Changing Perspectives of Aggressive and Passive Exporters Among Smaller Manufacturing Enterprises : a Longitudinal Analysis

• Purpose of the article: The paper focuses on top operating executives and managers of smaller manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) and describes how their perceptions of exports have changed in responses to significant economic and technological forces in relevant entrepreneurial environments.Methodology/methods: These results are based on studies of SMEs in a number of countries over a forty-year period. Summaries of research findings concerning export strategies and operations among SMEs are presented in three distinct models that depict major economic and technological forces that have changed the evolution of exports strategies and operations among SMEs.Scientific aim: A number of empirical studies and research cases among SMEs have shown that export strategies and operations of SMEs (1) can be related to the type of operating manager, (2) can be classified based on the perceptions of export strategies and operations implemented by operating managers, and (3) are directly related to SMEs' economic and technological environmental changes.Findings: The models can be helpful in two specific instances: (1) informing SMEs' operating managers how to adjust their export strategies and operations to meet the needs of changing economic and technological environmental forces and (2) assist policy makers economic developments specialists in their efforts to promote, stimulate, and develop export strategies and operations among aggressively and passively focused SMEs.Conclusions: Executives and managers need to realize that export strategies and operations represent a form of entrepreneurship, enterprise diversification, and market expansion that are not uniformly suited for all SMEs. It is the responsibility of executives to decide whether or not their export strategies and operations are compatible with their enterprise mission and consistent with available resources.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Företagsekonomi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Business Administration (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Exporters

SMEs

entrepreneurship

strategies

operations

models

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)