Goitom Tesfom

Using networks to solve export‐marketing problems of small‐ and medium‐sized firms from developing countries

The objective of this paper is to review the literature on how networks can be used in developing countries to encounter export‐marketing problems. Several case studies of export‐grouping and subcontracting networks, involving small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises in developed and underdeveloped countries, are reviewed. The paper presents a qualitative model that identifies the determining factors for successful export network organisations: a clearly defined market problem or market opportunity; a willingness to respond together; development of solidarity, coherence and commitment; initiating foreign market activities. This model is useful to study similar initiatives in developing countries.

A classification of export marketing problems of small and medium sized manufacturing firms in developing countries

Purpose – The objective of the study is to derive a classification of export problems of SMEs from developing countries on the basis of a comprehensive literature study.Design/methodology/approach – The study performed a comprehensive and systematic literature review of 40 articles published over a period of 25 years (1980‐2004). The export problems are classified into company barriers, product barriers, industry barriers, export market barriers and macro environment barriers.Findings – The study provides a modified qualitative model that can be used by future researchers to further their research endeavour in export problems of firms from developing countries. It also identifies the similarities and differences of export problems in developed and developing countries.Research limitations/implications – The lack of extensive research on export problems limited the number of articles reviewed in this study. Thus, the results of this paper should be considered as a stepping stone for future research.Practic...

Comparing export marketing channels: developed versus developing countries

The article presents a qualitative model, derived from the transaction cost and resource dependence theory, to compare the business relationships in the marketing channels between footwear buyers in The Netherlands and Uganda, and their suppliers. The observed business relationships are used to design an export‐marketing channel for Eritrean footwear manufacturers looking for new export market opportunities. The findings show that the design of the export marketing channels for Uganda and The Netherlands differs as a result of the transaction costs involved. Taking into account the weak resource base of the Eritrean manufacturers, we conclude that it may be easier for them to enter the Dutch market than the Ugandan market.

Do switching barriers in the retail banking industry influence bank customers in different age groups differently

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether switching barriers in the retail banking industry affect different age groups differently.Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaires were administered to 188 bank customers of different age groups, measuring their perception of variables related to relational benefits, switching costs, availability and attractiveness of alternatives, service recovery and retention.Findings – Results from independent two‐sample t‐tests and logistic regression support all five hypotheses, confirming that young and older bank customers differ significantly in their perception of switching barriers: relational benefits, switching costs, availability and attractiveness of alternatives, service recovery and the duration of time they intend to end their relationship with their banks.Research limitations/implications – This study was conducted among employees of two higher education institutions. Thus, further research needs to test the research results in a diverse popu...

Evaluating the effectiveness of export promotion services: A customer (user) perspective

Purpose – The lack of detailed statistics in many developing countries makes it very difficult to assess the effect of export support services on the firms export performance. Moreover, a fundamental factor that creates confusion is the lack of a straightforward causal relationship between a specific export support activity and changes in actual trade patterns. Despite these difficulties, the purpose of this paper is to show that an assessment of the effectiveness of export promotion and support services can be made on the basis of the perceptions of the manufacturers involved. The method is simple and informative.Design/methodology/approach – This research is based on a survey of 88 footwear and textile manufactures from a small new African country, Eritrea. The sample size accounts for 90 percent of the overall population.Findings – On average, the quality of the export support services is rated as satisfactory. This can be considered as rather low, as the export promotion policy of the government is m...Purpose – The lack of detailed statistics in many developing countries makes it very difficult to assess the effect of export support services on the firms export performance. Moreover, a fundamental factor that creates confusion is the lack of a straightforward causal relationship between a specific export support activity and changes in actual trade patterns. Despite these difficulties, the purpose of this paper is to show that an assessment of the effectiveness of export promotion and support services can be made on the basis of the perceptions of the manufacturers involved. The method is simple and informative. Design/methodology/approach – This research is based on a survey of 88 footwear and textile manufactures from a small new African country, Eritrea. The sample size accounts for 90 percent of the overall population. Findings – On average, the quality of the export support services is rated as satisfactory. This can be considered as rather low, as the export promotion policy of the government is much more ambitious. The results of the discriminant analysis are in line with the literature and show that small enterprises in Eritrea have less access to export support services than larger firms. This can be considered as a major failure of the policy as in the modern entrepreneurial export economy small firms play a crucial role. Research limitations/implications – Although the sample size accounts for 90 percent of the population, it is relatively small. To verify the results it would be interesting to conduct a comprehensive survey that includes all export manufacturing industries in Eritrea. Practical implications – The findings of this study are useful for export policy makers in developing countries. The presented method shows that it is possible to measure the perception of the manufacturers with regard to the effectiveness of export promotion and support services. It also allows to compare the performance of those services and to identify priorities for the policy agenda. Originality/value – The study develops a simple evaluation tool for the effectiveness of export support services in developing countries.

Evaluating the effectiveness of export support services in developing countries

Purpose – The lack of detailed statistics in many developing countries makes it very difficult to assess the effect of export support services on the firms export performance. Moreover, a fundamental factor that creates confusion is the lack of a straightforward causal relationship between a specific export support activity and changes in actual trade patterns. Despite these difficulties, the purpose of this paper is to show that an assessment of the effectiveness of export promotion and support services can be made on the basis of the perceptions of the manufacturers involved. The method is simple and informative.Design/methodology/approach – This research is based on a survey of 88 footwear and textile manufactures from a small new African country, Eritrea. The sample size accounts for 90 percent of the overall population.Findings – On average, the quality of the export support services is rated as satisfactory. This can be considered as rather low, as the export promotion policy of the government is m...Purpose – The lack of detailed statistics in many developing countries makes it very difficult to assess the effect of export support services on the firms export performance. Moreover, a fundamental factor that creates confusion is the lack of a straightforward causal relationship between a specific export support activity and changes in actual trade patterns. Despite these difficulties, the purpose of this paper is to show that an assessment of the effectiveness of export promotion and support services can be made on the basis of the perceptions of the manufacturers involved. The method is simple and informative. Design/methodology/approach – This research is based on a survey of 88 footwear and textile manufactures from a small new African country, Eritrea. The sample size accounts for 90 percent of the overall population. Findings – On average, the quality of the export support services is rated as satisfactory. This can be considered as rather low, as the export promotion policy of the government is much more ambitious. The results of the discriminant analysis are in line with the literature and show that small enterprises in Eritrea have less access to export support services than larger firms. This can be considered as a major failure of the policy as in the modern entrepreneurial export economy small firms play a crucial role. Research limitations/implications – Although the sample size accounts for 90 percent of the population, it is relatively small. To verify the results it would be interesting to conduct a comprehensive survey that includes all export manufacturing industries in Eritrea. Practical implications – The findings of this study are useful for export policy makers in developing countries. The presented method shows that it is possible to measure the perception of the manufacturers with regard to the effectiveness of export promotion and support services. It also allows to compare the performance of those services and to identify priorities for the policy agenda. Originality/value – The study develops a simple evaluation tool for the effectiveness of export support services in developing countries.

Do offshore outsourcing firms in the USA use their investments on corporate social responsibility to alleviate negative attitudes toward offshore outsourcing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is: to determine how offshore outsourcing firms in the USA are involved in providing assistance to education and training the downsized/unemployed; and to conduct inter‐industry comparisons among offshore outsourcing firms to determine if there are differences in their degree of involvement in assisting education and training the downsized/unemployed.Design/methodology/approach – This research is based on a survey of 51 firms in the USA that are listed as major offshore outsourcers and exporters of American jobs in “CNNs Lou Dobbs Exporting America website”.Findings – The findings show that out of eight areas of corporate social activities included in the survey, offshore outsourcing firms indicated that they were least involved in providing or supporting training programs to the downsized/unemployed. However, we also found that offshore outsourcing firms were highly involved in providing assistance to charities and supporting private and public education.Research limi...

Do Mobile Phone Service Consumers in the US Have Media Preference as Their Source of Information on Competing Mobile Phone Service Plans

ABSTRACT When communicating product-related information to consumers, companies must often choose among different media types. Understanding how consumers seek media as their source of information when making purchase decisions is highly important for marketers to optimize their media-selection decisions and achieve maximum communication results. However, an extensive review of the literature indicates that little is known about the advertising media preferences of consumers of technology-based services. This research examines the media preferences of mobile phone service consumers in the United States as their source of information regarding competing mobile phone service plans. The study also addresses whether the advertising media preferences of mobile phone service consumers vary across demographic characteristics. The survey data were collected from 471 employees and students of two higher education institutions. Descriptive statistics including medians and quartiles are calculated for media preferences. Frequencies are used to summarize demographic characteristics. Chi-square tests are used to determine if relationships exist between demographic characteristics and advertising media preferences. The results indicate that for mobile phone service buyers in the United States, the most important media they consider as their source of information on competing mobile phone service plans is word of mouth. Moreover, consumers ranked providers website as second, search engine marketing as third, and social media as the fourth preferred source of information for competing mobile phone service plans. Also, the research results reveal that media preference as a source of information on competing mobile phone service plans differs by respondent age, but not by gender. The implications of the research findings on theory and practice are discussed.

Determinants of Export Marketing Channel Design to Developed and Developing Countries: Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT This exploratory study is intended to analyze the differences in the organization of export marketing channels to developing and developed countries from the perspective of exporters in a developed country. Our evidence seems to suggest that despite high transaction costs, U.S. seafood exporters are not interested in vertical forward integration of the Japanese and Western European seafood distribution channels. The U.S. seafood industry is geared toward providing raw materials to foreign re-processors than exporting value added products. Thus, lack of management commitment to foreign end-users makes vertical forward integration difficult. Hence, unlike in developing countries, the choice of an efficient transaction governance structure for the U.S. seafood export business depends on factors derived from transaction cost theory and management commitment to foreign markets. The study found that resources are not a problem to U.S. seafood exporters.

Mobile Phone Service Providers Shift to No-Contract Plans: Implications on Customer Retention

ABSTRACT Findings indicate that, regardless of the flexibility and cost saving advantages of no-contract mobile phone service plans for customers, a majority of younger customers in the United States continue to patronize contract-based plans. Conversely, the data show that older customers tend to appreciate the flexibility and financial savings that come with buying no-contract plans. Also, the study finds that the customers decision to finance the cost of a mobile device with the provider is independent of the customers age. The article discusses theoretical and practical implications.