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Abstract

The integration of selected west-European countries into a single market has caused concerns about U.S. exporters’ access to the new European market. This article examines strategic export planning for the European market of small U.S. exporters in manufacturing industries on the basis of the strategic market planning framework developed by Abell and Hammond (1979). The proposed model incorporates market attractiveness as a predictor variable in addition to more traditional company background variables in examining export planning status of small U.S. exporters. Findings of a survey conducted in a Midwestern state among active exporters of manufactured goods demonstrate how company characteristics and market attractiveness are related to export planning status. Most exporting manufacturers have responded actively to changes in the European market by completing and enacting strategic export plans. Factors that influence exporters’ strategic export planning behavior are entry barriers, changes in European market characteristics, company size, exporting experience, and primary export target markets.

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Attractiveness of the New European Market to Small U.S. Exporters

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