What Makes Export Co-Operation Tick? Analysing the Role of Commitment in Finnish Export Circles

SUMMARY The objective of this study was to find out whether partner commitment to export co-operation leads to a higher degree of success. A distinction was made between commitment to internationalisation, to co-operation, and to the group, and the role of these factors in successful co-operation was examined. A Finnish promotion programme–export circles–was selected as the focus of the study. All of the participant firms from the years 1998–2002 were contacted in autumn 2003, and the majority of them agreed to take part: the response rate was 75 per cent. The findings indicate that the different types of commitment are related to success in export co-operation, particularly in terms of the achievement of financial objectives and the impact on the internationalisation process.