The effect of psychic distance and marketing mix adaptation on export performance: A scale developmentand relational analysis study

Export is a strategy that enables international expansion, growth opportunities, competitiveness, and achieving global markets and business goals. Determining the factors that affect the success of the export activities of enterprises is very important for the development and maintenance of exports. One of the factors affecting the success of export activities is the perception of psychic distance. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to determine the antecedents of psychic distance and to explain the causal relationship between psychic distance perception, marketing mix adaptation and export performance. Mixed research method was chosen as the research method. Qualitative method was used to determine the antecedents affecting psychic perception of distance. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews. As a result of the analysis, six subantecedents of psychic distance antecedents were identified and the scale was developed. The developed scale was added to the main scale and the survey was applied to the 221 businesses carrying out export activities in Turkey. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis were used in the analysis of the obtained data. According to the results of the research; personnel expertise, one of the antecedents of psychic distance, was found to have an effect only on the country dimension, while the dimensions of cooperation and institutionalization and international market experience of the enterprise had an effect on the country and person dimensions of psychic distance. It was determined that the adaptation of the marketing mix of the country and the person dimension of psychic distance had an effect on the product, price, promotion and distribution dimensions. Also, it was determined that product size affects export performance. According to the results, it can be said that psychic distance perception affected by antecedents is effective on export performance. In this context, it is important for decision makers to focus on activities to reduce their perception of psychic distance. This study provides a different perspective in terms of reducing the negative effects of the psychic distance and its antecedents and increasing the macro and micro benefits of exports to the countries and enterprises that might negatively affect the export performances for the enterprises performing export activities. Keywords: Psychic Distance Antecedents, Psychic Distance, Marketing Mix Adaptation, Export Performance