The purpose of this article is to test empirically the hypothesis that managers of small firms are less export-oriented than those of larger firms. Testing was done by using data gathered by the author through personal interviews and a structured questionnaire from a sample of Canadian manufacturing firms which comprised exporters and non-exporters of various size. The results showed substantial similarity between small and large firms in terms of both managerial export-orientation and actual export involvement (exports as a ratio of total sales) of sample firms. Some proable reasons explaining this finding are given in the concluding section.
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References
1.
O.E.C.D., Export Marketing Groups for Small and Medium-Sized Firms (Paris: O.E.C.D., 1964), particularly Chapter 1.
2.
MorganFrank, “Little Guys & Trade: Export-Managing Firms Help Small Businesses Gain Markets Abroad,”The Wall Street Journal (September 8, 1965), reprinted in John K. Ryans, Jr., and James C. Baker, World Marketing (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1967), pp. 312-316.
3.
CharlesworthHarold, “The Uncertain Future of Small Firms: Can This Picture Be Changed?”MSU Business Topics (Spring, 1970).
4.
SteinmatzLawrence L.., Managing The Small Business (Homewood, Ill.: Richard D. Irwin, 1968), Chapter 1.
5.
CyertRichard M., and MarchJames G., A Behavioral Theory of the Firm (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1963). See Chapter 6 for a summary of the main concepts.
