Do trade promotion organizations contribute to promoting the export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises?

Aim: The commercial sector in Tanzania has improved greatly over the last three decades, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been a prime mover of economic growth, employment, and poverty reduction. Despite this important role, there are different obstacles to accessing global markets for Tanzanian SMEs, including limited trade support, poor market access, and regulatory barriers. This paper seeks to establish the extent to which trade promotion organizations (TPOs) help in surmounting such challenges and enhancing the export capabilities of SMEs in Dar es Salaam, the economic hub and most populous city in Tanzania. Methods: The study uses a mixed-methods approach and sampled primary data from 400 respondents com­prised of SME representatives and trade stakeholders. Different quantitative techniques were used for the anal­ysis of the effect of TPO interventions with regard to market intelligence, legal advisory services, facilitation of foreign exchange, export-oriented programs, and assistance concerning export procedures, including logistic and multiple linear regression analysis to determine the impact on SME export success. Qualitative perceptions give added depth to this study through a rich understanding of experiences and constraints faced by SMEs. Results: The findings confirm that there is a positive and significant association between TPO-provided services and SME export performance, underlining the crucial role of tailored support. Conclusions: The priorities that come out of this study for policy enhancement include reinforcement of infrastructures of TPOs for actionable market insights, availability of foreign exchange services, and the scale-up of training programs on international trade practices. These recommendations are targeted at ensuring the optimization of TPO efforts in facilitating the entry of SMEs into global markets for sustainable economic development in Tanzania.