The Influence of Export Experience and Export Information Use on Export Knowledge and Performance

The objective of this study is to test empirical relationships between export experience, export market information use, export knowledge, and export performance. In this respect we have developed a model that was presented previously by Toften (2005). To test the model we collected data from 158 top factory managers/owners in the Iranian dried fruit industry, mainly consisting of a number of small and medium-sized firms with a strong export dependency. Confirmatory factor analysis, LISREL 8.50 was used. The findings indicate that export experience positively affects both "instrumental/conceptual" use of information and export knowledge but doesn't affect export performance. "Instrumental/conceptual" use of information also is found to positively affect both export knowledge and export performance. Export knowledge is found to have direct influence on export performance in this study.