Responsive and proactive market orientation in relation to SMEs’ export venture performance: The mediating role of marketing capabilities

Abstract This study aims to improve understanding of how export market orientation and marketing capabilities relate to export venture performance. Results are reported for a sample of 339 exporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across multiple industries from a highly open post-transitional European country. The findings show that a responsive and a proactive market orientation have different effects on pricing and product development capabilities, which in turn are both positively related to differentiation advantage and thereby export venture performance. These findings may help exporting SMEs while deciding on how to allocate their limited resources to improve their export market orientation and marketing capabilities with a view to enhancing their export venture performance.