Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Dallas, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [165]-173).

This thesis documents a study of the dimensions of export market orientation associated with export performance. In particular, the research objective is to examine empirically the development and support of a corporate export market orientation and its successful implementation in Turkish clothing companies, as evidenced by successful export performance, and to investigate variations in export performance which may be related to export market orientation. In summary, this research aimed to explore the nature of market orientation in an international context by using empirical data from a sample of companies to examine some hypotheses regarding market orientation as applied to export operations in Turkish clothing industry. This aim was fulfilled by reliably and validly measuring the key constructs of export market orientation and finding statistically significant relationships between dependent and independent variables. The results of this thesis draw conclusions from an empirical investigation showing that the proposed relationship between export market orientation and export performance does exist, and in the case of Turkish clothing exporters, improving an export market orientation level is a significant contributor to the company's export performance. In order to explore the relationship between export market orientation and export performance, a two phase research design was adopted and conducted in the Turkish clothing industry. The sample for both stages were drawn from a listing of the member companies of the Turkish Textile and Apparel Exporters Association. This listing by the Association is complete and accurate because of the control which obligates exporters to register all their export actions. First, an exploratory phase was conducted in order to gain a clearer understanding of key issues. The stage 1 study was based on 103 responses received from a sample frame of 156 companies representing a 66 0/0 response rate. The primary objective of the first stage research was to develop a profile of the characteristics of the industry. Data generation was achieved through mail questionnaires and respondents were top managers of the selected companies. Second, the Cadogan, Diamantopoulos, and de Mortanges (1997) construct was used to test the hypothesis. The stage 2 study was based on 163 responses received from a sample frame of 384 companies representing a 43.47 % response rate. Data generation was achieved through mail questionnaires and respondents were again top managers of the selected companies. Results were analysed using the SPSS statistical analysis computer package. The findings, based on a sample of Turkish clothing exporters, show that the instrument developed by Cadogan, Diamantopoulos, and de Mortanges (1997) is reliable and exhibits content and convergent validity. Regression analysis found a significant effect of the level of export market orientation on dimensions of export performance. The positive relationship between export market orientation and dimensions of export performance indicated that a high level of export market orientation leads to a higher level of export performance and a low level of export market orientation produce a lower level of export performance. The research hypotheses are supported by the results of the study. The multidimensional operationalisation of export market orientation allowed the testing of the relationship between the dimensions of export market orientation with dimensions of export performance. Generally, there is a strong relationship between the dimensions of export market orientation and dimensions of export performance.

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This thesis investigates the impact of domestic transport costs and location on exports originating from exporting regions within a developing country. It is presented in the form of three articles, each addressing a different aspect. These articles are accompanied by a literature review of the background and impact of domestic transport costs on trade. The first article provides empirical evidence for the significance of domestic transport costs in exports and the spatial location of manufacturing exporters. Cubic-spline density functions are used and the results indicate (a) the proximity to a port is an important consideration in most export-oriented manufacturing firms' location, with more than 70% of manufactured exports in South Africa originating from a band of 100 km from an export hub; and (b) there appears to be a second band of these firms at a distance of between 200 and 400 km from the hub. Between 1996 and 2004, manufactured exports in the band between 200 km and 400 km from the nearest hub increased, suggesting either an increase in manufactured exports that depend on natural resources due to demand factors, and/or a decrease in domestic transport costs, amongst others. The second article investigates the question of the location of exporters of manufactured goods within a country. Based on insights from new trade theory, the new economic geography (NEG) and gravity-equation modelling, an empirical model is specified with agglomeration and increasing returns (the home-market effect) and transport costs (proxied by distance) as major determinants of the location decision of exporters. Data from 354 magisterial districts in South Africa are used with a variety of estimators (OLS, Tobit, RE-Tobit) and allowances for data shortcomings (bootstrapped standard errors and analytical weights) to identify the determinants of regional manufactured exports. It is found that the home-market effect (measured by the size of local GDP) and distance (measured as the distance in km to the nearest port) are significant determinants of regional manufactured exports. This article contributes to the literature by using developing country data, and by adding to the small literature on this topic. This article complements the work of Nicolini (2003) on the determinants of exports from European regions and finds that the home-market effect is relatively more important in the developing country context (South Africa), a finding consistent with theoretical NEG models such as those of Puga (1998). The third article is an empirical study of the relationship between export diversity and economic growth in a developing country context. Using export data from19 sectors within 354 sub-national (magisterial) districts of South -Africa, various measures of subnational export diversity are constructed. It is found that it is not only important how much is exported, but that it is also important what it is that is exported. Regions with less specialisation and more diversified exports generally experienced higher economic growth rates, and contributed more to overall exports from South Africa. It is also found that distance (and thus domestic transport costs) from a port is inversely related to the degree of export diversity. Estimating a cubic-spline density function for the Herfindahl index measure of export diversity, it is found that export diversity declines as the distance from a port (export hub) increases. Most magisterial districts with high export diversity values are located within 100 km of the nearest port. Furthermore, comparing the cubic-spline density functions for 1004 with those of 1996 shows that distance (domestic transport costs) has become more important since 1996 (under greater openness) with magisterial districts located further than 100 km from the ports being less diverse in 2003 than in 1996. One may speculate that a possible explanation for this changing pattern of export diversity may be the impact of greater foreign direct investment (FDI) in South Africa since 1996. / Thesis (Ph.D. (International Commerce))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007

This study sets out to investigate the causal relationship between concentration and exports in the Saudi economy, to explain the pattern of diversification over time in relation to planning periods, to examine the effectiveness of the diversification policy in achieving growth, and to consider the implications of the GCC groupings on the diversification argument. In the course of this investigation, the theoretical foundations of trade policy and economic integration are discussed and the economic features of Saudi Arabia and the GCC countries. The Saudi Government has sought to diversify the economy, and these efforts have been reinforced by greater regional integration with the GCC member countries. Yet, attempts at diversification do not appear to have produced substantial effects on the pattern of production and trade. The study employed the Gini-Hirschman coefficient to measure concentration and has related values of these coefficients to measures of fluctuations in total earnings. In addition, the study applied a proportionate contribution statistics model, which is based on the Markowitz-type model, to investigate more directly the extent to which instability in total export earnings of Saudi Arabia is related to concentration. For this purpose, the work focused on Saudi GDP, exports and markets for a period of 26 years from 1970 to 1994. The general conclusion of this study was that there is ample theoretical and practical justification for diversification policies in terms of commodity and geographic markets. When the concentration and instability measures were applied to the Saudi economy, the following were indicated: (a) while the thrust of policy is based on a widening of the composition of export products and market zones to achieve a fall in export instability, it is found instead that the level of instability has been falling in the more recent part when Gini-Hirschman coefficients indicated increasing levels of commodity concentration and decreasing levels of geographic concentration; (b) according to the results from the proportionate contribution statistic, Saudi oil exports and traditional markets contributed disproportionately to total earning instability; and, (c) the GCC market is more stable than other markets, although there are several impediments that delayed the establishment of customs union among member countries.

Nas últimas décadas, muitos países têm visto o uso automotivo de biocombustíveis como uma contribuição para soluções importantes, como aumento da eficiência energética, da flexibilidade e da diversificação das fontes de energia disponíveis; resposta à questão de segurança energética; promoção do uso de fontes energéticas renováveis e menos agressivas ao meio ambiente, especialmente com relação à necessidade de redução dos Gases de Efeito Estufa e aproveitamento das vantagens comparativas do país, com a promoção do desenvolvimento e da exportação de novas tecnologias e produtos. O Brasil é pioneiro na produção e utilização do etanol e, aliando-se ao aquecimento do mercado interno, existe a expectativa de aumento das exportações desse combustível, mantendo o Brasil como líder no mercado internacional. Este trabalho identifica e analisa os entraves que envolvem as perspectivas de exportação de etanol brasileiro, através do estudo dos potenciais mercados, seus programas de utilização do etanol combustível e suas barreiras tarifárias e não tarifárias, como as medidas protecionistas contra produtos estrangeiros, os subsídios aos produtores domésticos e as certificações, que podem retardar o estabelecimento do etanol como commodity e, ainda, impedir o seu crescimento no comércio internacional. / In recent decades, many countries have seen the use of biofuels in light vehicles as a contribution to important steps: to increase energy efficiency and the flexibility and diversification of available energy resources; to respond to the challenge of energy security; to promote the use of renewable and less environmentally harmful energy resources, especially with regard to the need to reduce GHG emissions and exploit the countrys comparative advantages; and to promote the development and export of new technologies and products. Brazil is a pioneer in the production and use of ethanol, and in addition to the expansion of its domestic market for this fuel, exports are expected to rise, so that Brazil will retain its leading position in the international market. This study identifies and analyzes future challenges to Brazilian ethanol exports by studying potential markets, their fuel ethanol programs, their tariff and non-tariff barriers, their protectionist measures against foreign products, their subsidies for domestic producers, and their certifications, which may delay the consolidation of ethanol as a commodity and impede its growth in international trade.

[pt] Este trabalho procura discutir alternativas de regimes cambiais, avaliando o comportamento da taxa de câmbio real e seus reflexos no crescimento das exportações dos países emergentes, abrangendo o período das crises cambiais e de balanço de pagamento ocorridas nesses países durante a década de 1990. A flexibilização das restrições à movimentação internacional de capitais além da maior integração nos fluxos de produção e comércio possibilitou às empresas estender suas operações em âmbito global expandindo vendas, desenvolvendo produção, estruturas e compra de insumos nos mais diversos locais. Identificar possíveis correlações entre os regimes cambiais praticados e a evolução das exportações desses países, pode constituir ferramenta útil na avaliação da decisão de investimento multinacional. / [en] The objective of this paper is to discuss alternatives of exchange rate regimes and monetary policy choices, aiming to compare behavior of the real exchange rate with growth of exports, during the period of exchange rate and balance of payments crises during the 1990´s. The international capital movements and greater integration of global production and flexibilization of trade flows, allowed corporations to operate globally, expanding purchasing, production and sales around the world. Identifying possible correlations between the choice of exchange rate regimes and the growth of exports in these countries, can be a practical tool in multinational corporate investment evaluation.

[Abstract]: This dissertation investigates how an independent Australian grain exporting SME has been able to access the Japanese market for food quality soybeans and corn. This firm has succeeded in entering this market despite entrenched competition from traditional suppliers in the USA and Canada and in the face of rigorous food safety and quality standards as required in this particular market. The research in this dissertation focuses on outlining the critical ‘enabling competencies’ that the firm and its suppliers developed in order to enter the Japanese market. A single case methodology involving multiple in-depth interviews with key stakeholders was used to provide triangulated evidence concerning the necessary and sufficient conditionsfor SME exporters to compete successfully in such mature markets, particularly in the face of entrenched competition from large scale suppliers of similar productsfrom the United States and Canada. From the data collected in this research, a model of SME internationalisation was proposed highlighting the driving forces whichstimulated the development of a set of ‘enabling competencies’ enabling successful entry into the Japanese market for food grains. This model has both practical andtheoretical implications for the development of trade between Australia and Japan in the food grain sector. In conclusion this dissertation suggests that firms with thecapacity to develop such competencies can succeed in entering enter such productmarkets.

Thesis (Ph.D. (International Commerce))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.