How Do Gender And Immigrant Background Affect A Company Owner's Decision to Engage In Direct Or Indirect Exporting?

This research focuses on understanding the effects of gender and immigrant ownership on the export behavior of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Prior studies indicate that female and male entrepreneurs have different qualities or experiences that might result in different export strategies. In addition, there is evidence that business owners with an immigrant background have export-enabling characteristics. Drawing on insights from social capital theory, I investigate the separate and joint effects of gender and immigrant background on the likelihood of SMEs to engage in direct exporting—i.e., selling goods or services directly to foreign customers—as opposed to indirect exporting—i.e., using an intermediary to sell goods or services to foreign customers—or not exporting at all. I analyzed a sample of 78 SMEs. The results show that female-majority-owned SMEs are less likely to export directly compared to male-majority-owned SMEs. Immigrant-owned SMEs are more likely to export directly, and particularly when they have male owners. Female-majority-owned SMEs’ propensity to export directly is not affected when their owners have an immigrant background. I will discuss the theoretical implications of these findings and show how they may serve as a guide to improve the design and implementation of policies targeted at immigrant export businesses.

How Do Gender And Immigrant Background Affect A Company Owner's Decision to Engage In Direct Or Indirect Exporting?

This research focuses on understanding the effects of gender and immigrant ownership on the export behavior of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Prior studies indicate that female and male entrepreneurs have different qualities or experiences that might result in different export strategies. In addition, there is evidence that business owners with an immigrant background have export-enabling characteristics. Drawing on insights from social capital theory, I investigate the separate and joint effects of gender and immigrant background on the likelihood of SMEs to engage in direct exporting—i.e., selling goods or services directly to foreign customers—as opposed to indirect exporting—i.e., using an intermediary to sell goods or services to foreign customers—or not exporting at all. I analyzed a sample of 78 SMEs. The results show that female-majority-owned SMEs are less likely to export directly compared to male-majority-owned SMEs. Immigrant-owned SMEs are more likely to export directly, and particularly when they have male owners. Female-majority-owned SMEs’ propensity to export directly is not affected when their owners have an immigrant background. I will discuss the theoretical implications of these findings and show how they may serve as a guide to improve the design and implementation of policies targeted at immigrant export businesses.

PERILAKU EKSPOR DAN PRODUKTIVITAS PADA USAHA MANUFAKTUR MIKRO DAN KECIL DI INDONESIA: PENDEKATAN MODEL LIMITED DEPENDENT

This study examines the role of productivity in explaining Indonesian micro and small manufacturing firms’ export behavior based on a firm-level dataset of micro and small manufacturing survey year 2015 (VIMK15) from Statistics Indonesia. By utilizing the Probit and Tobit model, this study analyses the role of the firm’s productivity, which is proxied by labor productivity and output to cost ratio, on determining firms’ export participation and intensity. The other factor related to productivity and firms’ characteristic is also used as control variables. This study found that labor productivity and output to cost ratio positively and significantly determine export participation and intensity even though its marginal effect plays a minor role in the export behavior. Besides, as measured by CEO education and employment training, human capital contributes a major impact on encouraging firms to participate in the export market. Therefore, providing appropriate and reasonable employee training might support Indonesian micro and small manufacturing firms’ development.