AbstractPurpose – The purpose of th

Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to help exporting companies to increase the performance of their
exporting activities through collecting sound export information and using it effectively. Specifically, the
research objective is to determine the effects of the export information sources, information types, export
research methods and the way the export information is used within the company on the measures of
export company performance, namely export sales, export growth and export profitability.
Design/methodology/approach – The study focuses on the above objectives and aims at
enlightening them by testing some hypotheses. A structured questionnaire was sent to 350 Turkish
exporting companies through the mail, and 102 responses were received.
Findings – The research determined that companies collect export information from different
sources and use it for various purposes in their decision making. The research also clearly indicated
that the differences in export information sources and information types employed, and information
usage in decision making, have different effects on their export performance, mainly measured in
terms of sales, market share and profitability.
Originality/value – Although some of the studies in the literature have focused specifically, and in a
piecemeal fashion, on the determination, acquisition and utilization of export information into export
information systems, there is a lack of studies integrating all the elements into export marketing
information systems and investigating the effects of companies’ export marketing information
systems on company performance. The paper tries to bring all the elements of the export information
system in a model and tests the effects of the export information elements on export performance. It is
hoped that, the findings will help managers and policy makers