The objectives of this research project are threefold: (1) to identify the key marketing innovation factors which drive successful export marketing strategy in Thai manufacturing companies, (2) to test the proposed model 'The Full Model of Export Performance' on Thai export manufacturing companies, and (3) to suggest recommendations to Thai export manufacturing companies in order to improve their export performance. / Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration)--University of South Australia, 2008.

Despite the importance of SMEs and increased knowledge in the area of strategic management, empirical research on small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in this area of management has not only been limited but also neglected. In an attempt to investigate the strategic factors that can influence the performance of SMEs, this study focuses on Malaysian exporting SMEs. This study adopts the conceptual framework in the context of strategic management. The conceptual framework is developed based on the strategic management variables; business strategy, distinctive capabilities and performance. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between the business strategy, distinctive capabilities and performance of Malyasian exporting SMEs. The study was based on a sample survey consisting of 150 Malaysian exporting SMEs, which is based on the listing provided by MATRADE. Using structured questionnaires, the data were collected through mailed questionnaires to the managers and owners of exporting SMEs throughout Malaysia. There were statistically significant differences in the performance of Malaysian exporting SMEs that adopted different business strategies, and there is a relationship between distinctive capabilities and performance of Malaysian exporting SMEs. / In general, all of the strategic variables used in this study significantly influence the performance of the exporting SMEs in Malaysia. Although there are different impacts of strategic factors on the various performance measures, in general the strategic factors used in this study seem to significantly influence the business performance of the Malaysian exporting SMEs studied. / Thesis (DoctorateofBusinessAdministration)--University of South Australia, 2005.

Despite the importance of SMEs and increased knowledge in the area of strategic management, empirical research on small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in this area of management has not only been limited but also neglected. In an attempt to investigate the strategic factors that can influence the performance of SMEs, this study focuses on Malaysian exporting SMEs. This study adopts the conceptual framework in the context of strategic management. The conceptual framework is developed based on the strategic management variables; business strategy, distinctive capabilities and performance. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between the business strategy, distinctive capabilities and performance of Malyasian exporting SMEs. The study was based on a sample survey consisting of 150 Malaysian exporting SMEs, which is based on the listing provided by MATRADE. Using structured questionnaires, the data were collected through mailed questionnaires to the managers and owners of exporting SMEs throughout Malaysia. There were statistically significant differences in the performance of Malaysian exporting SMEs that adopted different business strategies, and there is a relationship between distinctive capabilities and performance of Malaysian exporting SMEs. / In general, all of the strategic variables used in this study significantly influence the performance of the exporting SMEs in Malaysia. Although there are different impacts of strategic factors on the various performance measures, in general the strategic factors used in this study seem to significantly influence the business performance of the Malaysian exporting SMEs studied. / Thesis (DoctorateofBusinessAdministration)--University of South Australia, 2005.

Despite the importance of SMEs and increased knowledge in the area of strategic management, empirical research on small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in this area of management has not only been limited but also neglected. In an attempt to investigate the strategic factors that can influence the performance of SMEs, this study focuses on Malaysian exporting SMEs. This study adopts the conceptual framework in the context of strategic management. The conceptual framework is developed based on the strategic management variables; business strategy, distinctive capabilities and performance. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between the business strategy, distinctive capabilities and performance of Malyasian exporting SMEs. The study was based on a sample survey consisting of 150 Malaysian exporting SMEs, which is based on the listing provided by MATRADE. Using structured questionnaires, the data were collected through mailed questionnaires to the managers and owners of exporting SMEs throughout Malaysia. There were statistically significant differences in the performance of Malaysian exporting SMEs that adopted different business strategies, and there is a relationship between distinctive capabilities and performance of Malaysian exporting SMEs. / In general, all of the strategic variables used in this study significantly influence the performance of the exporting SMEs in Malaysia. Although there are different impacts of strategic factors on the various performance measures, in general the strategic factors used in this study seem to significantly influence the business performance of the Malaysian exporting SMEs studied. / Thesis (DoctorateofBusinessAdministration)--University of South Australia, 2005.

Broadly stated, the major objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which South African export companies exhibited characteristics of strategic flexibility, which is seen to be the most viable strategic option for a firm operating within a turbulent environment. This entailed:- (1) Determining the degree of environmental turbulence as perceived by South African export companies and identifying the most important elements of the external environment as perceived by these companies. (2) Identifying the nature and strength of the various components of strategic flexibility possessed by South African export companies facing environments of either low, medium or high turbulence. (3) Identifying the nature and strength of the various components of strategic flexibility possessed by South African export companies of different size. In order to elicit this information, 1361 questionnaires were posted to the managing directors of export firms who were members of the South African Foreign Trade Organization. The major findings of this study indicate that:- (1) Political elements of the remote environment contribute most to environmental turbulence. (2) Respondents identified economic elements as being the most important in terms of their potential impact on the long term profitability of the firm. (3) Although at present the majority of the firms surveyed were classified as operatIng in medium levels of turbulence, in the future they perceive the external environment as becoming very turbulent. (4) Generally speaking, the firms surveyed are ill-equipped to operate in a turbulent environment as they displayed signs of inflexibility in certain key aspects of their business. In this regard, particular mention must be made of their decision-making processes, the extent to which they had specialist planners, the techniques used to identify future trends in the environment, the extent to which computer technology was utilised in the firm and their structure. (5) Finally, the results do not generally support the view that a relationship exists between the perceived degree of turbulence in the environment and the extent to which strategic flexibility exists in the firm. Often, however, the size of tne firm was more of a determining factor on the components of strategic flexibility than the degree of turbulence in the environment. In this regard, particular mention must be made of the impact of size on the planning processes of the firm, the techniques used to monitor trends in the environment and the emphasis placed on management development and training.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 256-262). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 256-262). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Law, 1998? / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 462-479).

Trading companies have played and continue to play significant and strategic roles in international trade, supporting the export of manufacturers and the import of purchasing companies. The transaction costs economics, indicated that the role of trading companies is reducing the transaction costs during export. However, the rise of transition economies, such as China, which has become one of the most important players in international trade, leads to two gaps in existing studies. First, the trading companies from these countries and regions have been kept as a “black box”, compared with relative numerous studies on developed countries. Second, the local institutions, which are considered as main determinants on business models in transition economies, are most likely to affect the transaction costs during export, and trading companies’ characteristics and their methods of reducing transaction costs. Therefore, the aims of this study were to explore these institution-related transaction costs in China’s export market, and how Chinese ETCs operate one more efficient indirect export market compared with one direct market between domestic manufacturers and foreign buyers. Correspondingly, the main research questions were: 1) what are the institutions, which generate transaction costs for domestic manufacturers and foreign buyers, in China’s export market? And 2) how do Chinese exporting trading companies respond to such institution-related costs as an intermediary between domestic manufacturers and foreign buyers. A qualitative multiple-case approach was chosen. Six Chinese ETCs were selected, with their export processes as embedded units. The main sources of data included semi-conducted interviews and in-depth field observation. In addition, secondary data, such as newspapers, industrial reports, also contributed to the context of the cases. With one integrative analytical framework, this study identified a couple of institutional constraints in China’s export markets, including the bureaucratic procedures and administrative approvals, inefficient legal system and informal contract obligation, and long-term OEM trading methods. These institutions were involved in the whole procedure of export transaction, from the manufacturing by domestic manufacturers to the purchase by the foreign buyers and generated additional transaction costs in different steps, ranging from search, negotiation, to enforcement. Even though the transaction costs were greatly increased because of the export-related institutional constraints, the findings further reveal that Chinese ETCs can reduce these institution-related transaction costs by a series of effective methods, such as acquirement of knowledge on administrative procedures, collection of information on production, vertical integration, offering supplementary functions for dysfunctional domestic manufacturers and so on. The relevant explanations are twofold. As explained in traditional economic theories, Chinese ETCs’ also relied on economies of scale to reduce institution-related transaction costs. Moreover, Chinese ETCs adopted some approaches affiliated to export-related institutions, such as long-term reselling system and monopoly of export authority in history in China’s export market, and this is the first time that institutional perspective were applied to explain the transaction behaviour of trading companies. To sum up, this study extends our understanding of Chinese export trading companies and export-related institutions in China’s export market, enhances traditional transaction costs analysis on trading companies by adding the perspective from foreign buyers, and integrates institutional perspective into transaction costs analysis to better explain ETCs’ business model in transition economies. Last but not least, the findings in this study are also helpful for practitioners and policy-makers from transition economies in order to improve their export performance and local export-related institutional arrangements.

Bibliography: leaves 462-479. "... to provide a basis for understanding countertrade practices. In particular, however, it aims to provide assistance to trading parties to identify the problems associated with various forms of countertrade and to give them guidance in drafting countertrade contracts in the light of Australian law.".