Perceived export performance: A contingent measurement approach

Despite considerable research on export performance, relatively little scholarly attention has been devoted to incorporating managers’ perspectives into operationalizing this concept. This study proposes a new approach for measuring SMEs’ export performance in the presence of multiple goals that are potentially conflicting, while accounting for different approaches to assessing export performance. Adopting a contingency approach, we develop two customized measures of perceived export performance: the individualized perceived export performance (IPEP) framework and the simplified model. We demonstrate the application of both measures based on a sample of 78 exporting SMEs in New Zealand, and compare the outcomes. The proposed frameworks are intended to measure export performance considering the specific priorities of managers, through explicit incorporation of manager- and firm-specific differences in the types and importance of goals, indicators, and benchmarks. This paper extends our understanding of export performance by proposing a more nuanced and holistic measurement approach that is tailored to individual firms and reflects firm-specific idiosyncrasies.