Helpfulness and Benefits of Using SMIDEC Assistance Programs on Small and Medium Enterprises in Malaysia
Jasmani Binti Mohd Yunus, Abdul Jumaat Bin Mahajar

Abstract
This paper focuses on the helpfulness and benefits of the SMIDEC export assistance programs for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Malaysian manufacturing sector. More specifically, the study attempted to investigate the exporting assistance programs offered by SMIDEC. The data for the study was collected through the mail questionnaires and face to face interview to the selected SMEs. From the total number 300 questionnaires mailed, 56 firms responded and 20 questionnaires was completed through face to face interview. Data from the questionnaires were coded and entered accordingly into the SPSS statistical software. The descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation and frequency distribution were utilized to analyze the data collected from the participating SMEs. The empirical information resulted from analyzing the data obtained from the 76 SMEs suggests the following findings such as most of the firms stated that the they are lack of awareness of the exporting programs offered by SMIDEC, the SMEs perceived the export assistance programs as important; the usage of the export assistance programs varied among the SMEs and the SMEs received various benefits from the assistance programs.

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