The barriers of export in microenterprises

Abstract

Microenterprises represent the overwhelming majority of businesses and are essential enablers of renewal and sustainable growth. Only a small fraction of micro-sized firms is involved in international activities. Despite this fact, little is known about what prevents microenterprises from starting exports. This study bridges this gap by studying export barriers from the perspective of the managers of microenterprises through the following research question: what are the barriers to export perceived by the managers of microenterprises This multiple-case study answers the research question by analysing the barriers to export in ten Finnish microenterprises. A framework of export barriers (Leonidou, 2004) was devised in this analysis. This study provided an in-depth analysis of export barriers in a microenterprise context, and the findings underscore informational, functional, marketing, and environmental barriers as central to microenterprise exports.