The export performance of indigenous enterprises : a case study of Aotearoa/New Zealand

This study investigates the export performance of indigenous firms in Aotearoa/NewZealand by analysing the contribution of five strategic resources, namely Maoriculture, organisational structure, human capital, access to finance and the role of thegovernment. The Resource-Based View of the Finn (RBV) provides the principaltheoretical base for this study.A conceptual model was constructed, testing a total of six research propositionsrelated to Maori firms and their export performance. The explicit incorporation ofcultural resources within this study provides a major departure from conventionalexport performance models, which focus largely on firm- and industry-leveldynamics. Data was obtained via a self-completion questionnaire mailed toprospective participants. Information from 46 firms actively exporting serves as thebasis for hypothesis testing.Due in large part to the nature of the industries Maori participate in, the results of thisstudy indicate culture has a negative association with export performance. Inaddition, the factors affecting performance vary significantly depending on theperformance measure under examination, with both positive and negative findingscharacterising the relationships between export performance and the five strategicresources tested. Access to finance and the role of the government, althoughdisplaying positive associations with the dependent variables, carried little overallimpact on the performance of Maori export firms. The results of Organisationalstructure and human capital were mixed, indicating further research is needed touncover the true nature of their influence. Lastly, firm size and involvement in theprimary sector played significant roles as determinants of export performance.This study provides timely insight into the nature and workings of Maori firms, andhas important implications for practitioners, policy makers and researchers alike.