Export stimulation research: Review, evaluation and integration

Abstract

This paper deals with a review, evaluation and integration of available research on the factors stimulating initiation and subsequent development and sustainment of export operations. The review focused on 30 studies conducted mainly in North American and European countries. The investigation revealed that research on the subject is still at the identification and conceptualization stage, due to incomplete conceptual foundations, unsophisticated methodologies and inconsistent research findings. An aggregate analysis of the available empirical data revealed that unsolicited orders from foreign customers exhibited the highest stimulating effect. The nature of export stimulation was also found to be affected by a number of methodological parameters. A classification of the stimuli by combining the internal/external and proactive/reactive typologies revealed more or less the same stimulating impact amongst the resulting groups.