The EXPERF Scale: A Cross-National Generalized Export Performance Measure

10 Understanding the determinants of export performance is important for researchers as well as international marketing practitioners. Yet, there has been a lack of consensus with regard to the concept of export performance and its measurement. In addition, there has been no attempt to develop a generalized measure of export performance that can be applied to across cultures. Zou, Taylor, and Osland's research is aimed at developing a cross-culturally generalized scale, the EXPERF scale, for conceptualizing and measuring export performance. Drawing on prior literature, the authors hypothesize that the EXPERF scale has three major dimensions: (1) financial export performance; (2) strategic export performance; and (3) perceived export success. Each of these dimensions is associated with a major way in which managers assess the level of success attained by an export venture. The financial dimension of the scale captures the fact that many managers assess an export venture's success based on measures such as sales level, growth, and profitability. The strategic dimension reflects managers' consideration of long-run factors such as the venture's impact on the firms' competitiveness, strategic position, and global market share. Finally, the export success dimension captures the managers' assessment of the overall success of the venture in terms of level of satisfaction, perceptions of success, and whether or not the venture has lived up to expectations.