International Journal of Export Marketing (5 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Drivers of entrepreneurial start-ups and challenges on start-ups success: implications for entrepreneurial education in Ghana  
  by Daniel Komla Gameti, Isaac Nana Akuffo 
  Abstract: The need for entrepreneurial education has become essential in Ghana due to the increasing number of graduate unemployment. As a result, we explored the factors that drive start-up success, start-up challenges, and their implications for entrepreneurial education in Ghana. We sampled 323 SMEs from different sectors in Ghana using convenient sampling. The study employed a survey design and a quantitative research approach. We analysed the data with exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression. The findings showed that personal freedom and knowledge acquired through entrepreneurial education are the major drivers that positively influence start-up success. We also found that start-ups with more full-time employees tend to experience more success than start-ups with more part-time employees. The study further observed that the challenges faced by start-ups play a significant positive role in their success. Finally, we found that entrepreneurs’ level of education positively influences the critical success factors of start-ups. Therefore, government and entrepreneurship curriculum designers in Ghana must consider the drivers of start-ups to enhance entrepreneurship education and training in Ghana. Discussion of findings, limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed below.
  Keywords: drivers of start-ups; entrepreneurial start-ups; entrepreneurial education; Ghana; challenges of start-ups; start-up success; critical success factors.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJEXPORTM.2023.10058310
   
  
• Informal institutional void and female entrepreneurship in emerging economies: a comparative analysis among physical and online female entrepreneurs  
  by Sanjida Islam Tondra, Jannatul Ferdous Bristy, Md. Rubel Hasan Bappy, Tarun Kanti Bose 
  Abstract: Women in developing, emerging, and third world countries often encounter discriminatory attitudes and face informal institutional voids when engaging in entrepreneurial activities. This issue is particularly relevant for traditional women entrepreneurs who operate in physical platforms. However, in recent years, there has been a significant increase in online business activities. Against this backdrop, the aim of this study is to assess the impact of informal institutional voids on female entrepreneurs in emerging and developing countries. To achieve this objective, a quantitative study was conducted using structured questionnaires, targeting female entrepreneurs (online and physical platform). The study employed descriptive statistics and comparative analysis to present the findings. The results indicate that online women entrepreneurs encounter more normative barriers, whereas physical entrepreneurs have to contend with more cognitive challenges. Furthermore, the outcomes suggest that as women attain higher levels of education, they become less susceptible to these institutional voids. In addition to these findings, this study has made three significant theoretical contributions and offers several policy recommendations aimed at fostering the development and sustainability of female entrepreneurship in these contexts.
  Keywords: female entrepreneurs; emerging economies; institutional voids.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJEXPORTM.2023.10059541
   
  
• Micro credit and rural poverty alleviation in emerging economy: the role of entrepreneurship  
  by Md Al-Amin Mollah, Tze Cheng Chew, Tarun Kanti Bose 
  Abstract: Rural poverty alleviation in emerging economies (EE) poses a significant challenge due to the prevailing economic and social conditions in these regions. Microcredit programs have been widely used as a mechanism to address both social and economic issues in these contexts. Entrepreneurship is closely associated with poverty alleviation and has potential impacts on the social and economic aspects of rural areas in EE countries. This study aims to evaluate the role of entrepreneurship as both a contributing factor and a moderator. Quantitative investigations and survey data were used to test hypotheses. Our findings indicate that entrepreneurship plays a significant mediating role but insignificant moderating roles in the relationship between microcredit and poverty alleviation. This study provides theoretical and practical implications based on these results.
  Keywords: micro credit; rural poverty; entrepreneurship; emerging economies.
  
  
• Chinese parents attitudes and purchase intentions of childrens functional foods  
  by Minna Rollins, Agnieszka Chwialkowska, Tiina Shen 
  Abstract: Introducing functional foods to new markets can be challenging. This is especially challenging when functional foods are targeted at children. This study investigates the factors influencing Chinese parents’ attitudes toward functional foods and their purchasing intentions. As Chinese families are often multigenerational, we also explore the grandparents’ influence on parents’ decisions to buy functional foods. We draw constructs from the theory of planned behaviour and the health belief model. Survey data was collected in China from the parents of children 12 years and younger. We divided our sample into male and female samples. Our findings suggest that subjective norms and perceived benefits positively affect parents’ attitudes toward functional foods, and parents’ purchasing intentions are positively affected by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived benefits. Surprisingly, grandparents play little role in influencing these decisions, even in multigenerational households. Our study bears important implications for marketers of functional foods for children in the Chinese market.
  Keywords: functional foods; family decision making; consumer behaviour; attitudes; China.
  
  
• Small business internationalisation to emerging markets: export training innovation for Swiss SMEs  
  by Philippe Régnier 
  Abstract: About one third of Swiss SMEs are internationalised, mainly through exports and investments withing the OECD group of industrialised countries. Due to various domestic and external competitiveness factors, a rising number of these SMEs try to diversify their sales to emerging markets, especially to the most attractive and fast-growing ones in the Asia and Pacific region. Compared to other European SMEs, Swiss SMEs are no exception in terms of facing limited internal resources to cope with various barriers and risks to access export opportunities in emerging economies. In this context, an innovative tailored-made coaching and training program has been designed and tested in 2019-2023 to support Swiss SME exports to Asian emerging markets. In a first part, this article reviews various international business management theories dealing with SME internationalisation, and export capacities in particular. Then, internationalisation data is analysed based on Swiss SME tri-annual surveys published in 2016-2023. Finally, the article provides a methodological and analytical review of the 2020-2023 design and testing of an innovative coaching and training program promoting public-private business development services tailored for Swiss SME export needs to explore and reach Asian emerging markets.
  Keywords: SME export training; access to distant markets; Asian emerging markets.