The aim of this study is to examine the export barriers that impede the export performance of Greek firms nowadays, in an era of global recession.
Reviewing the literature and using expert opinions, a number of the most commonly cited barriers were selected for examination. A semi-structured questionnaire was developed and in depth personal interviews were undertaken with the export managers involved in the manufacturing and trading food industry. The respondents provided important information about the current situation of their companies and their predictions about the future of exports in Greece. Further on, these data were compared with latest data studies concerning the export barriers that have a greater impact on firms’ export performance.
The main findings regarding important factors that affect exporters were the following: 1. high transportation and insurance costs, 2. high competition in foreign markets, 3. foreign currency exchange fluctuations, 4. limited financial resources for development in foreign markets 5. difficulty in creating new products for international markets and 6. difficulty in matching competitors’ prices. This research adds to existing knowledge at the theoretical level by highlighting the most important barriers, while managerially, it will help Greek exporters to identify the obstacles that hinder their exporting activity in order to improve their position in the world map.
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