Title: Backgrounds of the pioneer orientation: the divergent effect of social capital

Authors: Pedro M. García-Villaverde; María J. Ruiz-Ortega; Miguel Toledo-Picazo

Addresses: Business Administration Department, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Plaza de la Universidad, 1, 02071 Albacete, Spain ' Business Administration Department, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Plaza de la Universidad, 1, 02071 Albacete, Spain ' Business Administration Department, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Plaza de la Universidad, 1, 02071 Albacete, Spain

Abstract: In this paper we analyse the backgrounds of pioneer orientation (PO), with the aim of filling theoretical and empirical gaps in the literature with respect to first-mover advantages (FMAs). The main aim of the study is to analyse how social capital (SC) moderates the effect of exploration and exploitation capabilities on PO. The results obtained from this empirical study in the agrifood industry in Spain show that exploration and exploitation capabilities encourage the firms' development of a PO. However, as we hypothesise, SC has a divergent moderating effect on the relationship between each type of capacity and PO. While the social relations of the company reinforce the influence of the exploitation capabilities, they weaken the effect of the exploration capabilities. We also detected that an excess of SC discourages the development of PO. This paper contributes to linking theoretical perspectives of SC, dynamic capabilities and FMAs in order to understand the backgrounds of PO.

Keywords: social capital; pioneer orientation; capabilities; exploration; exploitation; first mover advantages; foreign markets.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2019.098150

European Journal of International Management, 2019 Vol.13 No.2, pp.247 - 268

Received: 18 Oct 2016
Accepted: 08 Jun 2017
Published online: 05 Mar 2019 *

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