Differences between high and low performing exporting firms in a developing country

Abstract

This study identified key variables that contributed most to the discrimination between firms with high levels of export performance versus those with low levels of performance. Data were collected through a structured multi-item questionnaire involving a randomly selected sample of 105 exporting organizations. Discriminant analysis was used to identify the key discriminating variables. Exporters with high levels of export performance differed significantly from those with low levels of export performance. Strategy implementation, experience in international business and training, economic factors, size of the firm, cultural factors, strategic orientation, education and political/legal factors, listed in order of importance, were identified as key discriminators of firms with low levels of export performance against those with high levels of performance.