Business Information Needs for International Trade

(Questionnaire for Enterprises)

A. Profile of Enterprise

Contact data

Company name : _____________________________________________________________________

Street address : _____________________________________________________________________

P.O. Box : ____________________________ City : ______________________________

Telephone : (Area Code) ________________ (Tel. N.) _________________ Fax : _______________

Contact : Mr/Mrs/Ms ___________________________________________________________________

Title : _____________________________________________________________________________

Activity data

Type of business: Trade area:

(Please tick one or more) (Please tick one or more)

Manufacturer Export to : Neighbouring Countries

Merchant Countries in the Continent

Agent/representative Worldwide

Provider of services

Please specify which services: Import: Neighbouring Countries

from
Countries in the continent

Worldwide

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Business information needs for International Trade 1

 Product data

Please describe the products or services you export, and the products you import Leave this
as inputs for production. Under the column marked with “I or E” indicate column blank
whether the product is exported (E) or imported (I). (product code)

I or E
1. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

2. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

3. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

4. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

5. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

6. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

7. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

8. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

9. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

10. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

11. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

12. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

13. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

14. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

15. _______________________________________________________________ _____ _________

Notes : (Please indicate any special feature which characterizes your company)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Please complete the next sections of the questionnaire. In several cases you are required to give grades in your reply
by marking the boxes ( ) with X, which indicates your evaluation as low (x), medium (xx), or high (xxx), according to
the questions. If the point is irrelevant, leave the box blank.

B. Types of Information Required

Please indicate the types of information you require with X, XX, XXX, or leave blank, according to interest:

1. POTENTIAL BUSINESS PARTNERS

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 1.1 Potential buyers (including distributors and agents)

1.2 Credit information on foreign buyers

1.3 Tender boards, procurement agencies

1.4 Potential appliers (including distributors and agents)

2. TRADE-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS

2.1 Official trade promotion organizations and other public sector organizations

2.2 Private sector organizations (e.g. chambers of commerce, industry/trade associations, etc.)

3. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

3.1 Requests of products and services (offers and demands)

3.2 International tender notices

3.3 Offers of investment/joint venture by foreign companies

3.4 Development projects (e.g. World Bank or E.U.-financed)

4. STATISTICS

4.1 Import statistics

4.2 Export statistics

4.3 Production statistics

4.4 Socio-economic indicators

5. MARKET ACCESS CONDITIONS

5.1 Import regulations and foreign exchange control

5.2 Import procedures

5.3 Tariffs, including GSP and other preferential schemes

5.4 Non-tariff barriers (quotas, licences...)

5.5 Technical standards

5.6 Quality certification systems and schemes

5.7 Safety, sanitary regulations (e.g. phytosanitary)

5.8 Packaging and labeling rules (e.g. ecolabelling)

5.9 Environment and consumer protection regulations

6. DISTRIBUTION

6.1 Distribution channels

6.2 Transport facilities and procedures (air, sea, rail, road)

6.3 Free trade zones

6.4 Warehousing facilities

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 6.5 Regulations for sales and agency contracts

6.6 Trade practices (e.g. delivery and payment terms)

7. SALES PROMOTION

7.1 Packaging requirements and design

7.2 Advertising (availability and costs of alternative media)

7.3 Fairs and exhibitions

8. MARKET INTELLIGENCE

8.1 Information on demand (e.g. consumers’ preferences, market, segments, demand characteristics)

8.2 Information on competitors (e.g. alliances, marketing strategies)

8.3 Information on foreign suppliers (e.g. alliances, marketing strategies)

8.4 Price quotations and trends

8.5 Technological trends

8.6 Fashion trends

9. GLOBAL INFORMATION ON FOREIGN MARKETS

9.1 Political and economic environment

9.2 Trade policy and foreign trade trend

9.3 Trade agreements and relevant implications

9.4 Practical hints for businessmen

10. OTHERS (Please describe)

10.1 Suppliers of raw materials and components

10.2 Suppliers of equipment

10.3 Prices and sale conditions

10.4 Offers of technology and know-how

11. OTHERS (Please describe)

11.1 _______________________________________________________________

11.2 _______________________________________________________________

11.3 _______________________________________________________________

11.4 _______________________________________________________________

11.5 _______________________________________________________________

Please give an order of priority to the above categories of information, according to the
interest of your company, numbering them from 1 to 11.

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 1. POTENTIAL BUSINESS PARTNERS

2. TRADE-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS

3. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

4. STATISTICS

5. MARKET ACCESS CONDITIONS

6. DISTRIBUTION

7. SALES PROMOTION

8. MARKET INTELLIGENCE

9. GLOBAL INFORMATION ON FOREIGN MARKETS

10. IMPORT OF PRODUCTION INPUTS

11. OTHERS

C. Markets of Interest

For which markets do you require information?

Please list below the principal export and / or import markets of your interest (individual countries)

EXPORT MARKETS:

1 _________________ 2 _______________3 __________________ 4 _______________

5 _________________ 6 _______________ 7 __________________ 8 _______________

9 ________________ 10 ______________

IMPORT MARKETS (Sources of supply)

1 _________________ 2 _______________3 __________________ 4 _______________

5 _________________ 6 _______________ 7 __________________ 8 _______________

9 ________________ 10 ______________

D. Present Sources of Information

When you need information, which sources do you normally utilize?

Please indicate with X, XX, XXX, or leave blank, according to the level of importance.

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1.1 Informal information available in your enterprise (e.g. staff knowledge)

1.2 Documentation service of your enterprise

1.3 Trade partners, customers and suppliers

1.4 Trade fairs and other events (e.g. trade missions)

1.5 Publications

1.6 Databases

1.7 Information specialists and consultants

1.8 Market research institutes

1.9 Trade-related organizations (public and private) in your country

1.10 Documentation centers (e.g. national library) in your country

1.11 Trade representatives of your country abroad

1.12 Foreign trade representatives in your country

1.13 Trade promotion organizations abroad

1.14 International organizations

Please indicate with X, XX, XXX, the degree of your satisfaction with the trade information services
already available in the country, or leave blank. Tick the appropriate box if you never used the services

Selected local information providers Never used Evaluation

2.1 _______________________________________________

2.2 _______________________________________________

2.3 _______________________________________________

2.4 _______________________________________________

2.5 _______________________________________________

Please make your comments on the limits and deficiencies of the trade information services available in the country.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

E. Difficulties in Accessing and Using Information

Please indicate with X, XX, XXX, or by leaving blank, according to the degree of difficulty, the experience of your
enterprise in finding the information required and in utilizing it.

1. It is unknown whether the required information exists at all

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 2. It is unknown where the information can be found

3. The modalities involved in obtaining the information are too complicated

4. The information is too expensive

5. The information is outdated

6. The information is vague and non-pertinent

7. The information is difficult to interpret

8. The information is only available in a foreign language

9. It takes too much time to obtain the information

10. Insufficient importance is given to information in the enterprise

Other difficulties?

11.1 _____________________________________________________________

11.2 _____________________________________________________________

11.3 _____________________________________________________________

F. Ways of Obtaining Information

Please indicate below in which way you would like to obtain the information specifying your preferences, with X,
XX, XXX, or leaving blanks

1. Periodical newsletter received by mail

2. Information, selected according to the company profile, regularly sent by mail or fax – SDI

3. Access to an electronic bulletin board or online database

4. Possibility of conducting research in a documentation center

5. Availability of an Inquiry / Reply service

6. Advice provided by trade information specialists

7. Participation in information meetings with other enterprises

8. Information provided together with other consultancy services (e.g. on export marketing)

9. Information broadcast by radio or television

10. Advice on sources of information

Do you think the staff of your enterprise require training in the interpretation and analysis of information?

YES NO

G. Comments and Suggestions

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 ____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Name : ____________________________________ Title : _______________________________

Date : _______________________________ Signature : ___________________________

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Please leave blank the section below:

MAIL FAX INTERVIEW TELEPHONE SEMINAR OTHER CONTACT

SURVEY SECTOR ____________________________________________________________

DEALT BY : NAME ____________________________________________________________

ENTITY CHARGED WITH THE SURVEY : __________________________________________

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