INCIDENCE OF MARKETING ACTIVITIES IN MEDIUM-SIZED MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN INDONESIA: COMPARING EXPORT INTENDERS AND NON-EXPORT INTENDERS

Export earnings are important to the nation's prosperity. Firms should be motivated to venture beyond the domestic market. The capability of performing the marketing function is one of the major catalysts that can spur firms to explore new markets beyond their national boundaries. This study attempts to gauge to what extent various aspects of marketing functions are regularly performed by Indonesian firms. The regularity of performing marketing activities is further investigated based on the firms' propensity to explore or not to explore the possibilities of exporting. The findings suggest that the responding firms are preoccupied with pricing activity. The export intenders are however different from their counterparts that wish to continue servicing domestic market only with respect to the regularity in attending to activities related to the promotion-mix, distribution-mix and product-mix. Policy makers should work closely with the industry players in enhancing their marketing know-how. Joint promotional activities and identification, establishing and maintaining good working relationships with channel members in overseas market are important factors that could facilitate the graduation of non exporters to be players in international markets.