Export Intention and Export Development: The Influences of Export Stimuli

It has been argued that a significant volume of dormant export potential may exist in the small and medium sized firm sector of many industrialized nations. However, limited conceptual and empirical insights exist to explain the phenomena underlying pre-export decision making and behavior. The present study addresses this issue and investigates those stimuli influences that act upon domestic firms’ intentions to enter overseas markets via the export channel. Specifically, the empirical study presented here: establishes significant differences in the extent to which export stimuli encourage domestic firms to consider exporting, classified by way of their export intention; and, draws a similar comparison between such groups of nonexporting firms and those already engaged in exporting activities. The findings are discussed in light of extant theory and attention is paid toward pertinent implications for executive and public policy audiences.