The Mediating Role of International Competitive Strategies in the Effect of Companies' Corporate Sustaınability Activities on Export Performance in Türkiye: Porter's Generic Perspective

The growing awareness of environmental, social, and economic challenges has significantly reshaped global market dynamics. In particular, the rising sensitivity toward sustainability in international markets has played a decisive role in altering consumer, investor, and governmental expectations. Consequently, corporate sustainability practices—which encompass firms’ environmental, social, and economic responsibilities—have emerged as a critical dimension of corporate legitimacy and strategic positioning. Within this framework, corporate sustainability constitutes a fundamental determinant for ensuring long-term competitiveness and achieving sustainable growth objectives. Hence, examining the nexus between sustainability practices and export performance within international markets has become increasingly relevant. For export-oriented economies such as Türkiye, embedding sustainability principles into trade structures represents not only a strategic imperative but also a prerequisite for sustaining competitiveness in the global arena. While existing literature provides insights into the influence of corporate sustainability practices on competitive advantage and firm performance in foreign markets, the mediating role of competitive strategies within this relationship remains relatively underexplored. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates the impact of corporate sustainability activities undertaken by Turkish exporting firms on their export performance, with particular emphasis on the mediating function of competitive strategies. Furthermore, in light of forthcoming regulatory frameworks that are expected to mandate sustainability criteria in international trade, the study aspires to offer practical guidance for firms aiming to enhance export performance through the strategic integration of sustainability into their competitive positioning. Methodologically, the research employed IBM SPSS 27.0 for data analysis. Descriptive statistics included the computation of frequencies and percentages for categorical variables, as well as mean, standard deviation, minimum, and maximum values for numerical variables. The validity and reliability of the measurement scales were assessed, and underlying sub-factors were identified. Normality tests guided the decision to apply parametric or non-parametric statistical procedures. Hypotheses were tested at the 95% confidence level, utilizing Pearson correlation, one-way and two-way ANOVA, and chi-square analyses. Additionally, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted via AMOS 21 to validate factor structures, alongside the assessment of convergent and discriminant validity of the scales. Finally, the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach was applied to test the proposed hypotheses, and mediation effects were evaluated using the Sobel test. Keyword: Corporate Sustainability, Export Performance, Generic Strategies