Disentangling the effects of post-entry speed of internationalization on INVs’ export performance

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the under-researched topic of post-entry speed of internationalization (PSI) in the context of international new ventures (INVs). We unbundle PSI and examine its relationship with both financial and non-financial export performance, considering three related, but conceptually distinct, dimensions of PSI: internationalization intensity, spread, and geographical diversity. Building on organizational learning theory, we highlight different mechanisms that contribute to post-entry performance outcomes among INVs. Our findings from a sample of 112 INVs in New Zealand provide evidence that the three dimensions of PSI are distinct and that they have different impacts on financial and non-financial export performance. This paper contributes to the limited, yet growing body of literature on PSI by providing a deeper understanding of PSI and its constituent dimensions. In addition, this study offers new theoretical insights into how and why different dimensions of post-entry speed of internationalization can contribute to stronger export performance.