Export performance: success determinants for New Zealand manufacturing exporters

A large and representative sample of New Zealand manufacturing exporters is used to empirically test and validate the model of export performance proposed by Aaby and Slater. A 20‐item additive export performance scale, based on both objective and subjective measures, is formulated and found to be reliable and normally distributed. A set of independent variables proposed by Aaby and Slater is operationalised, along with an additional marketing orientation construct based on a ten item scale. A firm size control measure is also utilised. A factor analysis of the independent variable set identifies an interpretable sub‐set of independent measures. Using a multiple regression model, six of seven independent variables are found to have a significant effect on export performance as the dependent variable, and in the hypothesised direction. Implications of the findings for exporters are discussed.