Beyond duty‐free access: export readiness assessment for Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ) apparel companies

Abstract

PurposeA project was launched in December 2005 to assess the export readiness of Egyptian apparel companies registered for the Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ) protocol, a market access agreement between Egypt, the USA and Israel. The main objective of the project is to gain a better understanding of those companies, their nature, their capabilities and their potential to export.Design/methodology/approachAn export readiness score is introduced to determine the export maturity of the QIZ apparel companies. A structure questionnaire was designed to measure the company's ability to address the various requirements of exporting. Furthermore, a brief tour of the facilities was used to assess health and safety measures, and to validate the data.FindingsThe export maturity is classified into four stages, and it was found that on average companies in the same export readiness maturity stage exhibit similar strengths and weaknesses.Practical implicationsThis finding enables the development of upgrading policies to improve the export capabilities of companies according to their stage of maturity.Originality/valueThe paper presents an export readiness score that enables top management of each company and upgrading organizations to target the areas that will result in improving the score, and thus the export capability of the companies.