EXPORT PERFORMANCE AND ORGANISATIONAL MODELS: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS BASED ON THE RBV APPROACH

Resource based view approach is proposed as theoretical framework in order to identify the existence of similar organizational models in a sample of firms operating in the Sicilian wine industry, and the key success factors for superior export success. The findings of this research show that managers’ age and wineries’ export experience in export success are the key organizational capabilities, that explain a firm’s strategic advantage over its competitors. The importance of these capabilities is further uncovered through the main characteristics of the clusters. The result informs strategy design at the firm level; wineries need to incorporate significant capabilities associated with managerial experience in exports into their organization.