Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of absorption capacity and intellectual capital on the export performance of technology companies in Gilan province, taking into account the mediating role of innovation and imitation strategies. This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of research strategy.  

  Research design/methodology/approach: The statistical population of the research is all the technological companies of Gilan province, numbering 360 companies. In this research, the sample size of 220 active technology companies was determined using the non-probability sampling method. The collected data were analyzed by the method of structural equation modeling and partial least squares approach using the third version of Smart PLS software.

  Findings: The research results showed that there is a significant relationship between absorption capacity, innovation strategies, imitation and export performance, but the relationship between imitation strategies and absorption capacity was not confirmed. Also, only the mediating role of innovation strategy in the relationship between intellectual capital and export performance was confirmed.    

  Research value/originality: This article expands the existing literature in the field of imitation strategy for the first time by using the model of the effect of absorptive capacity and intellectual capital on export performance with the mediating role of innovation and imitation strategies and examines its characteristics.