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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of firms’ general and specific human capital on the export propensity and intensity. Design/methodology/approach The resource-based view of the firm provides the theoretical background to examine export performance. Empirical analysis is carried out using a national representative sample of Spanish manufacturing firms and employing Logit and Tobit models. Export performance is evaluated in a dual way, as export propensity and export intensity. In relation to human capital a distinction is made between general and specific human capital. Findings The results shown that differences exist in the effect of general and specific human capital. While the firms’ general human capital (education of the firm’s employees) affects both export propensity and intensity, only some dimensions of specific human capital (employees’ experience at the workplace) affects export propensity and intensity but no the employees’ training. Moreover, the firms’ general human capital generates greater changes than the effect of specific human capital on the export behavior. Originality/value This paper extends a line of research underexplored in the literature by analyzing the effect of organizational human capital on the firm’s export performance; moreover, it is the first study for Spanish manufacturing firms; the distinction between general and specific human capital enhances our comprehension of the human capital as a determinant of export performance. In relation to the specific human capital, besides training, we add a new variable related to experience at the workplace.

The aim of this paper is to research the effect of human capital and Quality Management System (QMS) on the export performance of wine firms. The empirical analysis is carried out using data from a sample of Spanish wineries and performing Tobit regression models. In relation to human capital, the results show that only the specific human capital is associated with superior export performance of wineries whereas the general human capital although it has a positive coefficient, it is not statistically significant on the export performance of wine firms. The results related to Quality Management System show that those wine firms certified with the ISO 9000 standard of QMS have better export performance.

This article analyses the influence of technological resources on firm-export intensity. The empirical analysis is carried out on a sample of Spanish manufacturing firms using tobit models. Our findings show that R&D investments, product and process innovations and patents positively and significantly affect the export intensity of Spanish firms.