TY - JOUR

T1 - Exploring the relationship between internationalization stage, innovation, and performance

T2 - The case of Spanish companies

AU - Freixanet, Joan

AU - Churakova, Iya

N1 - Freixanet, J. Exploring the relationship between internationalization stage, innovation, and performance: The case of Spanish companies / J. Freixanet, I. Churakova // International Journal of Business. – 2018. - Volume 23, Issue 2. – P. 131-150.

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - Innovation and internationalization activities are considered two key sources of firms' competitiveness, growth and profitability. This study evaluates the relationship between both strategies, and with business performance. The analysis is based on survey data from a sample of Spanish manufacturing firms from different industries and stratified according to their internationalization involvement, divided for the first time in this field in different stages according to their level of exports and FDI. We argue that companies in more advanced internationalization stages will be more innovative. The results show a positive and significant increase in the level of product innovation as companies advance through the internationalization stages, with exporters as a whole exhibiting a higher level of both product and process innovation. Furthermore, internationalization shows a stronger contemporaneous effect on performance, while the direct impact of innovation is not significant. Conclusions are offered regarding both companies' management and public policy.

AB - Innovation and internationalization activities are considered two key sources of firms' competitiveness, growth and profitability. This study evaluates the relationship between both strategies, and with business performance. The analysis is based on survey data from a sample of Spanish manufacturing firms from different industries and stratified according to their internationalization involvement, divided for the first time in this field in different stages according to their level of exports and FDI. We argue that companies in more advanced internationalization stages will be more innovative. The results show a positive and significant increase in the level of product innovation as companies advance through the internationalization stages, with exporters as a whole exhibiting a higher level of both product and process innovation. Furthermore, internationalization shows a stronger contemporaneous effect on performance, while the direct impact of innovation is not significant. Conclusions are offered regarding both companies' management and public policy.

KW - Export performance

KW - Export promotion programs

KW - Internationalization stage

KW - Internationalization theories

KW - Process innovation

KW - Product innovation

KW - Profitability

KW - Resource-based view

KW - Standardized regression

KW - SCOPUS

KW - WOS

KW - SCOPUS

KW - WOS

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85045957896&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85045957896

VL - 23

SP - 131

EP - 150

JO - International Journal of Business

JF - International Journal of Business

SN - 1083-4346

IS - 2

ER -