Theological values and political ideology of upper echelon and international marketing strategy: a conceptual framework

Purpose This paper aims to provide a conceptual framework on the effect of the theological and political values of the upper echelon on the international marketing strategy of firms covering (a) the scope of internationalization, (b) the market entry mode and (c) compliance vs cooperative CSR with global value chain partners. Design/methodology/approach The authors base this paper on a review and analysis of theories on theological values and political ideology with conceptual development and future research directions. Findings The authors propose how theological values, i.e. spiritual and religious values and conservative vs liberal political ideologies, result in the development of cultural intelligence and a global mindset of the upper echelon and how these cognitive attributes then drive three different dimensions of international marketing strategy, i.e. the scope of internationalization, the choice of market entry mode and cooperative vs compliance CSR initiatives with global value chain partners. Originality/value The paper provides a comprehensive understanding of the impact of scantly explored upper-echelon traits, i.e. theological values and political ideology, on different dimensions of international marketing performance of firms, ranging from the scope of internationalization to the choice of CSR activities in international markets.