Exporters’ perceptions of NTMs as signals reducing information asymmetry: a signaling theory perspective on export commitment and export market orientation

Purpose Building on insights from signaling theory, this study aims to explore whether exporters perceive non-tariff measures as signals that reduce information asymmetry, thereby helping them increase their export commitment and market orientation. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative study was conducted to test the conceptual model. Data were gathered from 143 exporting firms through a survey and analyzed using PROCESS Macro. The research hypotheses, including direct, indirect and conditional effects, were examined through mediation, moderation and conditional mediation analyses. Findings The findings suggest that exporters’ perception that non-tariff measures reduce information asymmetry positively affects export market orientation (β = 0.4776). Export commitment mediates the relationship between the perception that non-tariff measures reduce information asymmetry and export market orientation (Indirect effect = 0.1410). Moreover, the positive effect of firms’ export commitment on their export market orientation is further enhanced at high levels of exporters’ perception (β = 0.1074). Originality/value This study extends signaling theory to export–import relationships by conceptualizing exporters’ perceptions of NTMs as institutional signals and linking them to export commitment and export market orientation. It broadens export commitment to encompass both managerial and employee perspectives. It also empirically tests how the perception that NTMs reduce information asymmetry moderates the export commitment–export market orientation link, showing that NTMs can function as strategic signals rather than merely restrictive measures.