The International Division of the West Virginia Development Office performs many functions, all of which are designed to strengthen West Virginia’s presence in the international marketplace and expose West Virginia businesses to global opportunities. Research shows that companies who export enjoy higher growth and employee retention than those that focus solely on the domestic market. Any business owner who is not looking at the world as a potential customer is missing opportunities being taken by the competition on a daily basis. Even if your business is doing well in domestic sales, it makes sense to diversify into global markets as a hedge against future changes.