Identification of Antecedents and Consequences of Government Support Bundling with a Competitive Advantage Approach for Agricultural Product Exporters in Khuzestan Province

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to identify the antecedents and consequences of bundling government support with a competitive advantage approach for agricultural product exporting companies in Khuzestan Province. This research is applied in terms of its objective and qualitative in terms of data collection methodology, employing a thematic analysis approach. The participants in this study included experts from agricultural product exporting companies in Khuzestan Province with a minimum of 10 years of export experience. The required data were collected through semi-structured interviews until theoretical saturation was achieved. After the phase of theme search (selective coding) and the formation of sub-themes, a total of five main themes were identified, derived from semi-structured interviews with 16 experts and knowledgeable specialists in the research field. Two of these dimensions pertain to antecedents: managerial performance (management performance in export support, positive managerial mental models) and agricultural industry infrastructural factors (agricultural industry infrastructure, Khuzestan market dynamics, and transportation fleet). The three dimensions related to consequences include value creation (creating value in business, creating value for customers), economic condition improvement (economic growth and prosperity, direct and indirect job creation), and competitive advantage creation (appropriate positioning relative to competitors). The presence of effective government support bundling in the export of agricultural products in Khuzestan Province creates a competitive advantage over other competitors in terms of quality, appearance, product delivery methods, and so on, leading to increased exports, revenue growth, and increased employment in this sector.