1. Welcome
1.1 For Sunfoods
1.2 For the Academic Reader
2. The Abstract
3. Thesis Introduction
3.1. The Aim
3.2. Research Background
3.3. The Research Topics
3.4. The Targeted Audience
3.5. Disposition
4. Research Method
4.1. The Constructive Research Method
4.2. The Research Process
4.3. Information Gathering
4.4. Export Guide and Questionnaire Construction
4.5. Analysis Method, Conclusions and Thesis Presentation
4.6. The Broad Scope of the Thesis
5. The Export Guide
5.1 Export Guide Presentation
-page 1
-page 2
5.2. Export Readiness
5.3. Trade Condition
5.4. Foreign Market Analysis
6. Questionnaire
6.1. Questionnaire Presentation
6.2. Export Readiness
6.3. Trade Condition
6.4. Foreign Market Analysis
7. Research Results
7.1. Export Readiness
7.2. Trade Condition
7.3. Foreign Market Analysis
8. Discussion
8.1. Export Readiness
8.2. Trade Condition
8.3. Foreign Market Analysis
9. Conclusions
9.1. Export Readiness
9.2. Trade Condition
9.3. Foreign Market Analysis
9.4. The Next Step
10. Supplements
10.1. Site Map
10.2. Glossary
10.3. The Complete Interview
10.4. Acknowledgements
10.5. Sources
5.1 Export Guide Presentation (page 2)
5.1.2 The Export Guide in Context
The Export Guide suggests that export research that can be carried out from the home country at a low cost, should be performed first. It may be advisable that the company continues into one of the more expensive steps that may follow the Export Guide, only if the Export Guide's inexpensive research gives positive indications regarding the export venture. The model has thus been constructed to prevent the company from wasting of valuable resources on expensive foreign research where basic low-cost research might indicate that the fundamental conditions do not permit a profitable business enterprise. In this section of the thesis, some possible routes that export-planning processes might take are illustrated. However, export planning processes are dynamic and depend on the nature of each export project.(www.unzco.com/basicguide/c1.html) The aim of this description is therefore not to give an exclusive picture of the viable courses of export planning. Rather, this description is meant to give a picture of where the thesis belongs in context.
The Export Guide is meant to serve as a guide to the initial stage of an export planning process, but host market selection is not included in the Export Guide even though this can be seen as the first step of an export planning process. The reason behind this is that the targeted host country is predetermined for Sunfoods� export venture. However, it is possible to claim that the attractiveness of a host market depend not only on the market itself but also on company specific aspects and the trade relationship between the home country and the host country. Thus, by comparing Export Guide based research concerning different host markets, the Export Guide could also be used as a tool for host market selection.
If the Export Guide research gives negative indications regarding the export venture, further research may be carried out and different products and host markets may be studied. The firm may give up the export venture or try to improve the situation and adapt to the difficulties of the export venture. For example, if the research indicates that the company is not ready to export, the corporation may need to consider what can be done to achieve export readiness.
If the Export Guide based research gives positive indications the export planning process may precede according to a number of routes. Some businesses might choose to rely entirely on the Export Guide research, other companies might choose to carry out further research, send a trial shipment etc. The chosen route may depend on how positive the results of the Export Guide research is, on the firm�s available resources, the management�s risk tolerance, the cost of carrying out research, the size of the export venture and other factors. The thesis merely performs export planning within the boundaries of the Export Guide. To which extent Sunfoods should perform export planning is not discussed in the paper as this is considered to be outside the boundaries of the thesis. The significance of the thesis for Sunfoods export planning process is thereby left to the management of Sunfoods to decide.
