Title: Determining the foreign market potential for Iranian sporting goods

Authors: Mohammad Rasoul Khodadadi; Geoff Dickson; Adel Shomali; Roghayeh Sarlab

Addresses: Tabriz University, 29 Bahman Blvd., Tabriz, 5166616471, Iran ' La Trobe University, Plenty Rd & Kingsbury Dr, Bundoora VIC 3086, Australia ' Tabriz University, 29 Bahman Blvd., Tabriz, 5166616471, Iran ' Tabriz University, 29 Bahman Blvd., Tabriz, 5166616471, Iran

Abstract: The selection of export markets is a difficult choice. There is a plethora of international markets, but some will be more attractive than others. This study determines the foreign market potential for Iranian sporting goods. Using secondary data obtained from the United Nations, we used both screening and numerical taxonomy approaches. The two approaches produced divergent findings. The screening approach identified China, Bulgaria, the USA, Canada and Panama as the best export target markets. In contrast, the numerical taxonomy approaches indicated Panama, Australia, Macao and Singapore as the best export markets. Given the size and likely growth of the global sporting goods industry, there is a potential for Iran to access more of this global demand. However, to do this Iran must overcome economic sanctions, inflation, a poor national brand, fluctuating exchange rates, and political instability.

Keywords: international market selection; foreign market selection; numerical taxonomy; screening; foreign markets; export markets.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2020.110960

International Journal of Business Excellence, 2020 Vol.22 No.3, pp.418 - 429

Received: 31 Jan 2019
Accepted: 25 Apr 2019

Published online: 03 Nov 2020 *

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