How export marketing research affects company export performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to help exporting companies to increase the performance of their exporting activities through collecting sound export information and using it effectively. Specifically, the research objective is to determine the effects of the export information sources, information types, export research methods and the way the export information is used within the company on the measures of export company performance, namely export sales, export growth and export profitability. Design/methodology/approach – The study focuses on the above objectives and aims at enlightening them by testing some hypotheses. A structured questionnaire was sent to 350 Turkish exporting companies through the mail, and 102 responses were received. Findings – The research determined that companies collect export information from different sources and use it for various purposes in their decision making. The research also clearly indicated that the differences in export information sources and information types employed, and information usage in decision making, have different effects on their export performance, mainly measured in terms of sales, market share and profitability. Originality/value – Although some of the studies in the literature have focused specifically, and in a piecemeal fashion, on the determination, acquisition and utilization of export information into export information systems, there is a lack of studies integrating all the elements into export marketing information systems and investigating the effects of companies' export marketing information systems on company performance. The paper tries to bring all the elements of the export information system in a model and tests the effects of the export information elements on export performance. It is hoped that, the findings will help managers and policy makers.