Export Inhibitors in the First Stage of the Internationalization Process : Evidence from Mexico

This paper identifies export inhibitors in the first stage of the internationalization process of companies. Evidence indicates export inhibitors have the strongest effects on small and midsized manufacturing companies (SMEs) in the state of Michoacán, Mexico. Some 191 managers or owners of different industrial SMEs were interviewed for this study. I found the lack of information about government agencies involved in the export process, lack of knowledge about government support for companies intending to export, lack of information about international agreements that Mexico has and lack of information about the procedure to export are export inhibitors with the strongest impact on the surveyed SMEs. One possible explanation for this finding could be that information is not effectively reaching key stakeholders. This implies it is necessary for the Mexican government to develop new strategies that allow information to accomplish its goal. By doing so, companies may broaden their horizons through international markets