Linking Organizational Innovation to Export Performance and Competitive Advantage: Evidence from Technology Producing Businesses

Abstract

: This study investigates the interplay between organizational innovation, competitive advantage, and export performance within technology-producing businesses in Turkiye. The study explores not only the direct effects of organizational innovation on export performance but also the mediating role of competitive advantage in this relationship. To achieve this, data were collected through a mixed-mode survey methodology, combining face-to-face and online questionnaires administered between January and April 2025. The sample comprised 548 upper-middle-level managers operating in the export departments of large, medium, and small-sized technology producing businesses in Turkiye. The findings demonstrate that organizational innovation has a significant and positive effect on export performance. Moreover, competitive advantage is shown to strongly influence export outcomes and serves as a critical mediating factor between organizational innovation and export performance. These results highlight the strategic importance of fostering innovation capabilities to strengthen international competitiveness. The study offers valuable insights for both scholars and practitioners by advancing theoretical understanding and providing actionable implications for innovation-driven export strategies in emerging economies.