Enhancing business relationship quality through cultural sensitization

An understanding of and adaptation to differences in culture in foreign countries can help exporters to reduce the distance between parties in an export relationship and enhance the quality of the relationship. This research investigates the impact of 2 cultural factors, namely, exporter cultural sensitivity and exporter ethnocentrism, on business relationship quality between transitioning economy-based exporters and their foreign importers and, subsequently, export performance. Using a systematic sample of 297 exporting firms in Vietnam we find that exporter cultural sensitivity has a positive effect, and ethnocentrism has a negative effect, on relationship quality. Furthermore, relationship quality enhances the performance of exporters.