Purpose By applying the logic of the resource-based view and process-based internationalisation theory, this study aims to provide a better understanding of the effects of product innovation capability on the export scope of firms based in developing countries and the role of export experience as a facilitating mechanism. Design/methodology/approach Using survey data obtained from three developing countries, two main research hypotheses were empirically tested: a quadratic relationship exists between product innovation capability and export scope and export experience has a moderating effect in this relationship. Findings Product innovation capability and export scope have a U-shaped relationship, and export experience exerts a moderating effect. The greater the export experience is, the more the relationship between product innovation and export scope changes, taking on a more inverted U-shaped form. Practical implications Firms based in developing countries need to catch-up on innovation capabilities before being able to succeed in international markets. Managers must be aware that initial investments in product innovation could not pay off immediately and that significant additional efforts might be needed to obtain noteworthy results in terms of international expansion. Originality/value This study is among the first to focus on the curvilinear relationship between product innovation capability and export scope for firms based in developing countries while accounting for the moderating role of firms’ export experience.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to disentangle the effect of life equilibrium on organic food purchase intentions through a consideration of the evaluation of intrinsic and extrinsic food quality attributes. Furthermore, the study examines the role of health consciousness in achieving life equilibrium. Design/methodology/approach The conceptual framework was developed based on previous research and tested through a quantitative study with end consumers. The hypothesized relationships were tested using structural equation modelling. Findings The results obtained from this study show that the perceived quality associated with the intrinsic attributes of organic food mediates a positive influence of life equilibrium on consumers’ organic food purchase intentions. The study also confirms that life equilibrium mediates the effects of health consciousness on the evaluation of intrinsic and extrinsic food quality attributes. Research limitations/implications The theoretical contributions of the paper lie in uncovering the complex relationships that exist among health consciousness, life equilibrium, perceived organic food quality dimensions and purchase intentions and providing new evidence showing which perceived intrinsic organic food quality dimensions are relevant in shaping consumers’ purchase intentions. Practical implications The research results suggest that organic food managers should focus on developing stronger value propositions that are based more on intrinsic food quality characteristics and less on extrinsic ones. Originality/value This study recognizes the relevance of life equilibrium as a specific consumer lifestyle form, which drives organic food consumption through extrinsic and intrinsic food quality attributes.

This is a conference abstract. The research underpinning this conference paper was written up, submitted and accepted for publication in the Journal of Business Research. This paper is in the repository at https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/36875.

This study draws on resource-based theory to examine the strategic orientation conditions under which radical product innovation capability is more or less beneficial. To test these relationships, this study conducts multiple survey studies among international small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developed and developing economies. This study finds that, although a positive association exists between radical product innovativeness and sales performance in the context of a developed economy, the relationship is non-significant in a developing market context. In addition, across both the developed and developing economy contexts, when high levels of radical product innovativeness exist, as well as when entrepreneurial orientation increases in magnitude, a corresponding increase in sales performance occurs. Similarly, this study finds that, across both contexts, high market-orientation levels strengthen the effect of radical product innovativeness on sales performance.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the linkages among emotional intelligence, relational selling behavior and salesperson performance. Although existing research acknowledges the importance of emotional facets in business relationships, the role of emotional intelligence is poorly understood in the literature on salesperson performance. Design/methodology/approach Two data sets from business-to-business salespeople in various industrial and service sectors were analyzed with structural equation modeling. Mediation hypotheses were cross validated through a bootstrapping approach with bias-corrected confidence estimates. Findings The results suggest that two focal types of selling behaviors – namely, adaptive selling and customer-oriented selling – fully mediate the positive relationship between emotional intelligence and salesperson performance. Practical implications The study offers new insights to sales and marketing managers on how individual capabilities (such as emotional intelligence) can be transformed into high sales performance. Originality/value Drawing on the ability view of emotional intelligence and highlighting its conative facet, the current research posits that emotional intelligence affects salesperson performance through relational selling behaviors.

Cetudi so vlogo custvene inteligence proucevali v stevilnih vejah managementa in psihologije organizacij, pa je prenos njene vloge v prodajni kontekst precej redek. Ta raziskava se osredotoca na proucevanje povezav med custveno inteligenco, relacijskim vedenjem prodajalcev in prodajno uspesnostjo. Izhajali smo iz vedenjsko naravnanega teoretskega okvira prodajne uspesnosti in predpostavili, da custvena inteligenca vpliva na prodajno uspesnost preko relacijskega vedenja prodajalcev. Na podlagi podatkov, zbranih z anketiranjem prodajalcev v razlicnih dejavnostih, in z modeliranjem strukturnih enacb smo potrdili, da custvena inteligenca v celoti vpliva na prodajno uspesnost preko dveh osrednjih vrst prodajnega vedenja: prilagojene prodaje in naravnanosti h kupcu. O prispevkih raziskave razpravljamo s teoretskega in prakticnega vidika.

This article analyzes the relationship between facilitating of emotions, a branch of emotional intelligence, and salesperson performance. We employ an ability-based measure of facilitating of emotions on a sample of salespeople from Croatia (N = 245), and use structural equation modelling to test a linear versus non-linear relationship. We find that facilitating of emotions and salesperson performance share a relation that is modeled by a downward turning parabola. These findings contradict a linear relationship assumed in the conventional literature, and suggest that too little or too much facilitating of emotions may be detrimental to salesperson performance. These results provide new insights for sales personnel selection, the development of training agendas, and add an international dimension to the literature on personal selling from the point of view of an emerging market. The implications that emanate from our results have the potential of being useful for those interested in sales training.