Background: One of the most compelling arguments for regional trade and integration in Africa is that the African market is the most fragmented in the world, with only 16% of trade being within the continent. Furthermore, with 14 regional economic communities (RECs), the scale of integrated trading compared to the magnitude of trade is cause for concern. Africa could soon witness an important milestone on its path towards increased regional trade and improved integration with the implementation of the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement (TFTA) involving 26 countries. However, addressing overlapping memberships of the RECs and streamlining regulations, customs and border procedures can be a lengthy process. Aim:In the meantime, this study aims to identify specific intra-regional trade opportunities among African countries to inform a more targeted approach to regional trade.Methods: This article uses a unique approach based on the Decision Support Model (DSM) to identify intra-regional trade opportunities between the TFTA countries, taking into account each country's import demand and export supply. Results:We determined 334 such opportunities among the 26 countries, of which 232 (almost 70%) are newly recognised as not being exploited. Conclusion:This economic potential calls for policymakers to take a more proactive approach in their actions and recommendations by targeting these trade opportunities.

Purpose-This paper aims to identify Thailand's realistic export opportunities in the ASEAN+3 countries (i.e. ASEAN, Greater China, Japan and South Korea), which together constitute an economically-dynamic region and a strategic export destination for Thailand. Furthermore, the paper seeks to determine the extent to which Thailand already has a share in ASEAN+3 countries and where new opportunities lie. This, in turn, forms an important basis for the formulation of appropriate export promotion strategies for Thailand. Design/methodology/approach-At the core of the methodology outlined in the paper is a Decision Support Model (DSM) which uses an extensive data filtering system to systematically screen and eliminate less promising product-country combinations to ultimately reveal high-potential realistic export opportunities (REOs). In filters 1 to 3, product-country combinations are screened on the basis of: country risk; macroeconomic country performance; market potential in terms of import growth and import market size; and market access conditions, including market concentration and the existence of trade barriers. In filter 4, the narrowed-down REOs are categorised according to Thailand's relative market share in, and the characteristics of, the identified target markets. Findings-The study reveals that the ASEAN+3 countries account for about 40% of the total potential export value of Thailand's REOs in the world, with China leading the way (12.45%), followed by Japan (8.56%) and South Korea (6.23%). However, Thailand has a relatively small or intermediately small market share in the majority of these REOs, which points to the need for more offensive and exploratory export promotion strategies. Research implications-The results of the study suggest that the ASEAN+3 countries-given that they are an abundant source of REOs for Thailand and are in Thailand's "backyard"-should receive more focused attention and resources in government export promotion efforts. Supporting factors include the recent launch of the ASEAN Economic Community and the proposed establishment of an East Asia Free Trade Area, which lend weight to the idea of Thailand adopting a strong regional focus in its export activities. Practical implications-The insights derived from the study are valuable to export promotion officials, industry representatives and practising exporters alike as they constitute an easy-to-digest snapshot of high-potential realistic export opportunities for Thailand in the ASEAN+3 region. This makes for more efficient planning and prioritising of export development activities, and a more streamlined approach to resource allocation. Originality/value-Export promotion often leads to diminishing returns, and it therefore requires sustainable strategies and interventions. The value in this paper lies in its description of an innovative market selection tool, the Decision Support Model (DSM), which is able to process and filter high 4 volumes of information and arrive at a shortlist of high-potential, realistic export opportun...

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In the face of slow economic growth and development, and the perennial problems of unemployment, poverty and inequality, the South African government and business community have long recognised the importance of growing and diversifying the countrys tangible goods and services export sectors. One of the challenges in designing and implementing effective export promotion strategies is identifying the right markets, given South Africas ever-fluid skills, capacity and trading relationships. The Decision Support Model (DSM) is an export market selection tool that makes use of a sophisticated filtering process to sift through an extensive range of product-/service- and country-related data to reveal those product-/service-country combinations (export opportunities) that are the most realistic and sustainable. The DSM, which has been applied for Belgium, Thailand and South Africa, not only brings greater precision to the export market selection process, but also unveils opportunities that may not have been contemplated before thus supporting the quest for export diversification. This paper examines the role of the DSM for products and the DSM for services, respectively, and illustrates how, using the results from the application of these models, they herald the start of a new era in export market selection and promotion in South Africa.