Perceptions of Export Barriers and Cultural Issues: The SME E-Commerce Experience

Studies have shown that smalland medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have embraced E-Commerce to strengthen their competitive position. In the case of SMEs engaging in export activities, the Internet is supposed to be useful in reaching out to international markets. In this paper, we discuss findings from a study comparing Australian and UK small exporters’ perception of export barriers and the impact of E-Commerce. In addition, we highlight how exporters might be faced with cultural issues during the process of marketing internationally across different cultures, by examining factors within an export philosophy framework. We conclude that the perception of barriers and how effectively the Internet can help to break down such barriers differs between Australian and UK SMEs. Also, different approaches to addressing cultural differences based on the firm’s export philosophy could be found among Australian exporters.