Do managerial characteristics promote export development? : a case of manufacturing small and medium enterprises in Indonesia

This paper examines the extent to which the managerial characteristics of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector impact on export development in Indonesia. Utilising descriptive and inferential statistics techniques, we find that differences exist between exporting and non-exporting firms in relation to the managerial characteristics of education level, foreign language ability and international business experience. The findings indicate that a manager's educational attainment, foreign language skills, and international business experience have a significant impact on the export development of the firm. The implication of the findings is that the Indonesian government should pursue policies aimed at encouraging training and improving language skills of managers, as well as promoting international business experience of managers, as these policies are capable of enhancing the export competitiveness of manufacturing small and medium enterprises in Indonesia.