Exporting as an entrepreneurial act ‐ An empirical study of Nigerian firms

Abstract

Explores the entrepreneurial underpinning of the low export involvement level of manufacturing firms from Nigeria, a sub‐Sahara African, developing country. Using a pre‐validated export‐entrepreneurial orientation construct (and a 78‐firm representative sample), a high versus low export‐entrepreneurial taxonomy was derived. High export‐entrepreneurial firms are typically more innovative in developing exporting, less averse to exporting risks, and have more proactive motivations for exporting. They perceive domestic environmental problems as much as other firms, but appear better able to adapt, hence their higher tendency to initiate exporting. Policy recommendations are presented for four groups of firms, linked to high/low export entrepreneurial orientation and exporter/non‐exporter categorisations.