Effects of Export Assistance and Distributor Support on the Performance of SMEs The Case of Portuguese Export Ventures

The presumed effect of export assistance programmes and distributor support on the export performance of SMEs, though intuitively rational, has not been tested or validated in any systematic fashion in the export literature. To address this issue the authors develop a new model, which integrates these two constructs as critical variables affecting export performance. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to test hypotheses. The research findings, which are based on a survey of 287 senior managers responsible for international markets, suggest that export assistance programmes and distributor support are significant determinants of export performance. Implications of these findings along with the limitations of the study are discussed.