Understanding Exporting in the Small & Micro Enterprise

Why, of the population of small and micro locally-owned firms, some choose to sell a portion of their sales abroad while others, facing similar market conditions, remain focused on their domestic market? The book presents a conceptual model that is used to explain why some small firms export a portion of their sales abroad while others do not.

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Understanding exporting in the small and micro firm presents an SOR model that owners/managers and public policy makers can use to help them develop effective strategies to improve the export propensity of small firms, especially those from small, developing economies. A formal scientific treatment of exporting from these into small, developing economies hitherto, was missing from the academic and policy discourse in these economies. This book interrogates the issue by focusing on the question: Why, of the population of small and micro locally-owned firms, some choose to sell a portion of their sales abroad while seemingly similar others, facing similar market conditions, remain focused on their domestic market? The book presents a conceptual model that is used to explain why some small firms export a portion of their sales abroad while others do not. This model will serve as an important tool that export policy makers in the public sector can use to develop profiles of firms that are suitable to receive government assistance for export market entry. It will also help export promotion organisations to better target firms for export assistance and thus prevent wastage of limited resources which is a feature of most small economies. The book also presents case studies on the challenges that small exporters and non-exporters face in developing an internationally competitive business. These cases can serve as good learning tools for managers in the small firm.