Listening to the global grapevine: SME export managers' personal contacts as a vehicle for export information generation

This paper develops a conceptual framework and a range of propositions for empirically testing SME export managers' assessment and use of personal contacts as a vehicle for export information generation. The paper argues that the perceived value of such activities differs with the properties of the personal network, the export manager's international experience and the use of information and communication technology in information generation. The final section of the paper discusses managerial implications and directions for future research.