Trajectories of persistence in exporting: a capability approach

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is answering two research questions: What are the trajectories of persistence in exporting followed by different groups of firms? What factors relate to each trajectory of persistence in exporting? The authors propose and test a framework that links operational and marketing firms’ capabilities to different trajectories of persistence in exporting. Design/methodology/approach: Using a dataset of 2,913 firms over 14 years from the annual manufacturing survey in Colombia (AMS), the authors explored the trajectories of persistence in exporting. The authors applied data envelopment analysis to measure operational and marketing capabilities and group-based trajectory modeling to discover and link such trajectories to firms’ capabilities. Findings: The authors identified four trajectories of persistence in exporting. Also, the authors found that while the interplay between marketing and operational capabilities relates positively to the non-exporting trajectory and negatively to the persistent trajectory, operational capabilities relate positively to the erratic trajectory and negatively to the slow growth trajectory of persistence in exporting. Meanwhile, marketing capabilities do not relate to any trajectory. Research limitations/implications: Policymakers should help firms develop marketing and operational capabilities to compete globally to motivate them to export and persist in exporting. Policymakers should avoid stimulating firms to reinforce learned and familiar capabilities that cannot leverage desirable trajectories of persistence in exporting. Originality/value: The authors introduce the trajectories of persistence in exporting, providing a fresh perspective for analyzing exporting behavior over time. The authors have also proposed and tested a unique framework that links operational and marketing firms’ capabilities to these trajectories, thus contributing to the existing body of knowledge on exporting behavior by firms from emerging markets.