Welcome
The Abstract
Thesis Introduction
The Aim
Background to the Research Topics
The Research Topics
The Targeted Audience
Disposition
Research Approach
The Thesis in Context
Export Guide Construction
Questionnaire Construction
Information Gathering
The Export Guide
Introduction to the Export Guide
Export Guide Overview
Export Readiness
Trade Condition
Foreign Market Analysis
Questionnaire
Research Results
Export Readiness
Trade Condition
Foreign Market Analysis
Discussion
Export Readiness
Trade Condition
Foreign Market Analysis
Conclusion
Export Readiness
Trade Condition
Foreign Market Analysis
The Next Step
Supplements
Introduction to Sunfoods and Konnyaku-Chips
Site Map
The Complete Interview Answers
Glossary
Sources
Information Gathering
Export Planning-, Country- and Trade Information
A substantial part of the information used in the thesis stem from the Internet. This holds true for general export planning data as well as country- and trade related research data. Mainly websites concerning export provided by a number of governments have been utilized. A perceivable risk concerning information made available by governments is that the information may be colored by political factors such as trade relationships. However, by referring to information provided by several agencies it should be possible to decrease the impact of political factors and other issues that might color the information. The Internet may be said to enable researches to do this from the home country:'For the first time ever[because of Internet], an exporter has the opportunity to transcend his or her nationality. International traders no longer have to rely primarily on information and contact pre-screened by their own government.'(www.howtoconquertheworld.com/research2.htm)
Information Regarding Sunfoods
Information about Sunfoods is gathered through Sunfoods' official homepage, from company brochures and through interviews with the company. All the information regarding Sunfoods comes from the company itself and the source can be claimed to be biased. However considering that the thesis primary is written for Sunfoods it might be considered less likely that the company would provide information, which is not accurate, as this would give them a less accurate export research result. The interview, which is based on the questionnaires first section, has been performed using a tape recorder. To avoid overlooking information that fall outside the inquiries of the questionnaire, comments regarding the questions and the related areas have been encouraged. The interview took place in Japanese and because the fist language of the author of the thesis is not Japanese, language barriers may be seen as a weakness of the interview. However, to avoid misunderstandings a written copy of the interview questions was presented to the interviewed person in Japanese and a native Japanese speaker revised this translation prior to the interview.