Effect of digital business strategy on export and business performance: An application in TR83 region

The importance of digital transformation in the context of businesses is widely recognized (Li et al., 2019). This study is based on the main idea of examining the impact of the accelerated process of digitalization due to the Covid-19 pandemic on businesses and their functions. Within the framework of the main idea, the effects of Digital Business Strategy, which emerged as a necessity in businesses, have been selected as the focal point. Export, as a revenue-generating activity among business processes, holds a separate significance for our country and businesses. Therefore, this study aims to demonstrate the effects of export on business functions and business performance. Furthermore, it seeks to explore the impact of Digital Business Strategy on the export-business performance of exporting firms in the TR83 region, how business and export performance are influenced by this, and the actions taken by businesses to effectively manage this transformation process. The study also aims to provide insights to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make strategic decisions regarding the digital transformation process. The main body of the research is constituted by the TR83 region, which includes the provinces of Amasya, Çorum, Samsun, and Tokat. The primary data collection method employed is the questionnaire, with face-to-face interviews being conducted as the survey application method. Secondary data is also included in the study. The data for the research is collected from 103 small, medium, and large-scale exporting companies operating in the TR83 region. The collected data is analyzed using SPSS and Smart PLS software. Based on the proposed research model, nine hypotheses are developed and tested. As a result of the research, four out of the nine hypotheses are rejected. It is revealed that Digital Business Strategy does not have a significant direct positive effect on business performance in the TR83 region, but it has a significant direct effect on objective export performance. Moreover, subjective export performance is found to have a positive effect in terms of satisfaction with market position, but it does not have a significant positive effect on export profitability. The findings partially diverge from the literature specifically in the TR83 region. The results indicate that exporting businesses in the TR83 region are not investing in digital business strategies and there is still insufficient awareness in this regard. Conducting similar research in different target populations is deemed to make significant contributions to the literature and businesses. Keywords: Digitalization, Business Strategy, Export, Firm Performance, Digital Transformation