ANALYSIS OF DETERMINANTS AND MEASURES OF COFFEE EXPORT PERFORMANCE FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS (2010/11-2014/15): IN THE CASE OF ETHIOPIAN GRAIN TRADE ENTERPRISE

Abstract

Exporting plays a crucial role in accelerating the growth and profitability of firms. The main objective of the study was assessing the determinants and measures of coffee export performance in the case of Ethiopian Grain Trade Enterprise at firm level for the last five years/2003-2007 E.C./. The research was conducted by collected relevant and pertinent primary data and secondary data from key staff members of EGTE through questionnaires and also with four top management in depth interview conducted to address the critical and most important issues related with the area. 383 EGTE’s top management as well as other staff members of was taken as the population. The researcher was taken 130 sample respondents by using the purposive non probability sampling method due to the availability and accessibility of the respondents for the researcher. The study used descriptive statistics. The study also testing seven hypotheses with related to the determinants and measures of coffee export performance. The findings of the study found that the three internal environment factors: export marketing strategy, firm characteristics, management characteristics as well as the two external environment factors: foreign market characteristics and domestic market characteristics have great impact on the enterprise export performance. In addition, the overall internal and external environment factors positively affected the enterprise’s export performance. Therefore, management of the enterprise should see the possibility to use cost leadership strategy, strengthen to use the advantage of government agency support, emphasis to conduct further research on the area, work on export manager in order to have most up to date market information, see the possibilities to use trade events, give emphasis for export marketing strategy.