Effectiveness of Export Support Programs: Impact on the Relational Capital and International Performance of Early Internationalizing Small Businesses

Abstract

This article evaluates the impact of public export support programs on the internationalization of early internationalizing small businesses. We build and test a conceptual model of the link between export support services and early internationalizing firms’ relational capital and international performance in terms of both economic international performance and the number of foreign markets in which they are present. The results show that financial support is effective in enhancing firm performance only in terms of the number of foreign markets but not in terms of economic performance, that informational support is effective through its influence on relational capital, and that operational support is not. Our findings contrast with those of previous studies on firms that internationalize through stages and suggest that new export support services adapted to early internationalizing firms are needed.

Additional information

Funding

This research received support from the French government through the National Research Agency under the “Investments for the Future” program bearing the reference ANR‐10‐11‐01‐LabX.

Notes on contributors

Alexis Catanzaro

Alexis Catanzaro is professor at IAE Saint‐Étienne, UJM‐Saint‐Etienne, University of Lyon, COACTIS EA 4161.

Karim Messeghem

Karim Messeghem is professor at Institute Montpellier Management, University of Montpellier.

Sylvie Sammut

Sylvie Sammut is professor at Institute Montpellier Management, University of Montpellier.