Skip to main content
Log in

Entrepreneurial orientation, commitment to the Internet and export performance in small and medium sized exporting firms

  • Published:
Journal of International Entrepreneurship Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper investigates links between entrepreneurial orientation, commitment to the Internet and export performance in small and medium sized firms. The central argument is that entrepreneurs are more likely to use the Internet to develop export market opportunities, and to have better export performance than less entrepreneurial firms. In testing this proposition, a measure of ‘commitment to the Internet’ was developed and used in a mail survey of UK exporters. The results show that firms with high entrepreneurial orientation are more committed to the Internet and have better export performance than firms with low entrepreneurial orientation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ainscough T, Luckett M (1996) The Internet for the Rest of us: Marketing on the World Wide Web. J Con Marketing 13(2):36–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Auger P, Gallaugher J (1997) Factors Affecting the Adoption of an Internet Based Sales Presence for Small Businesses. The Inf Soc 13(1):55–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Avlonitis G, Karayanni D (2000) The Impact of Internet Use on Business to Business Marketing: Examples from American and European Companies. Indust Marketing Manag 29:441–459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barrett H, Balloun J, Weinstein A (2000) Marketing Mix Factors As Moderators of the Corporate Entrepreneurship-Business Performance Relationship–-A Multistage, Multivariate Analysis. J Market Theory and Practice 8(2):50–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Becherer C, Maurer J (1997) The Moderating Effect on Environmental Variables on the Entrepreneurial and Marketing Orientation of Entrepreneur-Led Firms. Entrepr Theory and Practice 22(1):47–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett R (1997) Export Marketing and the Internet: Experiences of Web Site Use and Perceptions of Export Barriers among UK Businesses. Int Market Rev 14(5):324–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bennett R (1998) Using the World Wide Web for International Marketing: Internet Use and Perceptions of Export Barriers among German and British Businesses. J Market Comm 4:27–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bharadwaj A (2000) A Resource-Based Perspective on Information Technology Capability and Firm Performance: An Empirical Investigation. MIS Quart 24(1):169–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brock J (2000) Virtual Globals–-Marketspace and the Internationalisation of Small Technology Based Firms, Unpublished Ph.D., Department of Marketing, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown S (1996) Art or science? Fifty years of marketing debate. J Market Manag 12(4):243–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caruana A, Morris M, Vella A (1998) The Effect of Centralisation and Formalisation on Entrepreneurship in Export Firms. J Small Business Manag 36(1):16–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Cavusgil T, Zou S (1994) Marketing Strategy–-Performance Relationship: An Investigation of the Empirical Link in Export Market Ventures. J Market 58:1–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collin S (1997) Doing business on the internet. Kogan Page Limited

  • Coltman T, Devinney T, Latukefu A, Midgley D (2001) E-business: Revolution, Evolution, or Hype?. Cal Manag Rev 44(1):57–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Coviello N, Munro H (1995) Growing the Entrepreneurial Firm Networking for International Market Development. Eur J Market 29(7):49–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Covin J (1991) Entrepreneurial Versus Conservative Firms: A Comparison of Strategies and Performance. J Manag Stud 28(5):439–462

    Google Scholar 

  • Covin J, Slevin D (1989) Strategic Management of Small Firms in Hostile and Benign Environments. Strat Manag J 10:75–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Covin J, Slevin D (1991) A Conceptual Model of Entrepreneurship as Firm Behaviour. Entrepr Theory and Pract 16(1):7–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis D, Morris M, Allen J (1991) Perceived Environmental Turbulence and its Effect on Selected Entrepreneurship, Marketing, and Organizational Characteristics in Industrial Firms. J Acad Market Sci 19(1):43–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Dess G, Lumpkin G, Covin J (1997) Entrepreneurial Strategy Making and Firm Performance: Tests of Contingency and Configurational Models. Strat Manag J 18(9):677–695

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DTI (2001) Business in the information age: International benchmarking study 2001. Department of Trade and Industry

  • Ellsworth J, Ellsworth M (1997) Marketing on the internet, 2nd edn. John Wiley and Sons, Inc

  • Hamill J (1997) The Internet and International Marketing. Int Market Rev 14(5) 300–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herbig P, Hale B (1997) Internet: The Marketing Challenge of the Twentieth Century. Internet Res: Electron Network Appl Policy 7(2):95–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huizingh E (2002) The Antecedents of Web Site Performance. Eur J Market 36(11/12):1225–1247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ibeh K (1998) Analysing the Critical Influences on Export Entrepreneurship in a Developing Country Environment: A Focus on Nigerian Manufacturing firms, unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Marketing, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland

    Google Scholar 

  • Ibeh K, Young S (2001) Exporting as an Entrepreneurial Act: An Empirical Study of Nigerian Firms. Eur J Market 35(5/6):566–586

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaworski BJ, Kohli AK (1993) Market orientation: Antecedents and consequences. J Market 57(3):53–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings D, Young D (1990) An Empirical Comparison between Objective and Subjective Measures of the Product Innovation Domain of Corporate Entrepreneurship. Entrepr Theory and Pract 15(1):53–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Khandwalla P (1977) Some Top Management Styles, Their Context and Performance. Organ an Admin Sci Quart 7(4):21–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Knight G (2000) Entrepreneurship and marketing strategy: The SME under globalisation. J Int Market 8(2):12–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knight G, Cavusgil T (1996) The Born Global Firm: A Challenge to Traditional Internationalisation Theory. Adv Int Market 8:11–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu C, Arnett K (2000) Exploring the Factors Associated with Web Site Success in the Context of Electronic Commerce. Inf Manag 38(1):23–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu H, Barrar P (2002) Technology, strategy and performance: An Empirical Examination in UK Manufacturing Companies, in the Proceedings of the 31st European Marketing Academy Conference (EMAC), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

    Google Scholar 

  • Lumpkin G, Dess G (2001) Linking Two Dimensions of Entrepreneurial Orientation to Firm Performance: The moderating Role of Environment and Industry Life Cycle. J Bus Vent 16(5):429–451

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lumpkin G, Dess G (1996) Clarifying the Entrepreneurial Orientation Construct and Linking it to performance. Acad Manag Rev 21(1):135–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lymer A, Nayak A, Johnson R, Spaul B (1998) UK businesses and the Information Superhighway: The Impact of the Internet on SMEs. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Occasional Research Paper. 23:1–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyon D, Lumpkin G, Dess G (2000) Enhancing Entrepreneurial Orientation Research: Operationalising and Measuring a Key Strategic Decision Making Process. J Manag 26(5):1055–1085

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCue S (1999) Small Firms and the Internet: Force or farce. Int Trade Forum (1):27–29

    Google Scholar 

  • McDougall P, Oviatt B (1997) International Entrepreneurship Literature is the 1990s and Directions for Future Research. In: Donald LS, Raymond WS (eds) Entrepreneurship 2000, Upstart Publishing Co., Chicago: pp 291–320

    Google Scholar 

  • McDougall P, Oviatt B (2000) International entrepreneurship: The Intersection of Two Research Paths. Acad Manag J 43(5):902–906

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyers M (1986) Students Need the Truth about Entrepreneurship. Marketing News, July 18, 34

  • Miles M, Arnold D (1991) The Relationship between Marketing Orientation and Entrepreneurial Orientation. Entrepr Theory and Pract 15(4):49–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller D (1983) The Correlates of Entrepreneurship in three Types of Firms. Manag Sci 29(7):770–791

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moini A (1995) An Inquiry into Successful Exporting: An empirical investigation using a three stage model. J Small Bus Manag 33(3):9–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Mostafa R, Wheeler C, Dimitratos P (2003) Internet Enabled Entrepreneurship In: Jones MV, Dimitratos P (eds) Emerging Paradigms in International Entrepreneurship. Edward Elgar Cheltenham pp 249–275

  • Mousley B, Simintiras A (2001) E-marketing: Can One Web Site Serve the Global Marketplace, In: The Proceedings of the 30th European Marketing Academy Conference (EMAC), Rethinking Retailing, Bergen, Norway

    Google Scholar 

  • Namen J, Slevin D (1993) Entrepreneurship and the concept of fit: A Mode, and Empirical Tests. Strat Manag J 14:137–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Nunnally J, Bernstein I (1994) Psychometric theory, 3rd edn. McGraw-Hill, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD (2000) Enhancing the Competitiveness of SMEs in the Global Economy: Strategies and policies. Conference of Ministers Responsible for SMEs and Industry Ministers, Bologna, Italy. Online at: http://www.oecd.org. Official Journal of the European Communities, 1996, 39(L107)

  • Oviatt B, McDougall P (1994) Toward a theory of International New Ventures. J Int Bus Stud 25(1):45–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Poon S, Swatman P (1997) Small Business Use of the Internet: Findings from Australian Case Studies. Int Market Rev 14(5):385–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prasad V, Ramamurthy K, Naidu GM (2001) The Influence of Internet-Marketing Integration on Marketing Competencies and Export Performance. J Int Market 9(4):82–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quelch J, Klein L (1996) The Internet and International Marketing. Sloan Manag Rev 37(3):60–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Reuber A, Fischer E (1997) The Influence of The Management Team’s International Experience on the Internationalization Behaviours of SMEs. J Int Buss Stud 28:807–825

    Google Scholar 

  • Roux E (1987) Managers Attitudes Toward Risk Among Determinants of Export Entry of Small and Medium-Size Firms. In: Rosson PJ, SD Reid (eds) Managing Export Entry and Expansion, Prager, New York, NY pp 95–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samiee S, Walters P, DuBois F (1993) Exporting as an Innovative Behaviour: An Empirical Investigation. Int Market Rev 10(3):5–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Sapienza H, Grimm C (1997) Founder Characteristics, Start-Up Process, and Strategy/Structure Variables as Predictors of Short-line Railroad Performance. Entrepr Theory and Prac 22:5–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Schollhammer H (1982) Internal Corporate Entrepreneurship. In: Kent CA, Sexton DL Vesper KH (eds) Encyclopedia of entrepreneurship. Prentice Hall. Englewood Cliffs, NJ pp 209–223

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma A (2002) Trends in Internet-Based Business-To-Business Marketing. Indust Market Manag 31(2):77–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simmonds K, Smith H (1968) The First Export Order: A Marketing Innovation. Brit J Market 2:93–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Sterne J (1995) World Wide Web Marketing: Integrating the Internet into Your Marketing Strategy. John Wiley and Sons, Inc

  • Wiklund J (1999) The Sustainability of the Entrepreneurial Orientation-Performance Relationship. Entr Theory and Pract 24(1):37–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson S, Abel I (2002) So You Want to Get Involved in E-Commerce. Indust Market Manag 31(2):85–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeoh P, Jeong I (1995) Contingency Relationships between Entrepreneurship, Export Channel Structure and Environment, A Proposed Conceptual Model of Export performance. Eur J Market 29(8):95–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zahra S (1993) A Conceptual Model of Entrepreneurship as Firm Behaviour: A Critique and Extension. Entrepr Theory and Pract 16(4):5–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Zahra S, Garvis D (2000) International Corporate Entrepreneurship and Firm performance: The Moderating Effect of International Environmental Hostility. J Bus Vent 5(6):469–492

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mostafa, R.H.A., Wheeler, C. & Jones, M.V. Entrepreneurial orientation, commitment to the Internet and export performance in small and medium sized exporting firms. J Int Entrepr 3, 291–302 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10843-006-7857-9

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10843-006-7857-9

Keywords

Navigation