مقاله سال ۲۰۱۶

An increasing number of studies emphasize the importance of the Internet in firms’ international activities (Aspelund & Moen, 2004; Moen, Madsen, & Aspelund, 2008; Petersen, Welch, & Liesch, 2002). Specifically, the Internet supports the international expansion of exporters (Gabrielsson & Manek Kirpalani, 2004; Loane, 2005; Mathews & Healy, 2008), and increases international market growth of firms (Lu & Julian, 2008). Studies show that the Internet has a positive effect on firm information availability and the development of business networks in international markets, as well as an improvement in firm performance (Morgan-Thomas, 2009; Samiee, 1998; Teo & Choo, 2001). Nevertheless, most research is largely exploratory and examines the potential impact of the Internet from a conceptual viewpoint, without formally testing research hypotheses (Loane, McNaughton, & Bell, 2004; Mathews & Healy, 2008; Samiee, 1998). As such, limited empirical research is conducted on the Internet’s impact on export market performance (Sinkovics, Sinkovics, & Jean, 2013).

Furthermore, prior research that examines the use of the Internet for commercial purposes in developed countries may not necessarily be relevant for emerging countries such as Latin America due to differing cultural dimensions and levels of development (Bianchi & Andrews, 2012; Gong, 2009; Nasco, Grandon, & Mykytn, 2008). Emerging market contexts have lower levels of economic development in comparison to developed nations (Wright, Filatotchev, Hoskisson, & Peng, 2005). The export process of emerging market firms may require different resources and capabilities. Given the above, as well as the importance of exporting to a nation’s economy (Leonidou & Katsikeas, 1996) and the increasing use of the Internet in business activities in emerging markets, a study that examines the effect of the Internet on export market growth for Latin American firms is timely.

The current study proposes that the Internet enables the development of Internet marketing capabilities such as online advertising, sales, after-sales support, market research, and purchasing/ procurement. These capabilities in turn have an impact on export market growth, which consists of export sales in current and new markets. Capabilities are defined as bundles of skills and knowledge, not easily imitated by competitors, and exercised through organizational processes that create competitive advantages for a firm (Day, 1994). The Internet allows organizations to establish a direct interface with customers and suppliers and provides export marketers with Internet marketing capabilities by strengthening advertising, sales, market research, service, and procurement (Prasad, Ramamurthy, & Naidu, 2001).