Marketing strategy determinants of export performance: a meta-analysis

Identifying the marketing strategy elements that influence export performance has been the subject of sizeable empirical research. However, the findings reported in the literature are characterized by fragmentation and diversity, limiting theory development and improvement of management practice in the field. This article aims to synthesize extant knowledge on the subject based on a meta-analysis of empirical studies on the export marketing strategy-performance relationship. The assessment reveals that: (a) although many marketing strategy variables demonstrate positive effects on overall export performance, the relationship is not always significant; (b) of the export performance measures examined in various studies, stronger effects are observed in relation to export proportion of sales; and (c) time of study, geographic focus, and product type had a limited impact on the effect of marketing strategy elements on export performance. Implications for export management and future research are discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.