Export Market Orientation Small and Medium Size Business as A Case Study of Erbil Northern Iraq

The objective of this research is to determine if there is significant relationship between export market orientation (EMO) and export performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Erbil northern Iraq. Quantitative survey method was employed and data were collected from 40 exporting SMEs registered with the Federation of Erbil Manufacturers. Regression analysis, one sample t-test and many other statistics analysis was used to test the relationship between export performance as a dependent variable and export market orientation such as “ intelligence generation , intelligence_ dissemination , responsiveness coordinating _mechanism” an independent variable. The finding emphasizes the importance of developing EMO among the owner/managers of SMEs for their success. Those owner/managers that adopt EMO activities in their firms would gain in terms of competitive advantage over their rivals and reap higher export performance... The study limitations and implications are discussed as well as a number of directions for further research.