Semnan University International Journal of Nonlinear Analysis and Applications 2008-6822 15 8 2024 08 01 Evaluating the impact of decision-makers and managers’ characteristics on the export development of SMEs by grounded theory and structural equations approaches 135 147 8070 10.22075/ijnaa.2023.31041.4552 EN Omid Maragheh Department of Marketing Management, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran Mehdi Rouholamini Department of Marketing Management, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran Ali Nabavichashme Department of Marketing Management, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran Journal Article 2023 01 24 Paying attention to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is among the main measures adopted by developing countries in order to improve economic development and growth. Considering Iran’s reliance on an oil-based economy, this measure is of key significance in different domains. This study investigates the impact of decision-makers and managers’ characteristics on the export development of SMEs. The purpose of this study is based on applied research while its research design is based on exploratory-descriptive methodology. The population of the study in the first phase consisted of decision-makers and managers while the second phase included marketing experts. The research data were collected using questionnaires and interviews in two phases. The collected data were then analyzed using the grand theory method in the first phase and structural equation modeling in the second. Decision-makers and managers’ characteristics play a key role in the development of many countries by creating a platform based on which SMEs can notch up their export development. The results of the study show that competent management, management experience, management commitment, management expertise, and goal-oriented measures taken by managers are among the key factors influencing the export development of SMEs. https://ijnaa.semnan.ac.ir/article_8070_1d7d9d3b2040d04940fd70a708d0930a.pdf