Performance of Exporters in an Emerging Economy

Abstract

This article develops a contingency framework to investigate demand and supply factors to model small and medium exporters in Dubai a fast emerging economy in the Middle East. MNL methodology is used to identify the factors that discriminate three types of exporters: increasing growth; erratic growth, and decreasing growth. Cross sectional data of 179 exporters for the period from 2000–2003 were used for the analysis. Global demand factors followed by limited local market factors and product attributes are found to statistically discriminate the three types of exporters. The study findings have implications on strategies, promotion and marketing actions, capital constraints of exporters besides policy initiative to be taken by the government and regulatory authority.