The influence of internal and external firm factors on international product adaptation strategy and export performance: A three-country comparison

Multi-country studies are sparse in the international marketing literature. In this investigation, we develop and empirically test a model of the antecedents of product adaptation strategy and export performance using data collected from 239, 205, and 145 managers in the United States, Korea, and Japan, respectively. Our model incorporates internal and external firm factors as antecedents to export performance, with product adaptation strategy as a key mediating variable. The results show that product adaptation strategy is positively associated with export performance in all three countries. In addition, export dependence, which has received relatively little attention in the literature, is an important antecedent of product adaptation strategy. The similarity between the home and target market generally is considered an important factor in choice of export market, but its relationship with product adaptation strategy and export performance varies across the three countries. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.