Reference no: EM132947652

Government support organisations such as 'overseas trade development organisations', although available, are perceived by many exporters as too costly and of no great help because they lack the detailed knowledge to match the products with customers or suitable distributors. Many SMEs reported that they can neither afford nor rely on them as good information sources concerning market development decisions. In addition, intellectual Property (IP) rights are an issue while investigating suitable markets. The reluctance to sell product to China or any Asian country for fear of product being copied and offered for a much lower price is shared by service providers as well. One example cited was a company that stopped offering its services to Singapore, claiming that their culture is not conducive to paying for advice and consulting services.