Firm Factors and Export Performance of Manufacturing SMEs in Uganda

In most developing counties, the share of manufactured exports remains low, estimated at under 4 percent. With over 90% of the Ugandan economy comprising Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), understanding the phenomenon of poor export performance calls for examination of SMEs involved in export manufacturing. This work provides results and discussion of the effect of firm factors, notably, firm characteristics, firm competencies, entrepreneurial orientation, export marketing strategy on export performance of SMEs in Uganda as a study context. Through a combination of both quantitative and qualitative approaches, the book presents nine factors that together account for 75% of export performance of SMEs in Uganda. The results and recommendations of this work are useful to both academia and business managers. To the academia, we provide evidence of exporting mechanics as well as methodological techniques that have previously challenged students and faculty alike. To the practitioners, particularly the policy makers and managers, this work provides evidence and demystifies the critical success factors for SMEs in export business from a developing country context.