A Conceptual Framework of Export Marketing Information Use: Key Issues and Research Propositions

Abstract

Information use within an export setting has been neglected in most studies’ they focus instead on the acquisition of information rather than its use. Knowledge use as a topic, however, has been under investigation in the social sciences since the mid-1970s. Various conceptualizations have been developed, and emphasis has been placed upon the multidimensional nature of knowledge use. This article reviews the literatures on export information and general knowledge use, and integrates them into a model of export information use. Specifically, different types of information use are distinguished, their antecedents are identified, and their effect on export decision making and ultimate export success is indicated. A number of propositions to guide further research are also developed.