Government Export Promotion: a Review of the Kenya Export Year (1984) Program

Abstract

Kenya needs to seek export expansion as export earnings go to finance imports necessary in her economic development. In this regard, government export promotion assumes an important position. By 1984, the Kenya External Trade Authority(KETA) which is the government external trade promotion division, decided that, despite previous government export promotion efforts Kenya's export performance was still not good enough. Consequently, in 1984, the division conducted a massive export promotion campaign, the Kenya Export Year (1984) program. The program was aimed at improving the country1s export performance by bringing more domestic firms' into the exporting scene and persuading others to improve their export operations. The study re.port.ed here was a review of the Kenya. Export Year(1984) program: A review of this program was important for three reasons. Firstly, it was necessary to establish the achievements ot this program because the success with which Kenya can expand export earnings partly depends on the success of government export promotion. Secondly, an insight into the achievements of the program should form a basis for better planning of consequent programs. Finally, no previous attempt had been made to analyse the achievements of this program.

The Study measured two effects ot the program: effect on attitudes and effect on export earnings. It was necessary to measure these two effects hecause governmerlt export promotion is conducted on the basis of the relationship between attitude change and export earnings. The relationship in this case assumed that increased public predisposition towards exports could lead to increased export activity and hence more export earnings. For purposes of measuring the program effect on public attitude, the public was divided into two groups. These were businessmen and others publics. As these groups constituted large populations, the sample survey method was used. Businessmen were sampled probabilitically but a convinient sample was taken tor other publics. Moreover questionnaires were used to get the pertinent intormation. Using the relevant tools, the data from respondents was investigated for central tendency, dispersion and association. Statistical significance was also tested for some of the findings. graphically analysed. Data on export earnings was From this study it can be said that the program had a moderate effect in increasing awareness. However a linear relationship could not be found between the cognitive, affecti and conative effects of attitude change. to increase both overall export earnings from manufactured exports. The program managed and earnings