The Role of Market Orientation In Business Dyadic Relationships: Testing an Integrator Model

Over the last decade market orientation and relationship marketing have been huo of the most outstanding fields of research within Marketing discipline. However, little at tention has been devoted towards the investigation of the interface existing between both concepts. The aim of this study is to overcome this deficiency. Thus, the paper begins with a review of the existing literature into relationship marketing and market orientation as well as their main constructs. The result of this analysis is the proposal of a theoretical causal model in which the cultural market orientation that buyer firms show appears as a conditioning factor of their loyalty towards a supplier. Next, the methodology followed as well as the empirical contrast of the model proposed are thoroughly presented. R e empirical data was obtained from huo personal surveys conducted on the same sample of 141 industrial companies. Finally, results, conclusions and practical implications are discussed. In this way, the research proves that a buyer firm’s cultural market orientation acts as an indirect antecedent to the degree of loyalty shown to its main supplier.     

Competitive Arena Mapping: Market Innovation Using Morphological Analysis in Business Markets

Purpose: The authors argue that (1) marketing strategy should focus more on where to compete (rather than on how to compete); (2) making subjective market definitions or market innovations may be the key to growth; and (3) a starting point for business marketers wishing to outgrow their competitors is to increase the granularity of market definition to identify competitive arenas that are growing. The authors illustrate the use of morphological analysis for competitive arena mapping in a market definition and innovation context.

Methodology: Using action research, involving a group of twleve firms of various sizes from different industries over a period of three-and-a-half years, we applied morphological analysis in a competitive arena mapping procedure, which enables firms to systematically plot possible competitive arenas and use managerial judgment to select those which are growing and for which the firm has exploitation capabilities.

Findings: Competitive arena mapping allows firms to identify and investigate a large set of possible competitive arena configurations. The developed mapping method has certain characteristics: (1) it specifically focuses on the market boundaries and adjacencies, (2) it incorporates both exchange value and use value, and (3) it acts as a learning process that accelerates the practical application of the arenas in business strategy and practice.

Contribution: The article builds a bridge between the market definition literature in strategic management and the industrial market segmentation literature, by introducing a novel method for increasing the granularity of market definition, using morphological analysis. Furthermore, the paper responds to the lack of research addressing strategic segmentation processes by developing a six-step market definition process.     

Service Business Markets: Relationship Development in the Maritime Industry

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Prior literature has acknowledged the growing importance of service business markets (SBMs). However, relatively little research has examined the relationships and the motives for relationship development in SBMs. The aim of this paper is to investigate the nature of relationships and the various motives for relationship development between service provider and customers.

Methodology: This paper adopts a qualitative research strategy and a case study approach. The context is the maritime industry. One of the largest container terminals in China represents a unique and revelatory case study, wherein nine container terminal-shipping line dyads are the units of analysis. The data were mostly collected via 34 semistructured interviews with maritime industry professionals. The data were triangulated by including archival records and industry reports.

Findings: The interdependence and nonidentical nature of service delivery episodes are identified and considered to add to the knowledge on SBMs. This research provides evidence of the applicability of three groups of motives—economic, strategic, and social—for relationship development to SBMs. The motives are found to coexist and to have greater or lesser weight in the actors’ decision making depending on external factors, such as industry and company development stage, and internal factors, including the companies’ common vision and desire to collaborate.

Contribution: Academic papers have usually focused on specific types of motives, associated with a particular theoretical framework (e.g. transaction cost theory). Motives have rarely been discussed from multiple theoretical lenses. When motives are identified it is not clear what they really imply in different contexts, and what factors cause them to appear. This paper provides a number of contributions. First, it integrates several theoretical perspectives and specifies three groups of motives for relationship development in SBMs: economic, strategic, and social. Second, through the analysis of empirical findings the paper provides a deeper understanding of each group of motives, proposing an integrated framework of motives and the factors affecting their appearance. Subsequently, the research is carried out through a dyadic perspective, which is relatively rare in SBM research. A dyadic perspective allows similarities and differences in actors’ perceptions and actions to be illuminated. Finally, the research brings in a relatively new and important context—the Chinese maritime industry.

Practical implications: Knowing the needs and motives of counterparts can greatly assist SBM actors in formulating their strategies and planning their investments. It is also important that actors realize that the extent to which the other side is open to collaboration depends on the interplay of various motives. In general, business professionals should realize that end users increasingly perceive various service delivery stages within a supply chain as interdependent. Thus, to deliver a more integrated and flawless service to the end user, service providers and customers in SBMs should develop communication and collaboration beyond the operational level.     

A Model of Interorganizational Networking Antecedents,Consequences and Business Performance

Purpose: This quantitative study intended to examine the communication interactions that develop within a business network among various actors (i.e., customers, providers, cooperators, etc.), together with their effects upon business networking and performance. To these ends, we developed a conceptual model of dyadic marketing-oriented and network-oriented communication exchanges (i.e., interorganizational antecedents), interorganizational networking consequences, and business performance. Specifically, interorganizational networking consequences were examined in terms of tactical and strategic cooperation, whereas business performance was examined in terms of adaptability, productivity and efficiency.

Methodology/approach: To set the hypotheses of the study we delved into the wide stream of marketing literature pertaining to interorganizational networks and business-to-business relationships, and specifically to the marketing orientation theory, the social network theory, and the IMP approach. These research hypotheses were tested using advanced statistical analysis and causal modeling. The research sample comprised 1,000 business-to-business international companies, which were mostly U.S., and European and were randomly selected from the yahoo.com business-to-business companies’ subdirectory. The data collection involved a two-wave e-mail survey, in which the quantitative research instrument was emailed to the respective marketing directors’ personal accounts. Totally 249 high ranking marketing executives responded, thus yielding a 24.9% response rate. The selected data were, then, subjected to rigorous advanced statistical analysis of structural equation modeling, using the AMOS21 statistical package, to test reliability and stability of selected measures and validity of the research model, as a whole.

Findings: Overall, the research findings provided sufficient evidence that the proposed model was robust. Moreover, the findings supported that communication exchanges that deploy within a wide array of participants (i.e., within a network of organizational members, customers, partners, and other interacting partners within a market), may have stronger explanatory powers upon a company’s networking effects and business performance, than communication exchanges that evolve merely at a dyadic company-customer level.

Originality/value/contribution: This research is original; that is, it deals with empirical, quantitative data and makes an attempt to combine marketing concepts mainly from 3 marketing streams studying the long-term business-to-business relationships. Our approach is based on existing marketing literature, suggesting that networks, apart from being embedded in previous relationships and interactions, they may also be based on more loosely coupling between organizations. Thus, we use the IMP approach to formulate the measures of our study; however, we don’t discriminate between strong and weak ties in relationship bonding. In this research we focus on specific communication behaviors that may nurture interorganizational networking and look for effects upon cooperation and business performance. The research findings imply that marketing executives would worthwhile expand their communication exchanges beyond their narrow customers’, or providers’ network, to the wider array of trustworthy business circle, as such a behavior may largely favor their companies’ adaptability to environmental changes, flourish innovation, and lead to synergies in efficiency and productivity gains.     

Market Orientation and Business Performance in the PRC

Abstract

This study examined the applicability of Narver and Slater's market (1992) orientation model across different economies (planned versus market economy). First, we assessed the scale properties of market orientation from different cities in Mainland China (Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou). Second, we then tested the relationship between market orientation and business performance. Tests for convergent, discriminant and predictive validity across the four Chinese economies with different market environments were supported by our findings. On the other hand, the impact of market orientation on business performance were found to be different across the four cities.     

Examining the Paths from Export Strategic Orientations to Export Performance: The Mediating Role of Export Resource Transformation Capability

Export strategic orientation research suggests that export entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and market orientation (MO) directly affect export performance. Based on the dynamic capability theory, this study hypothesizes that export resource transformation capability is an intervening factor that helps explain how EO and MO, individually and jointly, impact export performance. Using archival and survey data from small and medium‐sized exporters in the United Kingdom and Nigeria, the study finds that export resource transformation capability partially mediates the individual effects of EO and MO on export performance in both samples. Results further show that export resource transformation capability does not mediate the joint effect of EO and MO on export performance. The findings help provide a more complete understanding of how export strategic orientations might be related to export performance. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Are Market Orientation and Learning Orientation Necessary for Superior Organizational Performance?

There exists contradictory theoretical arguments and counter-intuitive empirical results regarding the market orientation, learning orientation and organizational performance nexus. We ask, can we simplify relations in this nexus? This study analyzes data from Australian organisations and employs non-nested encompassing tests. Contrary to recent findings extolling the virtues of a learning orientation, our results suggest that a market orientation may be the pre-eminent strategy to achieve superior organizational performance.     

Channel Collaboration,Market Orientation and Performance Advantages: Discovering Developed and Emerging Markets

Abstract

Channel collaboration has occupied an increasingly prominent role in contemporary business strategy, and has been considered a key driver for providing value for the partnering firms involved. Drawing on the resource based theory of the firm, the present study aims to explore the effects of collaborative capability and market orientation on firms' performance advantages in the context of marketing channels. We also investigate whether the firms in developed and emerging markets significantly differ in their capability profiles. The data consists of 545 responses to a survey of small, medium-sized and large companies representing the grocery goods sector (manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers) in nine countries. In line with the theory, channel collaboration enhances positional and performance advantages of firms, and this collaboration is shaped by the type of economy adopted.     

Market Orientation and Performance in the Public Sector

Abstract

Increased calls for transparency and accountability in government organizations underscores the need for a market orientation even in the public sector. The degree of market orientation and its effect on performance and on organizational commitment in government departments in three Australian states is considered. Results provide empirical support for a direct relationship between market orientation and performance and evidence of the mediating role of organizational commitment. Implications are drawn and directions for future research are discussed.     

The Effects of Relationship Marketing on Share of Business: A Synthesis and Comparison of Models

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The article synthesizes the extensive empirical work on relationship marketing (RM) and compares the various conceptualizations to give a better understanding of the relational factors (i.e., characteristics of the business relationship) that improve a seller’s objective performance (i.e., share of business) in a business-to-business (B2B) services context. These conceptualizations, taken from the literature, link relational antecedents (i.e., communication, domain expertise, relational value, and mutual goals) to relational mediators (i.e., trust, satisfaction, commitment, relationship quality) to explore how they in turn affect a seller’s share of business.

Methodology/approach: All 4 models derived from the literature review were assessed using a dataset drawn from a survey of 948 client firm representatives of a Portuguese hotel chain in a B2B services context.

Findings: The best of the models in terms of model fit and prediction of share of business shows that only customer commitment directly drives a seller’s share of business, and simultaneous interrelated changes in customer trust and satisfaction, as well as customer perceptions of relational value, drive customer commitment, and so exert indirect effects on performance. The model that proposes that a seller’s performance is strengthened by simultaneous interrelated improvements in customer trust, satisfaction, and commitment (i.e., with these three mediators being conceptualized as a single, combined, higher-order mediator, termed relationship quality [RQ]) shows inferior fit. No combination of mediators (satisfaction, trust, or commitment) improves the seller’s objective performance over and above their individual effects (i.e., there are no synergistic effects).

Research implications: The literature review suggested four ways of modeling RM antecedents, mediators, and their effect on performance. Complex second-order constructs such as RQ lack explanatory power when predicting outcomes and mask the effects of individual relational mediators. Correct conceptualization is important, as conclusions vary drastically even with the same set of relational mediators and same dataset.

Practical implications: B2B service providers’ investments in RM will lead to improved share of business only if customer commitment is high or there is at least the potential to improve it. This requires an understanding of how valuable

the customer believes the relationship to be, and how the customer rates the relationship with the firm in terms of satisfaction and trust. A customer segmentation approach to relationship building and maintenance is advocated and detailed suggestions are put forward.

Originality/value/contribution: Apart from the work by Palmatier, the relationships between RM antecedents and mediators have not yet been examined simultaneously and findings are fragmented. The article provides a synthesis of this expansive literature. It contrasts different interplays between RM mediators, including their interrelationships as a higher-order construct, and explores possible synergy effects. Unlike previous work, this study focused on an objective measure of seller performance (i.e., share of business), whereas previous studies have tended to examine subjective measures, especially within the B2B context. Furthermore, four full models were assessed here, each of which included the antecedents to RM mediators and their links to objective performance.     

The Internet,Strategy and Performance: A Study of Australian Export Market Ventures

ABSTRACT

This study examines the impact of the Internet, firm-specific characteristics, market characteristics, and export marketing strategy on export marketing performance. The unit of analysis was an individual product/market export venture. Data were gathered via a self-administered mail survey of 315 Australian firms involved in exporting. The findings indicate that, when the Internet was used for communication purposes and to provide the firm with a competitive advantage, it had a significant impact on export marketing performance. Firm-specific characteristics and export marketing strategy also had a significant impact on export marketing performance.     

How Strategic Purchasing Orientation and Transformational Leadership Impact Performance: The Mediating Role of Information and Communication Technologies

Purpose: Purchasing orientation (greater efficiency, use of information and communication technologies; ICT) is becoming an underlying part of company strategy in an increasing number of business organizations. Transformational leadership by purchasing managers is also emerging as a tool to generate more intense and effective use of ICT and as a means of enhancing performance. The present research pursues 2 goals: firstly to explore how the strategic nature of the purchasing function and transformational leadership of purchasing managers impacts ICT use intensity and purchase efficiency, and secondly to pinpoint how the use of ICT affects purchase performance.

Methodology/approach: The empirical work is based on an analysis of the information provided by a sample of 130 Spanish firms. Empirical verification of the proposed model was carried out through partial least squares analysis.

Findings: Findings show that the strategic importance which management attaches to the purchasing function impacts the intensive use of ICT. However, the transformational leadership exercised by purchasing managers proves relevant in achieving greater cost efficiency and coordination with suppliers.

Research implications: This work has sought to merge as determinants of efficiency both strategic aspects of the purchasing function in the firm as well as managerial aspects of said function (manager’s transformational leadership and the use of ICT). This research breaks new ground by empirically comparing the relationship between the strategic nature of the purchasing function in a firm and intensity of ICT use, a relation which has been the subject of very little inquiry and for which the mediating role of ICT in the link between strategic orientation and purchase performance is brought to light.

Originality/value/contribution: The study makes a twofold contribution. Firstly, the present research seeks to bring together strategic aspects of the purchasing function in the firm as well as other management factors involved in said function (managers’ transformational leadership and use of ICT) as drivers of efficiency. In this sense, the findings point to the important role played by the purchasing manager vis-à-vis the strategic vision of the purchasing function in achieving cost efficiency and coordination with suppliers. Secondly, this research breaks new ground by empirically verifying the link between the strategic nature of the purchasing function in a firm and intensity of ICT use, a link which has been the focus of scant attention and for which we underpin the mediating role of ICT in the relationship between strategic orientation and purchase performance.     

关系营销导向对商业模式创新的影响机制

基于网络位置理论和企业内部能力理论,本文探讨网络结构和跨职能整合在关系营销导向与企业商业模式创新之间的影响作用。研究结果表明,关系营销导向对网络结构、跨职能整合和商业模式创新均存在正向影响,网络结构和跨职能整合在关系营销导向与商业模式创新之间起到了部分中介作用。     

关系营销导向研究:回顾与展望

关系营销导向是企业对关系营销理念的执行,是其获得可持续竞争优势和卓越绩效的关键因素。从关系营销导向的内涵、关系营销导向的测量及关系营销导向与企业绩效的关系三个方面,对国内外的相关文献进行了系统、全面的回顾和评述,在此基础上对未来可能的研究方向进行了展望。     

Interfirm Relationships in Emerging Markets: The Importance of Relationships and Cultural Sensitivity

While interfirm relationship value has attracted considerable attention in a domestic market context, little research has examined international buyer-seller relationships. This is surprising, as interfirm relationships across national borders have become increasingly important due to growing liberalization of world trade. Even less research is found including emerging markets. This study use cases with Norwegian seafood export to Turkey as illustrations of the importance of relationship value and cultural sensitivity when conducting business with an emerging country such as Turkey. The data is based on in-depth interviews of Turkish importers.     

Relationship and Market Conditions: Outcomes in Marketing Channels

Purpose: In today's highly competitive business environment, many organizations are tending to reduce the number of suppliers to focus on establishing stable and close relationships with a small number of them. The study here analyzes the influence of both market and relationship conditions on trust, commitment, and customer loyalty.

Methodology/Approach: Empirical research was conducted by collecting information from a sample of 304 retailers. A structural equations model is estimated.

Findings: Results support a positive influence of relationship value on trust and, in turn, on long-term orientation and commitment, with the latter as a strong antecedent of customer loyalty. In contrast, dependence on the main supplier does not seem to exert a significant effect on long-term orientation and commitment.

Originality/Value/Contribution: The evidence suggests that relationship conditions are important for creating value in B2B settings. Results shed additional light on the process of calculating, creating and claiming value.     

Conceptualization and Integration of Marketing Intelligence: The Case of an Industrial Manufacturer

Purpose: The primary goal of this article was to conceptualize a systematic marketing intelligence process for industrial manufacturers because, up until now, such concepts have only been focused on consumer goods settings. Hence, this article investigates how marketing intelligence activities are developed and managed effectively in industrial markets.

Methodology/approach: The authors conducted a case study of Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen, a German based manufacturer of regulation technology for power transformers.

Findings: We found that a systematic marketing intelligence process should be based on the resource- and market-based view of strategy as well as on the market orientation construct. When implementing marketing intelligence, the integration of the sales force within the whole process is the crucial lever for an industrial company. The formalization of the process is necessary to ensure its continuity and acceptance; however, the varying intensity allows the necessary flexibility of the process.

Research implications: The constraints of the decisive process steps of marketing intelligence have to be further enhanced for industrial markets. It is important to find out how the integration of the sales force can best be designed to incorporate reward systems and motivation structures, and how to establish a corporate marketing-minded culture throughout the organization.

Practical implications: The important steps for a well implemented marketing intelligence process are a preparation phase, followed by the gathering, analysis, and dissemination of information. This article highlights the success factors for each process step. Above all, managerial and organizational commitment is necessary for the implementation of the whole process.

Originality/value/contribution: By focusing on the industrial manufacturing business, this study provides deep insights into a neglected area of research. Light needs to be shed on marketing intelligence in industrial markets, where the lack of traditional market research has to be compensated.     

商业模式设计与战略导向匹配性对业务绩效的影响

作为竞争优势的来源之一,商业模式设计对经营绩效而言变得越来越重要。文章通过区分驱动市场型和市场驱动型商业模式设计,探讨了商业模式设计与战略导向的匹配性对业务单位绩效的影响。结果表明,驱动市场型商业模式设计与创业导向之间的匹配对业务单位绩效产生积极影响;市场驱动型商业模式设计与顾客导向及竞争者导向之间的匹配对业务单位绩效产生积极影响。研究结论对企业的商业模式设计和创新活动提供了管理建议。     

影响企业市场导向业绩表现的共变量——不同成熟度企业之间的比较研究

本文研究共变量对市场导向与企业业绩等产出变量之间的关系,通过采用MKTOR量表测量市场导向,并将企业竞争能力作为市场导向的决定因子,同时将企业预期行为作为产出因子,对市场导向进行结构方程模型的定量研究。最后证明,在不同企业成熟度的企业中,例如跨国公司和小作坊式企业,市场导向的水平未必导致优良的企业业绩和良好的企业预期行为。     

Effects of Export Duty Structure on the Performance of the Malaysian Palm Oil Industry

This study examines the impact of the abatement of the export duty on the Malaysian palm oil industry performance. The simulation results show that the impact of reductions in the export duty rates and the impact of increases in the threshold prices on the Malaysian palm oil industry have the same impact but with different magnitudes. Even the simulated results indicate that the policy of further reductions in the Malaysian export duty will promote its positive effects on the local palm oil industry; however, the impact is shown to not be significant. The further reduction of the export tax is very constrained and believed to no longer be the most effective policy in enhancing the competitiveness of local palm oil industry in the future. Hence, policymakers have to be aware of the possibility that the reduction of the export tax may no longer be an effective sustainable approach in facilitating the development of Malaysian palm oil industry.