Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Department of Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract
Keywords
Main Subjects
Extended Abstract
Introduction
International market selection is a crucial aspect to consider before entering foreign markets. The traditional literature on IMS defines two approaches - systematic and non-systematic. In Iran's agricultural sector, Estahban's dried figs are highly sought-after export products and are considered one of the best types of dried figs in the world. However, surveys have shown that most fig exporters lack a strong international marketing strategy and tend to use unsystematic methods when selecting international markets. This can have a negative impact on their position and positioning in the global market. Choosing the right market is a key factor in the success and growth of companies in the global market. This requires the use of different criteria and systematic methods in market analysis. Preliminary investigations have revealed that Iran's business partners for dried figs are limited and the market experiences high fluctuations in different years. If fig businesses do not pay attention to IMS and its related issues, they may face various problems such as confusion, lack of planning, suboptimal allocation of company resources, inability to compete with foreign competitors, and failure to gain or maintain a position in the international market. This can lead to increased risk and decreased income. Therefore, conducting a study to identify and analyze opportunities in the global fig market can help improve exports and subsequently increase production.
Methods
If the information available to the IMS is limited, vague or incomplete and has a high level of uncertainty, the use of fuzzy logic is effective. Fuzzy logic along with approaches such as AHP, TOPSIS, neural networks, fuzzy inference methods and several others have been used in IMS-related articles. For this reason, this research also presents a fuzzy model based on several decision criteria for international market selection. For this purpose, 40 criteria and sub-criteria for the selection of international dried fig markets were identified and prioritized using the fuzzy hierarchy analysis method. The information needed at this stage was collected through 17 questionnaires from large and small trading companies of Estahban's dried figs.
Results
After examining the opinions of fig exporters and experts on criteria for the IMS process, it was found that there are 6 main criteria and 19 sub-criteria that should be considered. The study revealed that
market potential and economic factors are highly important for both small and large companies, with small companies ranking it as the top criteria and large companies ranking it second. This suggests that most exporters prioritize indicators such as public demand, compliance cost, level of competition, gross national product, per capita income, trade balance trends, fig production power, and per capita consumption of dried fruit in the target market when evaluating and selecting potential markets. Additionally, the results indicate that political and cultural factors are given lower priority. This could be due to exporters' preference for wholesale markets rather than retail markets.
Discussion
In most cases, the dispersion and lack of statistics related to the target countries have caused Estahban's fig merchants to choose international markets in an unsystematic manner, often simply imitating other dried fruit exporters. However, this approach can lead to failure and increased risk in the international arena if it does not take into account the internal power and capacities of each business. To address this issue, it is recommended to establish a "Comprehensive Marketing Information Monitoring and Processing System". This system can be set up by large companies, even privately, as it is both possible and economical. However, for small companies, it can be implemented as a support policy by relevant politicians. This system would collect and process all marketing information from target countries, allowing businesses to select target markets based on their own criteria, policies, and internal capacities. Additionally, utilizing commercial consultants and providing access to cultural and political information of countries can facilitate the presence of exporters at the retail level in target countries and increase their profit margin.
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