Oral Presentations - Session 1A: UC 326
MWTC TRADE MISSIONS
Presentation Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Klaus Uhlenbruck
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Management and Marketing
Abstract / Artist's Statement
There are many reasons why companies don’t export, including lack of market knowledge and uncertainty over foreign regulations. Trade missions are designed to help companies overcome some of these obstacles. While previous export research has focused on determinants of export success or the effectiveness of export promotion programs, this research examines factors that contribute to export success for companies participating specifically in trade missions organized by world trade centers. Through a survey administered by the author to past participants of Montana World Trade Center trade missions, this study analyzes four separate factors and their role in the success of a trade mission: prior export knowledge, market-specific knowledge, follow-up activities, and the services provided by a world trade center. The success of a mission is measured in both objective and perceptual terms, including the number of business contacts made, growth in export sales, and the degree to which a firm’s objectives for participating in the mission were met. The results of this study will indicate what services a world trade center can offer to improve the export performance of participants in trade missions. In addition, the results will allow the Montana World Trade Center to measure the value of the services it offers to its clients.
Category
Social Sciences
MWTC TRADE MISSIONS
UC 326
There are many reasons why companies don’t export, including lack of market knowledge and uncertainty over foreign regulations. Trade missions are designed to help companies overcome some of these obstacles. While previous export research has focused on determinants of export success or the effectiveness of export promotion programs, this research examines factors that contribute to export success for companies participating specifically in trade missions organized by world trade centers. Through a survey administered by the author to past participants of Montana World Trade Center trade missions, this study analyzes four separate factors and their role in the success of a trade mission: prior export knowledge, market-specific knowledge, follow-up activities, and the services provided by a world trade center. The success of a mission is measured in both objective and perceptual terms, including the number of business contacts made, growth in export sales, and the degree to which a firm’s objectives for participating in the mission were met. The results of this study will indicate what services a world trade center can offer to improve the export performance of participants in trade missions. In addition, the results will allow the Montana World Trade Center to measure the value of the services it offers to its clients.