How International Capability Shapes Entrepreneurs’ Work Performance: An Empirical Analysis of Northeast China’s Unpatented Chemical Firms

Abstract

Against the dual-circulation economic strategy and industrial revitalization of Northeast China, unpatented chemical enterprises in the old industrial base face prominent barriers to international expansion. Based on the Resource-Based View (RBV), International Entrepreneurship Theory and Dynamic Capability Theory, this study constructs a moderated mediation model to explore the influence mechanism of international capability (international production, marketing, management capability) on cross-border entrepreneurs’ work performance, with competitive advantage as the mediator and entrepreneurial management attitude as the moderator. Stratified questionnaire survey data from 273 entrepreneurs of Northeast China’s unpatented chemical firms are adopted, and PLS-SEM is used for hypothesis testing. The results show that three dimensions of international capability all significantly improve entrepreneurs’ work performance; competitive advantage plays a partial mediating role between international capability and work performance; entrepreneurial management attitude positively moderates the indirect path from international capability to work performance via competitive advantage. This paper enriches the contextual research of international business in China’s old industrial bases and provides targeted operational suggestions for chemical firms lacking independent patents to optimize international resource allocation and boost entrepreneurial output.