Determinants of Export Engagement in German Wineries: The Role of Business Strategy and Value Chain Configuration

Purpose – This study examines which firm characteristics, business strategies, value chain (VC) configurations and managerial characteristics are associated with three dimensions of export engagement among German wineries: export propensity, export intensity and export market breadth. Design/methodology/approach – The study draws on the value chain framework, the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities (DC). It analyzes firm-level survey data from 256 German wineries, collected within an international research project. Export propensity is estimated with a logit model, and export intensity and market breadth with ordered probit models. These are complemented by average marginal effects and robustness checks, including models restricted to exporting wineries. Findings – Business model characteristics, particularly premium and luxury/icon positioning and organic production, are consistently associated with all three export dimensions. In contrast, value chain configuration and managerial characteristics show outcome-specific associations, with different factors relevant for export participation, intensity and geographical breadth. Practical implications – Winery managers may benefit from aligning internationalization decisions with their strategic positioning, value chain organization and managerial competencies. Policymakers could complement territorial promotion with support for product differentiation and export-related skills. Originality/value – By jointly examining three export dimensions, the study shows that the factors associated with export entry do not necessarily match those associated with export intensity or geographical reach.