Identifying the factors determining the export performance of small and medium companies: A Mix Method Study

Exporting companies operate in an unpredictable environment that is associated with the development of technology and intense competition associated with the globalization of economic activities. Exports play an important role in the trade balance of countries, especially in times of crisis, the level of employment and generally improving the standard of living. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically consider the challenges faced by the exporting companies and the measures they should take to be more successful. The purpose of this research is practical and it has identified the key factors that determine the export performance of small and medium companies. The present research was carried out with a mixed approach (a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods), using thematic analysis, Max Quda software, structural equations, and SmartPLS and Mikmak software.The tools of data collection are interviews and questionnaires, and the sampling method in the qualitative part is purposeful judgment and in the quantitative part, it is simple random. The statistical population included 20 managers of the organization in the qualitative section and70 export experts in thequantitative section. n the qualitative section, 7 main categories of export strategy, managers' skills, financial resources, innovation, company size, external environment and international experience commitment and 21 concepts were identified.The results showed that the factors of export strategy, innovation and experience commitment have a very high influence on other factors, the skill factor is considered as one of the effective factors.The factors of financial resources, external environment and company size are independent from other factors.