamp, J. (1995b) 'The effects of perceived interdependence on dealer attitudes', Journal of Marketing Research, August, Vol. 32, pp. 348-356.
55. Leonidou, C., Katsikeas, C. and Hadjimarcou, J. (2002) 'Executive insights: building successful export business relationships: a behavioral perspective', International Journal of Marketing, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 96-116.
56. Litvak, I. A. (1992) 'Winning strategies for small technology-based companies', Business Quarterly, Vol. 57, No. 2, pp. 47-51.
57. Lusch, R. and Brown, J. (1996) 'Interdependency, contracting, and relational behaviour in marketing channels', Journal of Marketing, October, Vol. 60, pp. 19-38.
58. MacMillan, K., Money, K. and Downing, S. (2000) 'Successful business relationships', Journal of General Management, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 69-83. (Pubitemid 33274925)
59. Matanda, M. J. and Freeman, S. (2009) 'Effect of perceived environmental uncertainty on exporter-importer inter-organisational relationships and export performance improvement', International Business Review, Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 89-107.
60. McDougall, P. P. and Oviatt, B. M. (2000) 'International entrepreneurship: the intersection of two research paths', Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 43, No. 5, pp. 902-906.
61. Mohr, J. and Spekman, R. (1994) 'Characteristics of partnership success: partnership attributes, communication behaviour and conflict resolution techniques', Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 135-52.
62. Moorman, C., Zaltman, G. and Deshpande, R. (1992) 'Relationships between providers and users of market research; the dynamics of trust within and between organisations', Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 29, No. 8, pp. 296-313.
63. Morgan R. and Hunt, S. (1994) 'The commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing', Journal of Marketing, July, Vol. 58, pp. 28-30.
64. Nunnally, J. C. (1978) Psychometric Theory, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York.
65. O'Farrell, P. N., Wood, P. A. and Zheng, J. (1998) 'Regional influences on foreign market development by business service companies: elements of a strategic context explanation', Regional Studies, Vol. 32, No. 10, pp. 31-48.
66. O'Driscoll, A., Carson, D. and Gilmore, A. (2000) 'Developing marketing competence and managing in networks: a strategic perspective', Journal of Strategic Marketing, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 183-196.
67. Oviatt, B. M. and McDougall, P. P. (1994) 'Toward a theory of international new ventures', Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 45-64.
68. Palmer, A. (2000) 'Co-operation and competition: a Darwinian synthesis of relationship marketing', European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 34, Nos. 6, pp. 687-704.
69. Rabellotti, R. (1998) 'Helping small firms to network-the experience of UNIDO', Small Enterprise Development, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 25-34. (Pubitemid 28284401)
70. Roth, K. (1992) 'Implementing international strategy at the business unit level: the role of managerial decision-making characteristics', Journal of Management, Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 769-789.
71. Rugman. A. M. and Wright. R. W. (1999) Research in Global Strategic Management: International Entrepreneurship, JAI Press, Stamford, CT.
72. Sarkar, M. B., Echambadi, R., Cavusgil, T. S. and Aulaks, P. S. (2001) 'The influence of complementarity, compatibility, and relationship capital on alliance performance, ' Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol. 29, pp. 358-373.
73. Sharma, D. D. and Blomstermo, A. (2003) 'The internationalization process of born globals: a network view', International Business Review, Vol. 12, No. 6, pp. 739-753. (Pubitemid 37445574)
74. Siguaw, J., Simpson, P. and Baker, T. (1999) 'The influence of market orientation on channel relationships: a dyadic examination', in Deshpandé, R. (Ed.): Developing a Market Orientation, pp. 267-302, Sage, London.
75. Sivadas, E. and Dwyer, F. R. (2000) 'An examination of organizational factors influencing new product success in internal and alliance based processes', Journal of Marketing, January, Vol. 64, pp. 31-49.
76. Street, C. T. and Cameron, A. F. (2007) 'External relationships and the small business: review of small business alliance and network research', Journal of Small Business Management, Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 239-266.
77. Takane, T. (2004) 'Smallholder and non-traditional exports under economic liberalization: the case of pineapples in Ghana', African Study Monographs, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 29-43.
78. Varadarajan, P. R. and Cunningham, M. (1995) 'Strategic alliances: a synthesis of conceptual foundations', Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 282-96. (Pubitemid 126007054)
79. Wade, M. and Hulland, J. (2004) 'The resource-based view and information systems research: review, extension, and suggestions for future research, ' MIS Quarterly, Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 107-142
80. Wernerfelt, B. (1984) 'A resource-based view of the firm', Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 171-180.
81. Wilkinson, I. F. and Young, L. C. (1994) 'Business dancing - the nature and role of inter-firm relations in business strategy', Asia-Australia Marketing Journal, Vol. 2, pp. 67-79.
82. Wilson, D. and Mummalaneni, V. (1988) 'Modelling and measuring buyer seller relationship: a preliminary conceptualization', Industrial Marketing and Purchasing, Vol. 102, No. 3, pp. 58-66.
83. Yu, C-M. J. (1990) 'The experience effect and foreign direct investment', Weltwirtschaftliches Archives, Vol. 126, pp. 561-579.
84. Zahra, S. A., Ireland, R. D. and Hitt, M. A. (2000) 'International expansion by new venture firms: international diversity, mode of market entry, technological learning, and performance', Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 43, No. 5, pp. 925-950.