A “strategy tripod” perspective on export behaviors: Evidence from domestic and foreign firms based in an emerging economy

We integrated the resource-, institution-, and industry-based views to investigate the determinants of export propensity and export intensity, and examined performance outcomes of firms’ export behaviors using the longitudinal data of 18,644 domestic private enterprises and foreign wholly owned subsidiaries in China from 2001 to 2005. We found that institutional environment has significant effects on export behaviors above and beyond the impact of firm competencies and industry factors. Furthermore, firm competencies have differential effects on firms’ export behaviors. Those firms that do not possess distinct firm competencies and those that have cost leadership competencies only do not benefit financially from exporting.