Strategic firm type and export performance

This study adopts the Miles and Snow typology as a framework for analyzing export performance of manufacturing firms. The study investigates the role of distinctive competence and various strategic responses of firms belonging to each strategic type on their foreign market performance. The results of this study show that a firm’s strengths and strategic responses are related and that the impact of strategic responses on export performance differs according to the firm’s strategic type. Based on these results, the strengths that defenders, prospectors and analyzers should build and maintain as well as the strategic responses that each should pursue are identified.