In the contemporary global economy, nations compete vigorously to strengthen their market positions, sustaining continuous production across industrial sectors to enhance comparative advantage. Within this competitive landscape, the present study examines the underlying causes of repeated export failure among firms by employing advanced multi-criteria decision-making techniques. Specifically, it analyses why certain firms, after experiencing multiple unsuccessful export attempts, refrain from independently re-engaging in international trade activities, conceptualising this phenomenon through the lens of learned helplessness within the export context. The empirical component involves seven experienced Decision-Makers (DMs) who had previously encountered recurrent export failures before ultimately establishing themselves as professional exporters. Primary data were obtained using a structured expert assessment instrument grounded in linguistic importance scales. The determinants associated with export process failure were identified through the application of the Weights by Envelope and Slope (WENSLO) method. Subsequently, the Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) technique was employed to prioritise policy alternatives designed to mitigate export-related failure. The findings reveal that “Customs Clearance and Logistics Operations” constitute one of the most influential contributors to export process breakdown. Furthermore, the most effective policy intervention is determined to be the formulation of sector-specific advisory mechanisms and electronic training modules focused on documentation preparation and customs procedures. The integrated analytical framework developed in this study provides a structured decision-support mechanism for policymakers and export promotion agencies, enabling the systematic identification of critical bottlenecks in export activities and the strategic prioritisation of corrective policy measures
Çizmecioğlu et al. (2026) studied this question.