The influence of internet marketing capabilities on international market performance

Purpose: The paper aims to explore the influential path of internet marketing capabilities impacting international market performance. The paper further investigates the mitigating roles of market- and entrepreneurial-oriented behaviors and knowledge internalization in this relationship. The effect of internet use for customer management on internet marketing capabilities is also examined. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 618 firms with sales in international markets were approached to participate. Data were collected from a sample of 132 Taiwanese firms and analyzed using a structural equation model. Findings: Use of internet for customer management positively influences internet marketing capabilities. The results also support the positive impacts of internet marketing capabilities on market- and entrepreneurial-oriented behaviors. Knowledge internalization mediates the relationships between market- and entrepreneurial-oriented behaviors and international market performance. Research limitations/implications: This paper’s investigation of the role of internet marketing capability in international market performance contributes to online internationalization, strategic orientations and organizational learning theory. Practical implications: Managers should focus on developing internet marketing capabilities in management culture and fostering market- and entrepreneurial-oriented behaviors to facilitate knowledge internalization for better international performance. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the construction of an alternative and comprehensive mechanism to understand the influences of internet marketing capabilities on the firm’s international performance.