Niche marketing strategy and export performance in SMEs

Building on the stepping stone of the KBV and incorporating building blocks from dynamic capabilities and the competitive strategy perspective, this thesis extends previous research on export marketing by developing a theory-based model to examine the relationships of export market knowledge, international experience, and specialized marketing capabilities with niche marketing strategy, which in turn leads to export performance. Using data from 201 UK exporting SMEs, this study shows that specialized marketing capabilities play an important role in enhancing export venture business strategy. The theoretical model and results show that export market knowledge and aspects of international experiential knowledge (i.e. psychic dispersion, duration, multinationality) influence specialized marketing capabilities differently. The direct influence of export psychic dispersion on specialized marketing capabilities is positive, while the results indicate that there is a negative effect of export duration on specialized marketing capabilities. Further, the results do not support the relationship between multinationality and specialized marketing capabilities. The study finds that a high level of export niche strategy would strengthen the association between export differentiation strategy and export performance. Export niche strategy has no moderating influence on export cost leadership strategy and export performance nexus. Finally, implications for managers and public policy makers of these findings are discussed and useful future research avenues are proposed.