Relationship multiplexity, multiple resource acquisition, and export performance of emerging-market firms

Abstract

Drawing on the relational view and absorptive capacity theoretical lens, we examine the relationship between relationship multiplexity, multiple resource acquisition and export performance of emerging-market (EM) firms participating in buyer-supplier relationships with developed-country multinational companies (DC MNCs). Based on a sample of 128 firms in aviation, furniture, steelworks, automobile, and electronic sectors, we find that relationship multiplexity is positively related to the capacity of EM firms participating in these inter-firm exchanges to acquire technological, marketing, and managerial resources from their DC MNC counterparts, with the most benefit occurring in the acquisition of technological and marketing resources. Furthermore, our study shows that as EM firms seek to enhance their export performance while supplying DC MNCs, it is their successful acquisition of technological and marketing resources, but not managerial resources, that are significantly associated with their superior export performance. Our study contributes to the extant literature by providing important insights into the specific sources of internationalization advantages and/or disadvantages for EM exporters by being suppliers to DC MNCs in multiplex relationships.