A Study Of The Factors Affecting The Export Performance Of The Food And Beverage Manufacturing Firms In Zimbabwe

Firm export performance is regarded as one of the key indicators of the success of a firm’s export operations, and as such, has been an extensively studied phenomenon. Numerous studies have been conducted pertaining to providing a better understanding of the factors (firm- or environment-specific) and behaviours (e.g., export strategy) that make exporting a successful venture. However, the research results to date are far from being uniform and conclusive. The objective of this study is to establish key factors that enhance export performance, and to investigate how the interplay between certain internal resources and capabilities, and their interaction with the external environment, contribute to the export performance of food and beverage manufacturing firms in Zimbabwe. The study contributes specifically to the export performance literature that has featured in international business, international entrepreneurship and international marketing.

This study attempts to develop and test a comprehensive model of firm export performance that investigates the mediating effects of export marketing mix strategy (4Ps on the association between export commitment, international experience, export promotion programmes, and export performance. Theoretical foundations are drawn Porter’s Diamond Theory on Competitive Advantage, internationalisation process, and the resource-based view theories as frameworks for the analysis of the study. The study applied a mixed sequential approach usingqualitative and quantitative techniques. The data for this study consists of a 49-questionnaire survey and 18 semi-structured in-depth interviews carried out in 2017, and conducted with key informants in the two industry sub-sectors in Zimbabwe. The quantitative data analysis applied a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), and content analysis has
been used to develop the interview themes for the qualitative study. The study has found that product and place (distribution) have been the most adapted marketing-mix strategies (out of the 4Ps that are a fundamental aspect of the marketing literature) for the firms, with promotion and price highlighted as the least adapted strategies. The study confirms positive relationship between international experience, export commitment, and export-marketing-mix strategy (4Ps), with export performance. Export commitment, place, product and foreign market attractiveness have emerged as strong antecedents (precursors) of export performance in the study.