THE PRICING OF EXPORT PRODUCTS - WHY ARENT MANAGERS SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS

When it comes to pricing, many exporters do not have the tools necessa ry to compete in their overseas markets. Despite warnings from a serie s of scholars and managers, many exporters continue to base their pric ing approaches simply on costs, without committing the resources neces sary to accumulate and utilize market and competition related informat ion. Through the use of qualitative interviews and the responses of a mail survey of U.S. exporters, this study attempts to understand why m anagers continue to neglect the potential weapon of competitive pricin g in their exporting operations. The relative importance of pricing as compared to other international marketing decision variables is discu ssed, as are the tools for effective pricing strategies that managers themselves believe are lacking within their firms. The study is design ed to identify problematic areas which may be alleviated to enhance ex port pricing effectiveness.