Impact of international entrepreneurial orientation and dynamic capabilities on the export performance of Vietnamese SMEs: A conceptual model and research design
Published: August 3, 2026
Abstract
This study develops a research model to explain the export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by focusing on two core determinants: international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) and dynamic capabilities. Grounded in the integration of resource-based theory, dynamic capabilities theory, and international entrepreneurship theory, the study posits that IEO provides a strategic impetus that enables firms to act proactively, innovate, and assume calculated risks in pursuing opportunities in foreign markets. Dynamic capabilities, in turn, facilitate the sensing, seizing, and reconfiguration of resources, thereby translating strategic orientation into tangible export outcomes. Building on this framework, the study advances three hypotheses: IEO positively influences export performance; dynamic capabilities exert a positive effect on export performance; and dynamic capabilities positively moderate the relationship between IEO and export performance. This study develops a research model to explain the export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by focusing on two core determinants: international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) and dynamic capabilities. Grounded in the integration of resource-based theory, dynamic capabilities theory, and international entrepreneurship theory, the study posits that IEO provides a strategic impetus that enables firms to act proactively, innovate, and assume calculated risks in pursuing opportunities in foreign markets. Dynamic capabilities, in turn, facilitate the sensing, seizing, and reconfiguration of resources, thereby translating strategic orientation into tangible export outcomes. Building on this framework, the study advances three hypotheses: IEO positively influences export performance; dynamic capabilities exert a positive effect on export performance; and dynamic capabilities positively moderate the relationship between IEO and export performance.
Keywords
international entrepreneurship orientationdynamic capabilitiesexport performanceSMEsVietnamresearch design
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