Entrepreneurial Orientation and Export Performance of Emerging Market SMEs: The Moderating Role of Dynamic Capabilities in South Africa

Charles Robb,Eun-Mi KIM,Jae-Woo LEE 한국유통과학회 2020 유통과학연구 Vol.18 No.12

Purpose: Due to an ever more interconnected global commercial environment, the role of SMEs from emerging markets has attracted considerable attention in business literature of late. Reinforced by strategic management theory, this study builds on aspects such as entrepreneurial orientation and dynamic capabilities to construct and test a framework that focuses on exploring their associations with export performance. Research design, data and methodology: To contribute further towards a deeper understanding of these markets, the current study empirically tests a model using data collected from 225 exporting firms located throughout South Africa. Results: The results from the data analysis show that entrepreneurial orientation contributes significantly towards improving the performance of South African SMEs. Additionally, this study integrates three dynamic capabilities in the strategy-performance relationship to test their interacting effects on the correlation between entrepreneurial orientation and export performance. Further findings advocate support for relationship-based capabilities playing a moderating role between entrepreneurial orientation and the exporting performance of small and medium firms emanating from emerging markets. Conclusions: Findings provide substance to the argument that entrepreneurship, as a strategy-making process, leads to export performance in emerging nations. Especially, this study provides several suggestions as to how small and medium-sized organizations can develop their exporting performance based on the research findings.

Linking Supply Chain Alliance Orientation to Market Performance: Evidence from South Korean Firms

Charles Arthur Robb,Minhyo Kang,Aaron Rae Stephens,Seogsoo Kim The International Academy of Global Business and T 2023 The International Academy of Global Business and T Vol.19 No.5

Purpose - This research aims to provide a greater understanding of the constructs that aid in the mitigation of supply chain disruptions. Recent anomalies in the global supply chain have negatively influenced the performance of institutions throughout the globe. It is therefore advantageous to examine various antecedents of firm performance through the spectrum of supply chain management. To achieve this, an SOR framework was utilized for this study. Design/Methodology/Approach - A hypothesized model was developed to examine the relationship between the study constructs. The sample for this research comprised of 200 South Korean firms. Data were analyzed using Smart PLS-SEM analysis. All the constructs were analyzed through a SOR framework. Findings - Supply chain alliance orientation and supply chain resilience had a significantly positive effect on market performance. Likewise, it was found that supply chain dynamism encouraged supply chain alliance orientation in a supply chain. Further, the mediating effects of alliance orientation showed a positive effect on supply chain resilience and market performance. Similarly, supply chain resilience had a favorable mediating relationship between supply chain alliance orientation and market performance. Research Implications - The SOR framework can be used as model for understanding organizational behavior in the context of supply chain management. Also, the study findings suggest the importance of developing alliances to strengthen organizational operations during periods of supply chain disruptions.

The Impact of Entrepreneurial Orientation on the Export Performance of Emerging Economies: A Multi-dimensional Approach

Charles Robb,김은미,이재우 한국무역연구원 2020 무역연구 Vol.16 No.3

Purpose Owing to the dynamic and complex nature of the global business environment, firms are required to develop clearer organizational strategic approaches for combating market ambiguity when creating sustainable growth while undertaking internationalization. As a strategic-making process, entrepreneurial orientation (EO) has received much attention in current business literature. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to further examine the entrepreneurial construct with regards to its multi-dimensional classification which provides additional benefits for smaller or medium sized firms (hereafter SME). Further discussed in this research is the extent to which SMEs need to possess knowledge or competencies related to all the (or individual) dimensions of EO when conducting global commerce. Design/Methodology/Approach To test the presumptions of the study further, data were collected from 204 South African exporting SMEs. An EFA and CFA where adopted to assess data reliability and validity. Finally, a hierarchical linear regression analysis technique was considered for evaluating the research models and clearly present the findings. Findings Results from the data analysis shows that while several EO dimensions contributed significantly towards the improved export performance of SMEs, others did not. As SMEs are often hampered by resource limitations, a focus on the roles of each EO dimension provides an opportunity for greater efficiency when SMEs conduct global business by assisting SMEs in increasing their overall exporting performance. Research Implications While much research exists in the field of EO, a clearer approach for measuring the construct has provided opportunities to explore EO further. The current study builds upon the current novel approach of EO, thus adding more to the papers originality. Finally, the context of the study offers a defining feature towards the originality of the research. While most EO research is focused on advanced nations, the current study conducts research in an African nation, where EO and export research remains scarce.

A Comparative Study of Korean and U.S. Firms amid COVID-19 Supply Chain Disruptions: The Role of Relational Capital for Improving Ambidextrous Innovation and Firm Performance

Aaron Rae Stephens(Aaron Rae Stephens ),Charles Arthur Robb(Charles Arthur Robb ),Minhyo Kang(Minhyo Kang) The International Academy of Global Business and T 2022 The International Academy of Global Business and T Vol.18 No.5

Purpose - Supply chain disruptions have plagued firms since the advent of COVID-19 lockdowns. As a result, supply chains remain unstable and dynamic. To better understand supply chain management during periods of disruption, this study compares the impact of relational capital on ambidextrous innovation and firm performance between Korean and U.S firms. Design/Methodology/Approach - This study includes a sample of 200 Korean firms and 227 U.S firms. PLS-SEM is the statistical tool utilized with MICOM multigroup analysis. Findings - Korean and U.S. firms were found to be different on three different pathways indicating that open innovation and investment in supplier relations improve supply chain disruption orientation, exploration innovation, and firm performance Research Implications - Relationship capital can significantly improve supply chain management, innovation, and firm performance. Exploitation innovation is better for enhancing supply chain management in the short-term amid interruptions.

Building Supply Chain Resilience and Market Performance through Organizational Culture: An Empirical Study Utilizing the Stimulus-Organism-Response Model

Aaron Rae Stephens(Aaron Rae Stephens),Min-Hyo Kang(Min-Hyo Kang),Charles Arthur Robb(Charles Arthur Robb) 동아시아무역학회 2022 Journal of East Asian Trade(JEAT) Vol.4 No.1

Purpose – Supply chain disruptions have dominated business planning and performance since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to mar organizations through 2022. This research carefully examines the role of organizational culture in developing both supply chain resilience and market performance amid supply chain disruptions. Design/Methodology/Approach – An empirical study of over 200 South Korean firms were tested. The model is tested using PLS-SEM; furthermore, mediation effects enrich the quality of the findings. This research is framed utilizing the stimulus-organism-response model; thus, emphasizing the highly dynamic business environment that has ensued. Findings – The research confirms that supply chain disruption orientation, a strategic orientation and a proxy for a well-prepared organizational culture, leads to both supply chain resilience and market performance. Results also confirm that resilience reinforces market performance throughout the supply chain. Study contributions suggest that firms should consider themselves as organisms within a highly dynamic environment and develop a highly prepared organizational culture in order to bolster supply chain resilience and market performance. Research Implications – Scholars can further employ the stimulus-organism-response model in firm-level research and further study the link between organizational culture and supply chain performance amid COVID-19. Finally, the results of this research provide guidelines for organizations when they decide on operational procedures during the pandemic, as they aim to produce greater returns for their ventures.

Mediating and Mutual Effects of Trust and Identity between CSR and CSV

최정자,송유형,Charles Arthur Robb 한국무역연구원 2019 무역연구 Vol.15 No.2

CSV is considered an advanced concept, connecting firm success with social progress, thus differentiating itself from traditional CSR, which ultimately focuses on creating corporate profits. Customer identification and trust toward an organization are considered exceptional interpreters of firm success, leading to support and sustained growth for the firm. For this reason, the factors contributing to creating shared value are of importance to both industry specialists and academics alike. This study examines which antecedent variables, including CSR, trust, and identity, will strongly influence CSV to participating visitors in co-creating shared value with exhibition organizers. Additionally, this study aims to identify dual mediating roles of trust and identity in the relationship between CSR and CSV. A total of 300 self-administered questionnaires were distributed to visitors attending ‘Leisure Exhibition Week’ in Daegu, South Korea, recording an 89.3% response rate. The results of the study show that CSR has a positive influence on both trust and CSV, but not identity. Trust showed a statistically significant impact on CSV; however, identity had no impact on CSV. This study also measured both the mutual and mediating effects of trust and identity between CSR and CSV. Finally, the results of this study will provide exhibition stakeholders with an insight into the sustainable growth of the industry.

Moderating Effect of Country Familiarity and Country Image on Product Purchase Intention in South Africa

You-Kyung Lee,Charles Arthur Robb 한국무역연구원 2016 무역연구 Vol.12 No.4

Country-of-origin (COO) effect has fast become a significant phenomenon in international business studies. Despite this fact, very little research conducted in the past has looked at how the COO effect has influenced consumers in South Africa. This study investigates the COO effect on South African consumers’ willingness to purchase products from northeast Asian countries, with the use of various product categories as cues. For this purpose, four hypotheses were developed, and data collected from 103 consumers in South Africa were analyzed with SPSS 20.0. The results are as follows: (1) country image had a positive relationship with intention to purchase some product categories; and (2) the interaction between country image and country familiarity had no significant effects on the intention to purchase a product. This indicates that even though maintaining a good country image and increasing familiarity with a country would promote the intention to purchase a product, their importance and influence vary depending on the product category. The findings of this study offers important theoretical and practical implications surrounding the mechanics of country image and the impact on purchase intention, which are extracted from this study along with directions for future research.

Country Image Effect on Consumer Behavior: Focusing on differnces of Ethnic Groups in South Africa

You Kyung Lee,Charles Arthur Robb 한국무역학회 2019 한국무역학회 국제학술대회 Vol.2019 No.08

The Relationship of Country Image, Product-Country Image, and Purchase Intention of Korean Products: Focusing on Differences among Ethnic Groups in South Africa

You-Kyung Lee,Charles Arthur Robb 한국무역학회 2019 Journal of Korea trade Vol.23 No.6

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to provide practical implications for Korean companies searching for new market opportunities. From the experimental analysis, the impact of country image on product-country image and purchase intention of Korean products are measured. In addition, this study disaggregates the impacts of country image and product-country image and purchase intention among ethnic groups in South Africa for searching further useful implications. Design/methodology - To examine South African consumers’ country image and product-country image towards Korean products, data were collected between June and July 2019 through an online questionnaire, and 335 questionnaires were used for analysis. Firstly, the multivariate analysis was conducted to examine the general tendency of South African consumers’ perceptions of country image to Korea, product-country image, and purchase intention among three ethnic group consumers. Then in order to verify the country image model and hypotheses of the study, we analyzed the structural models for each of the three ethnic groups and compared the sizes of the path coefficients for each groups. To compare the difference of path coefficients across ethnic groups, configural invariance, metric invariance, and scalar invariance tests were conducted sequentially. Findings - In the black and white ethnic groups, the country image had a statistically significant impact on product-country image, but it did not affect the purchase intention to Korean products. The product-country image showed a statistically significant impact on the purchase intention to Korean products in both ethnic group. However, in the coloured ethnic group consumer, the country image had a significant effect on the product-country image, but it did not affect the purchase intention of Korean products. In addition, the product-country image did not have a significant influence on the purchase intention of coloured ethnic group consumers unlike black and white ethnic group consumers. The results of this study suggest that even though differences in terms of the impact of CoI on PCI and PI were investigated for the sample of white, coloured, and black respondents, the groups seemed to respond in a reasonably comparable manner. Originality/value - South Africa occupies more than 20% of Africa’s total GDP in sub-Saharan Africa and is a hub for Southern African logistics as a hub for Korean companies to enter Africa. However, it is rare to find a study focused on the determinants of consumer behavior in South Africa. In particular, this study disaggregates the impacts of country image and product-country image on consumer behavior across ethnic groups in South Africa. Therefore, this study could provide practical implications for Korean firms which desire to diversify their export markets and pioneer future markets.

COVID-19 and tourism and hospitality education in South Korea : A focus on online learning improvements in higher education

Jeongja Choi,Namhyun Kim,Charles Arthur Robb 한국관광연구학회 2020 관광연구저널 Vol.34 No.10