Export barriers for SMEs from emerging market: A model of analysis for non-tech companies

Abstract

This research seeks to enrich the existing theories by analyzing what are the barriers affecting the export process of small and medium-sized non-tech companies in emerging markets, while simultaneously examining the relationship between internal and external barriers in this context. Non-tech companies are characterized by little knowledge and limited resources. How could this kind of company reach the global market? What barriers hinder the exporting process the most? A confirmatory factor analysis was carried out, and the validated model based on 71 responses obtained was adjusted in a selected sector. The results suggest that the governmental and sociocultural barriers are the most significant from the perspective of external barriers, while market barriers and the manager’s personal dimensions have greater significance from the perspective of internal barriers. Our paper offers a theoretical contribution by developing a measurement model (a) testing the existing barriers simultaneously with the managerial/entrepreneurial barriers and with (b) the focus on non-tech firms. For practitioners, the identification of barriers can be useful to foster specific actions in terms of public policies, in addition to internal actions focused on the development of the managers’ capacities.