<p>Validerat; 20110819 (cani)</p>

The question how much internationalization is beneficial for emerging-market small and medium enterprises (EM SMEs) remains challenging to answer for both international business (IB) scholars and managers. We explore export strategies of first time exporters and focus on the scope of EM SMEs internationalization activities. We tackle the question whether more focused or more diversified internationalization through exporting is beneficial for EM SMEs. We examine the impact of foreign market (geographic) diversification, product diversification and export intensity on firm performance of an entire population of EM SMEs from an emerging east European market. In addition, we test whether a complex export strategy-an export strategy of simultaneous product- and geographic export diversification-is beneficial for EM SMEs. We use a panel population data of first time Slovenian exporters in the period 1994-2012. We find that diversified internationalization, both in terms of product and foreign market diversity, significantly improves productivity and sales performance for EM SMEs. Furthermore, EM SMEs with complex export strategies enjoy significantly improved productivity and sales performance. / Series: Working Papers / Institute for International Business

In this thesis, the e-awareness of exporter enterprises is investigated in the Aegean Region. This thesis aims to propose policy recommendations for the Aegean Region decision makers to increase ICT utilization of the exporter enterprises to attain competitiveness in global markets. The research is conducted with a web-based survey that was open for two months. Survey aims to find out the enterprises&rsquo / ICT profile, for what reasons and with what amount of importance they use ICT, their reluctance to new ICT tools implementation and their needs for successful implementation of ICT tools. 3140 enterprises, which are the members of Aegean Exporters&rsquo / Associations, are informed about the survey by an e-mail notification, 267 exporter enterprises are participated to the survey. As it was expected, the survey showed that although the enterprises are using low-level ICT tools, they have desire to implement ICT tools because they believe that implementing ICT will increase their sales and profits. However, due to the problems in human resources, financial resources, information and know-how and the problems in network of relationships, implementing more ICT tools will not be easy in the short &ndash / run.

Export performance has an important role for firm survival, profitability and growth. Given these benefits and the challenges that firms may face when exporting, scholars have dedicated considerable efforts to understand the factors that enable export success. The current study investigates the role of experiential foreign market knowledge and exporter-importer (EI) relationship quality for export performance. A conceptual model involving the relationship between the role of experiential foreign market knowledge, E-I relationship quality and export performance satisfaction is developed and empirically tested using data from 264 Thai exporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Findings suggest SME managers' knowledge of foreign customers, culture and political environment have a positive influence on E-I relationship quality and satisfaction with export performance. Drawing upon the relational exchange theory, goodwill trust was found to be the most significant aspect that builds long-term E-I relationship quality. Secondly, the findings show that calculative approach (e.g. commitment based on cost and benefits) is a mainstream type of commitment between exporters and importers. However, a personalised tie between the exchange partners has a positive influence on commitment, resulting in the affective commitment to E-I relationship. Thirdly, in a collaborative business partnership, decision-makers emphasise information exchange and coordinating actions for taking strategic decisions, which are informed by the feedback recived in their collaboration. In addition, the study finds that political instability negatively moderates the link of competence trust and information exchange on export performance satisfaction. Theoretical, managerial and policy implications of these findings are discussed and areas for future research are proposed.

Wheat trade accounts for one third of world grain trade and is expected to double by 2050.The KRU (Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine) countries account for approximately a quarter of the world wheat exports and are collectively considered one of the key wheat exporting regions. Ukraine became a member of the WTO only in 2008. Russia became an official member of the WTO in 2012. Kazakhstan is expected to follow Russia and reach an accession deal with WTO members shortly. As a result of WTO accession, all three countries will be entitled to “most favoured nation” (MNF tariffs), and hence, gain improved access to a number of important markets that have been largely inaccessible due to very high tariffs that could be charged on imports from non-member countries. World wheat trade liberalization, reflecting the move to the MFN tariff as a result of accession, was simulated using the global simulation model (GSIM). The KRU region’s increased market accessibility as a result of successful accession to the WTO has the potential to foster important re-alignments in world wheat trade flows, prices and changes in welfare among major wheat trading countries. Simulation results suggest that increased access to markets leads to more trade between KRU countries and previously restricted markets. KRU countries trade more with now freer markets such as Turkey, the EU and China. Major traditional wheat exporters such as Australia, Canada, the EU, and the US do not seem to be negatively impacted to any important degree. Their relative market access conditions, however, erode in Turkish, Middle Eastern, and African markets with their trade flows being diverted and broadly distributed among other countries and regions at reduced prices. Trade liberalization is not uniform across regions and therefore leads to different net welfare changes across countries. However, those welfare changes appear to be modest.

This dissertation consists of three essays in international economics. The first chapter investigates whether opening up to international financial flows improves aggregate productivity in the presence of limited contract enforceability. I present a model of two countries that differ in terms of the degree of contract enforcement and analyze the consequences of financial market integration among those countries. Then, I test the predictions of the model empirically. The model predicts that aggregate productivity improves after financial integration in economies with strong contract enforcement, while it deteriorates in countries with weak enforcement. The empirical analysis confirms that the effect of capital account liberalization on productivity is different in economies with different degrees of contract enforcement. The second chapter addresses whether foreign firms harm the environment in a host country where environmental standards are not as strict as in the source country. The question as to whether strict environmental regulations in developed economies cause the relocation of pollution-intensive production into developing countries has captured the attention of economists. Instead, we ask whether multinational firms, frequently the target of environmentalists, are in fact harmful for a host country's environment. Using plant-level data from Chile, we find that foreign firms are cleaner than domestic plants. We then propose a model that delivers these features of the data. Using the model we get policy implications regarding environmental regulations and multinational production. The last chapter examines the link between producer's productivity and export participation. Empirical work reveals that exporters have substantially higher productivity than non-exporters. The two explanations proposed for the apparent gap are self-selection of firms into competitive export markets and learning by exporting. Knowing the direction of causality between productivity and exporting has important policy implications. If firms become exporters simply because they are more productive and there are no further gains from being an exporter, then policies that aim to increase the number of exporters are not appropriate. I test these hypotheses by applying matching techniques on plant-level data from the Chilean manufacturing sector. I find clear evidence for self-selection, relatively more efficient firms become exporters. However, I do not detect further improvement of productivity following the entry into export markets. / text

Cette thèse s'intéresse aux Services d'Accompagnement à l'Export proposés par les acteurs de l'accompagnement. Les pouvoirs publics s'interrogent sur l'efficacité de ces aides. La littérature fait état de résultats contradictoires sur cette question, notamment à cause de l'absence d'une mesure valide de l'accompagnement à l'export qui rend difficile la comparaison des résultats. Cette difficulté est exacerbée par la diversité des entreprises accompagnées. En effet, les aides ont été pensées pour les entreprises à internationalisation par étapes. Pourtant, il apparaît que les Exportatrices Précoces, type d'entreprise à internationalisation précoce le plus répandu mais aussi le plus fragile, utilisent les mêmes aides. Dès lors, deux questions se posent ; d'une part, la manière de mesurer l'accompagnement à l'export reçu par l'entreprise et, d'autre part, la question de l'efficacité des Services d'Accompagnement à l'Export pour les Exportatrices Précoces. Pour répondre à la première question, une démarche de construction d'une échelle de mesure de l'accompagnement à l'export est mise en œuvre en s'appuyant sur le paradigme de Churchill (1979). Une étude exploratoire est menée auprès de treize acteurs de l'accompagnement à l'export et cinq entreprises accompagnées afin de faire émerger des items de mesure. Ensuite, 288 questionnaires d'entreprises accompagnées à l'export sont récoltés et utilisés pour tester les qualités psychométriques de l'échelle. Cette démarche aboutit à une échelle de mesure multidimensionnelle composée de neuf items et distinguant accompagnement informationnel, opérationnel et financier. Cet outil permet de mesurer plus précisément les Services d'Accompagnement à l'Export utilisés par l'entreprise. Pour répondre à la seconde question, la théorie des ressources est mobilisée afin d'identifier les ressources stratégiques des Exportatrices Précoces et l'influence que les différents types d'accompagnement à l'export peuvent avoir sur elles. Ces relations aboutissent à un modèle conceptuel testé par la méthode des équations structurelles à partir de 196 questionnaires d'entreprises accompagnées à l'export. Il en ressort que les Services d'Accompagnement à l'Export sont moins efficaces pour les Exportatrices Précoces, notamment en ce qui concerne l'accompagnement financier qui n'a aucune influence sur leur performance internationale. Les résultats soulignent ainsi la nécessité d'élaborer de nouveaux services pour accompagner efficacement les Exportatrices Précoces. Plusieurs propositions sont faites en ce sens. / This thesis focuses on Export Support Services offered by the public and semi-public actors. Public authorities are questioning the effectiveness of these services. The literature reports conflicting results on this issue, especially because of the lack of a valid measure of export support which makes it difficult to compare results. This difficulty is exacerbated by the diversity of firms supported. Indeed, the services was thought to firm with internationalization by stages. Yet it appears that Early Exporters, the most common but also the most fragile type of International New Ventures, use the same services. Therefore, two questions arise; first, how to measure the export support received by the firm and, secondly, the question of the effectiveness of the Export Support Services for Early Exporters. To answer the first question, a process of construction of a scale measurement of Export Support based on the Churchill paradigm (1979) is implemented. An exploratory study was conducted with thirteen support export actors and five companies to make measurement items. Then 288 questionnaires of supported firms are harvested and used to test the psychometric properties of the scale. This approach results in a multidimensional measurement scale with nine items and distinguishing informational, operational and financial Export Support. This tool can measure more accurately Export Support Services used by the firm. To answer the second question, the theory of resources is mobilized to identify the strategic resources of Early Exporters and influence that different types of Export Support can have on them. These relationships lead to a conceptual model tested by the method of structural equation from 196 questionnaires of supported companies. It shows that the Export Support Services are less effective for Early Exporters, especially with regard to the financial support that has no influence on their international performance. The results thus highlight the need to develop new services to effectively support Early Exporters. Several proposals are made in this direction.

The current international monetary system is very different from that of a few decades ago. Many of the old restrictions that had been placed on currency and capital movements between countries have fallen away in favour of a much more liberal international payment and investment system. The global financial arena is now characterized by greater currency instability, volatility and heightened financial risks. Exchange Rate risk is one of the complex topics in the economic world. Since there are so many factors in the financial market that influence a country's currency value, it becomes very risky for importers, exporters and portfolio investors to be involved in the international trade and financial markets. The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding on how the major economic indicators have an impact on the decision-making of the importers, the exporters and investors, to further influence the volatility of the Rand; and to provide various hedging and arbitraging strategies to reduce foreign exchange rate risks. The layout of the study is based on six chapters. Chapter 1 focuses on the background and scope of the study, mainly explaining the reasons, objectives and methodology of this study. An historical overview takes place in chapter 2, where a number of different exchange rate systems will be discussed. Chapter 3 reviews different exchange rate theories in order to support the empirical study in the next chapter. Chapter 4 focuses on an investigation and comparative study on how foreign investments and trade with developed countries have an impact on currency values and visa-versa. A number of management strategies for reducing exchange rate risks are introduced in chapter 5. Chapter 6 is the summary and conclusion of the research. / Thesis (M.Com. (Economics))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

The current international monetary system is very different from that of a few decades ago. Many of the old restrictions that had been placed on currency and capital movements between countries have fallen away in favour of a much more liberal international payment and investment system. The global financial arena is now characterized by greater currency instability, volatility and heightened financial risks. Exchange Rate risk is one of the complex topics in the economic world. Since there are so many factors in the financial market that influence a country's currency value, it becomes very risky for importers, exporters and portfolio investors to be involved in the international trade and financial markets. The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding on how the major economic indicators have an impact on the decision-making of the importers, the exporters and investors, to further influence the volatility of the Rand; and to provide various hedging and arbitraging strategies to reduce foreign exchange rate risks. The layout of the study is based on six chapters. Chapter 1 focuses on the background and scope of the study, mainly explaining the reasons, objectives and methodology of this study. An historical overview takes place in chapter 2, where a number of different exchange rate systems will be discussed. Chapter 3 reviews different exchange rate theories in order to support the empirical study in the next chapter. Chapter 4 focuses on an investigation and comparative study on how foreign investments and trade with developed countries have an impact on currency values and visa-versa. A number of management strategies for reducing exchange rate risks are introduced in chapter 5. Chapter 6 is the summary and conclusion of the research. / Thesis (M.Com. (Economics))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

The current international monetary system is very different from that of a few decades ago. Many of the old restrictions that had been placed on currency and capital movements between countries have fallen away in favour of a much more liberal international payment and investment system. The global financial arena is now characterized by greater currency instability, volatility and heightened financial risks. Exchange Rate risk is one of the complex topics in the economic world. Since there are so many factors in the financial market that influence a country's currency value, it becomes very risky for importers, exporters and portfolio investors to be involved in the international trade and financial markets. The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding on how the major economic indicators have an impact on the decision-making of the importers, the exporters and investors, to further influence the volatility of the Rand; and to provide various hedging and arbitraging strategies to reduce foreign exchange rate risks. The layout of the study is based on six chapters. Chapter 1 focuses on the background and scope of the study, mainly explaining the reasons, objectives and methodology of this study. An historical overview takes place in chapter 2, where a number of different exchange rate systems will be discussed. Chapter 3 reviews different exchange rate theories in order to support the empirical study in the next chapter. Chapter 4 focuses on an investigation and comparative study on how foreign investments and trade with developed countries have an impact on currency values and visa-versa. A number of management strategies for reducing exchange rate risks are introduced in chapter 5. Chapter 6 is the summary and conclusion of the research. / Thesis (M.Com. (Economics))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.