When the co-founders of East West Gate Corporation first decided to establish an export management firm back in 1992, the concept of a new international trade order was still being shaped. Today, the world is rapidly being transformed into a borderless global village where goods and services can flow freely across time and space. International bodies such as the World Trade Organization are facilitating this transformation. The Internet has remolded the trading act itself into an instantaneous push-button process. Nations and corporations have myriad choices of how, what, and with whom to trade, and they can conduct their international transactions in a faster and more efficient manner than ever before.Despite those changes, exporting is still a complicated, involved process requiring extensive networking, market knowledge, and intercultural savvy, as well as the human resources needed to navigate through the numerous regulatory and bureaucratic entanglements of international order fulfillment. For the majority of U.S. firms, these factors have served as potent inhibitors of overseas market penetration. Foreign organizations attempting to buy American products face obstacles as well. These companies and institutions need guidance in identifying the best sources for the products they require, comparing prices, placing orders, and making payments. Additionally, they need assistance obtaining spare parts and after-sale service.
