Overseas trade missions as an export development tool

Overseas trade missions provide SMEs with a privileged setting for gaining insights into foreign markets. The primary objective of overseas trade missions is to increase the flow of bilateral trade and as such, these events are often subsidized by governments. The administration of overseas trade missions varies with countries and depends on the countries' trade priorities and traditions. A paper proposes a trade mission process diagram explaining the various activities and decisions exporting SMEs are involved in prior, during and after trade mission participation. Interviews with executives suggest that specific performance objectives are set prior to the missions and relevant information is gathered during the whole process.