The Export Orientation of Canadian Female Entrepreneurs in New Brunswick

Abstract

Compares exporting and non‐exporting female entrepreneurs regarding their information about export markets, their perceptions of the usefulness of export market information and the helpfulness of government export stimulation programmes. Identifies the formats which women entrepreneurs believe to be most helpful in obtaining information about exporting their products and services. Results suggest that, in New Brunswick, the majority of female entrepreneurs do not export their products and services. Furthermore, they do not plan to enter the export market in the future. Their businesses, are for the most part, small, non‐technology‐based, labour intensive, or cottage‐craft industries. They are relatively new, with few employees, and have low annual sales revenues. However, they also have low overhead expenses and the owners have the freedom to co‐ordinate their business activities around their family life and responsibilities. These findings suggest that, rather than export stimulation programmes, the majority of female entrepreneurs in New Brunswick are more interested in and would benefit more, at this time, from product or service quality improvement programmes. They want to learn more about the characteristics of their local domestic market in order to penetrate those markets further. Likewise, most female‐owned (non‐exporting) businesses in New Brunswick need to be brought to a level of “export readiness”. Finally, those few female entrepreneurs who are exporting need access to market intelligence, information on how to improve their exporting strategies and tactics, and on how to maintain the competitive edge in world markets.