Use and non‐use of export information: Some preliminary insights into antecedents and impact on export performance

Abstract

Export information use has seldom, in the past, been the focus of empirical study. As a result, very little is known about the construct itself or its influences and outcomes. Among the factors believed to affect export information use, decision‐makers’ awareness of export information sources play a vital role since this awareness tends to reflect the amount of information collected and thus available for use. Another crucial antecedent factor to the export information use construct is the extent to which export decision‐makers experience information overload. Furthermore, the main outcome of export information use is believed to be the latter's effect on export performance. This paper thus seeks to shed some light on the use versus non‐use of export information and its relationship with: (1) awareness of export information sources; (2) export information overload; (3) export information acquisition modes; and (4) export performance.