Government Export Promotion Programmes and Firms’ Export Behaviour: Exploring the Indirect Link. The Case of UK & Algerian Manufacturing Firms

It has been recognised that exporting is an engine for growth at both country and firm levels. However, the challenging nature of international business often prevents companies from entering and surviving in international markets. In the Small and Medium-size Business context, lack of resource is normally the main reason behind the inability of firms to overcome export barriers. In recognition of the issue and for promoting exporting, the governments have been offering the so-called Government Export Promotion Programmes (GEPPs) to act as “resource supplements”. While there have been extensive practices, the mechanism and effectiveness of these programmes have not been thoroughly explored and analysed. In some academic studies, criticisms and doubts about these programmes have been raised. Against this background, the thesis investigates the working mechanism of these programmes and tests their effectiveness in terms of export initiation, performance and regularity. Using an extended version of the Resource Based View, two integrative and comprehensive conceptual models are developed in order to reveal the indirect impacts of GEPPs on export behaviour. The models are then tested with a total of 495 completed questionnaires collected from two sample countries; namely, Algeria and the UK. These were analysed through a multivariate analysis using a variance-based statistical technique known as Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. The findings of this thesis are two-fold. First, with respect to the critical resources affecting export behaviour, the study finds that while both Algerian and UK firms’export intention are affected by management resources only, firms’ export performance and regularity are instead mainly influenced by management and organisational resources in the UK and management and relational resources in Algeria. Second, regarding the impact of GEPPs on export intention, the study confirms its indirect nature through the management resources in both countries. However, when it comes to their effect on export performance and regularity, the indirect effect was only established in the UK and mainly through management and organisational resources. These findings have both theoretical and practical implications in that the results have provided empirical evidence on the indirect impact of GEPPs and can serve as an indication in practice for both firm managers and policy makers in deploying key resources for different stages of internationalisation.Plymouth Universit

Investigating the moderating role of Export Promotion Programmes using evidence from North-Africa

PurposeBased on an institutional approach to explaining firms’ internationalisation, this paper aims to empirically investigate the role of Export Promotion Programmes (EPPs) in moderating the influence of export barriers perceptions on small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) propensity to export.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses evidence from Algeria, the largest North-African country. The data were collected using an online questionnaire, targeting SMEs operating in the manufacturing sector. The study considers the influence of procedural, informational, environmental and functional barriers on export propensity, to uncover the moderating role of trade missions, trade shows and export seminars and workshops on such relationships. To examine these links, five main hypotheses are proposed and tested through a non-linear partial least squares structural equation modelling on a sample of 128 Algerian SMEs.FindingsThe results show that while internal barriers decrease firms’ export propensity, EPPs including trade fairs and shows may independently pose either a positive or negative influence on such relationships.Research limitations/implicationsThe study confirms the applicability of the institutional perspective to explaining firms’ internationalisation. More importantly, the present study highlights the role of EPPs in moderating the influence of export barriers perceptions on SMEs’ international market entry, a role neglected by the extant empirical literature.Practical implicationsThe current findings hold important implications to export promotion organisations operating in African countries. Notably, the results reveal that some programmes could have a negative influence if they are not delivered appropriately.Originality/valueThis study offers a rare focus on the moderating role of EPPs in the relationship between export barriers and export propensity, within the setting of a North-African country

A personal values view of international entrepreneurial intention

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Emerald in International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research on 21/09/2021, available online: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-06-2021-0480 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.Purpose Recognising the shortage of research investigating the effect of individual characteristics in cross-border entrepreneurship, this study models the dimensions of personal values as predictors of international entrepreneurship. Also, noting the paucity of evidence on the influence of ethnicity and gender in the personal values and international entrepreneurship nexus, the study undertakes a multi-group analysis to clarify the moderating effects of these social antecedents in the context of Mauritius. Design/methodology/approach Cross-sectional data from Mauritius is examined using a sample of 504 students spread across six universities. The analysis takes a structural equation modelling approach. Findings The results show that, comparing the distinct personal values dimensions, international entrepreneurship has a positive association with self-enhancement and openness to change. Furthermore, it has a non-significant relationship with self-transcendence and a negative connection with conservation. Also, the multi-group analyses revealed significant differences in the individual correlations across gender and ethnic categories. Originality/value Building on emerging empirical interest in the literature, this study presents novel evidence of the link between personal values and international entrepreneurial intention in the context of Mauritius. Additionally, examining the moderating influence of ethnicity and gender in the personal values, international entrepreneurship nexus advances current literature. On a practical level, the study offers insights to universities and other stakeholders tasked with nurturing international entrepreneurial behaviour among students to contemplate personal and social antecedents and, accordingly, adapt their entrepreneurship pedagogy

The catalyzing role of customer pressure on environmental initiatives and export intensity::A study of family firms

Predominantly, firms’ adoption of environmental initiatives has been driven by regulatory and economic incentives. Yet, recognizing mounting evidence that family firms demonstrate superior environmental proactivity, it is likely that other drivers also inspire their environmentalism. To assess this possibility, an integrated stakeholder, institutional and resource-based perspective is espoused. Thus, this inquiry assesses how environmental pressure from customers stimulates environmental initiatives and the extent to which this constitution would boost export intensity. Based on 620 observations of Turkish family firms, a robust path analysis procedure revealed that customer pressure positively increases the adoption of environmental planning and energy management. In turn, these instruments work in concert to reduce environmental regulatory obstacles and enhance export intensity, with environmental planning playing a key role. Theoretically, customer pressure is introduced as a fresh antecedent. Practically, family firms in Turkey can grasp the virtuous knock-on effect of acceding to the environmental pressure exerted by customers

Dissecting the effect of family business exposure on entrepreneurial implementation intention

This is an accepted manuscript of a paper published by Emerald in International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research on 06/05/2022, available online: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-05-2021-0350 The accepted manuscript of the publication may differ from the final published version.Purpose Scholars have typically examined family business exposure as an aggregate variable. However, it is probable that this trend oversimplifies the complexity of family exposure and its nuanced influence on entrepreneurial behaviour. Thus, to extend the theoretical boundary, this inquiry investigates distinct dimensions of family exposure in Nigeria while drawing on the theory of planned behaviour. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from five public universities in Nigeria. A sample of 1,314 respondents was analysed using a partial least squares structural equation modelling approach to determine the influence of alternate family business exposures. Findings The results show that entrepreneurial exposure in the forms of parent, family member and work involvement have salient and distinctive influences on implementation intention to the extent that entrepreneurial self-efficacy, attitudes and subjective norms are uniquely impacted. Originality/value This study offers novel insights on the predictors of entrepreneurial implementation intention through the distinctive effects of (1) family member exposure, (2) parent exposure and (3) work involvement exposure among students in the family firm context

Editorial: Learning from management education researchers

Management education is a topic of critical economic and social importance due to the way it influences employment trends and educational practices. The aim of this editorial is to learn from management education researchers about their wisdom, tips and suggestions about how and why to publish in management education journals. The strengths and weakness of the management education field are discussed to understand new and emerging research trends. This helps to inform practice about management education as well as identifying potential areas of research that link to developing societal issues

Linking surface hydrodynamics to planktonic ecosystem: the case study of the ichthyoplanktonic assemblages in the Central Mediterranean Sea

Oceanographic processes play a key role in influencing the structure of the marine planktonic ecosystems. Taking advantage of the quasi-simulta-neous collection of a large ichthyoplanktonic dataset in different regions of the Central Mediterranean Sea (Italian/Maltese, Tunisian and Libyan waters), this study aimed at the identification of the main environ-mental drivers that control the structure of the larval fish assemblages. Spatial distribution and taxa com-position were related to physical forcings (geostrophic currents and wind stress) and environmental condi-tions (bottom depth, temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a concentration). ANOSIM and SIMPER identified contribution of fish taxa to the average Bray–Curtis dissimilarity among regions. In Italian and Libyan waters, two assemblages (neritic and oceanic) were identified, while a mixed assemblage characterized only some stations. Two neritic and one oceanic assemblages were discriminated in Tunisian waters. Random Forest classification model high-lighted the essential role of the bathymetry, while Lagrangian simulations evidenced the action of the hydrodynamics in mixing neritic and oceanic assem-blages in the Italian/Maltese and partially in Libyan waters. These findings highlighted the importance of the multidisciplinary approach and shed light on the potential value of the ichthyoplanktonic surveys for the assessment of the state of the marine ecosystem and the conservation of the fishery resources

Entrepreneurial identity formation during the initial entrepreneurial experience: The influence of simulation feedback and existing identity

© 2017 Elsevier Inc. The impact of a negative initial entrepreneurship experience may inhibit the emergence of an entrepreneurial identity and shut down a subsequent entrepreneurial career. Testing theories of identity development usually involve complex longitudinal studies, but the testing may be facilitated through the use of business simulation gaming. Using a quasi-experimental research design, the paper explores how entrepreneurial micro-identity is formed among business undergraduates during the initial entrepreneurial experience. In doing so, the research investigates the impact of cognitive dissonance on the salience of the emerging identity and the influence of key existing identities. The paper accomplishes this using a novel dataset derived from a business simulation game. We argue that the simulation offers a valuable resource to test theories within shortened timescales. The paper contributes to the field by problematizing the initial entrepreneurial experience of undergraduate students and supports the case for using simulation gaming as a method to support theory testing