A study has recently been conducted under the same principle in a dozen OECD countries. What came out of the study is that companies that export are the ones most likely to innovate. However, this did not apply to every type of export. In fact, it applied to companies which exported outside of the United States.
Many Canadian companies view the American market a bit like a domestic market. Markets which are located outside of the United States, to the south and on the other side of an ocean, are perceived as being more difficult to penetrate. We therefore have to find a way to combine innovation and the ability to understand a market, and respond to its needs. The combination of these two elements is very important.
Many companies, especially small- and medium-sized ones, do not actively try to export their products.