Value vs Magnitude: Distinguishing Information Sources That Contribute to Malaysian Exporters’ Promotion Competency

Firms venturing abroad understand and rarely deny the significant role that information plays in export promotion. Nevertheless, the common misconception that can potentially threaten the business judgment of most exporters is that ‘the more information you know, the better it is for your firm’. Unbeknownst to them, it is the value (and not magnitude) of information that will contribute to the success of a firm’s ventures. In this paper, the authors attempt to illuminate if not identify the specific information sources providing valuable information that can successfully distinguish between high and low competency exporters. Data was derived from 104 Malaysian firms exporting to China and Asean nations. Results from the discriminant analysis revealed 9 information sources which can determine the competency level of an exporting firm. The findings are further elaborated in this paper.