Implementing State Government Export Programs

During recent years American states have launched programs to promote direct foreign investment and product export but there has been little self-scrutiny of these efforts. This book presents the findings of Michael Frazier''s detailed empirical study of four state-supported export trade agencies. Using the evaluation techniques of Mazmanian and Sabatier (the M-S Model) Frazier pinpoints the factors that determine how well states develop an international business orientation. He also expands the M-S model by identifying additional variables that should be considered in future program evaluations.This book provides a survey of the literature on implementation research and argues in favor of both theoretical and empirical evaluation. Using the the M=S Model for export trade agency evaluation Frazier examines the public export trade agencies of four states: Arkansas Indiana Michigan and Virginia. He concludes that four factors--geographic location state politics economic interdependence and federal government involvement--heavily influence a state''s level of success. The political leadership of the agency director and his supervisors including the governor is especially crucial. This is a useful handbook for legislators policymakers administrators and students of program evaluation.