Longitudinal study of exporters and nonexporters: A focus on smaller manufacturing enterprises
Many smaller manufacturing enterprises are reluctant to export even though, since the late 1960s, governments have attempted to stimulate them to export. Numerous studies have examined the reluctance to export as a point-in-time phenomenon. This study examines the differences between exporting and nonexporting smaller manufacturing enterprises over the past 20Â years using the same research methodology and conceptual and theoretical foundation. The results of this study are encouraging and clearly indicate significant changes over the past 20Â years between exporting and nonexporting SMEs. They suggest that over the past 20Â years exporters in the study are externally oriented and nonexporters remain internally oriented. These findings have important implications for export development efforts of both governments and managers.
