RT journal article T1 Governance Mechanisms Drive SME Export Performance Via Competitive Advantage A1 Vélez Elorza, María Luisa A1 Sánchez Vázquez, José Manuel A1 Flórez, Raquel A2 Organización de Empresas K1 Governance Mechanisms K1 SME K1 Export Performance K1 Competitive Advantage AB This paper provides novel empirical evidence that scrutinises how control systems and trust, as governance mechanisms, contribute to SME export performance when they use international business networks. Drawing on the arguments about a positive relationship between them, we propose of an integrative model about their direct and indirect effect on performance through competitive advantage. This model is tested using a sample of 193 Spanish export ventures. The results single out mutual trust as a source of competitive advantage and a key driver of export performance. Besides, having output controls in place increases trust, and indirectly impacts export performance through trust mediation. These findings claim that trust is an exclusive, inimitable resource that allows SMEs to effectively orchestrate their relationship with their intermediaries and the role of output controls as an essential mechanism to build trust and support trust´s effect on performance. PB Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. YR 2022 FD 2022 LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/32856 UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/32856 LA eng DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz RD 22-sep-2026