Nonlinear Effects of Dynamic Pricing on Export Performance: A Longitudinal Investigation

Abstract

The knowledge of dynamic pricing in the international context still lacks sound theoretical underpinnings, and therefore renders few practical guidelines. This study develops a longitudinal framework to examine the nature of dynamic export pricing in exporting context. It shows that dynamic export pricing is a powerful marketing tool for exporting firms that helps them manage demand and react to competitors’ movements. By employing venture-level longitudinal data, first, this study estimates an inverted-U shaped relationship between dynamic export pricing and export performance. Second, this study further investigates the moderating role of two dimensions of export market dynamism – customer dynamism and competitive dynamism – in this inverted-U shaped relationship while simultaneously controlling for endogeneity and unknown firm heterogeneity. This study theorizes and tests two types of moderation effects of the curvilinear relationship, including changes of the shape and shifts of the turning point. The results indicate that both customer dynamism and competitive dynamism significantly moderate the relationship between dynamic export pricing and export performance. Particularly, the shifts of the turning point delineate the fit lines that pinpoint the best dynamic export pricing practice under different customer and competitive dynamism. Third, this study shows that previous actions and outcomes significantly influence the following year’s export performance. The findings indicate the evolutionary effects of the dynamic strategies and thereby provide a better understanding of shaping superior export performance in the long term.