A model of factors affecting export performance of rice and coffee exporters in Vietnam

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to define and measure the key factors affecting the export performance of riceand coffee of some companaies Viet Nam. Results drawn from this study propose some implications for rice-exporting firms and coffee-exporting firms to increase their export performance. The article uses both qualitative and quantitative research methods The former was conducted in two phases by means of focusing on group discussions: the first group discussion involved 10 chief executive officers (05 rice-exporting firms, and 05 coffee-exporting firms) to explore factors that affect the export performance, the second one was conducted with another 10 chief executive officers (05 rice-exporting firms, and 05 coffee-exporting firms) to refine the observational variables of research concepts (based on the findings of the first focus group). And the latter was conducted through interviews with 232 owner/export managers (from rice-exporting firms, and coffee-exporting firms) in Viet Nam. The results show that: (i) export performance is affected by marketing strategies, management characteristics, domestic market characteristics, and foreign market characteristics; and export barriers; and (ii) marketing strategies are affected by management characteristics, and foreign market characteristics. However, the research has some certain limitations: (i) the sample size only consisted of rice-exporting firms and coffee-exporting firms, (ii) The sampling technique of the study is the convenience sampling.