Understanding Distributors’ Purchase Criteria in International Industrial Markets: Differences between High-Involvement and Low-Involvement Exporters

Understanding the elements driving the import decision making process is of major importance to the establishment and development of exporting activities. Nevertheless, a relatively small number of studies have dealt with the issue of import decision variables. The primary focus of this paper is an investigation of potential differences in perceptions of import decision variables between importers and two different exporter groups in terms of export involvement, within the context of a specific industrial product category. Firms involved in relatively high levels of exporting appeared to have developed a better understanding of those elements influencing the import decision of their overseas distributors, in comparison with low-involvement exporters. Managerial and public policy implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research directions are outlined.