Clustering and export decision process: A survey in textile cluster in Bursa

The aim of this study is to investigate the factors affecting export decision process within clustering literature. For this aim; first export process of exporting firms was examined and the reasons for not exporting in non-exporting firms were investigated. Field research is preferably carried out in Bursa textile cluster, which is considered to provide the advantages of clustering mentioned in the literature, to the firms at maximum level. A survey poll is applied to 246 firms in this region, and differences between exporting and non-exporting firms on factors affecting export decision process were investigated. Advantages and services benefited by the firms located in the cluster are put forward and opinions of the firms about being in the region are evaluated. In the analysis of the study, the normal distribution of the variables was assessed by Single Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The differences among groups were examined by Mann-Whitney U test and the relations between variables were assessed by non-parametric Spearman Correlation Coefficient. Statistically significant differences between exporting and non-exporting firms among various variables were detected in the study. Key Words: export decision process, export, clustering, textile cluster, Bursa