An Artificial Intelligence Foreign Market Screening Method for Small Businesses‪.‬

INTRODUCTION Since small businesses employ more than half of the U.S. private work force it is necessary for small businesses to be successful in their exporting efforts. According to Donald A. Manzullo, U.S. House Representative from the 16th congressional district of Illinois and chair of the Committee on Small Business, nearly 250,000 small businesses now export (2003). In addition many more small businesses are involved in exporting through subcontracting and supplying larger companies. Operationally defined, the Small Business Act states that a small business concern is "one that is independently owned and operated and which is not dominant in its field of operation (United States Small Business Administration, 2006)." Much of the related research focuses on Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) which are commonly defined as businesses having fewer than 500 employees. The United States International Trade Commission (2006) reported that in 2004 exports of merchandise grew to $727.2 billion dollars.