The impact of market orientation on small firm performance: a configurational approach

PurposeIn this study, the authors examine the influence of market orientation on small firms' performance. The authors theorize that the association between market orientation and small firm performance provides an incomplete picture in a competitive environment. The application of configuration approach which involves simultaneous consideration of market orientation, strategic flexibility and competition intensity is crucial to examine driver of firm performance.Design/methodology/approachThe sample of the research study consists of 272 small firms from an emerging economy, India. Ordinary least squares regression has been used to investigate the hypothesized relationships.FindingsThe authors noted that the three-way interaction between market orientation, strategic flexibility and competition intensity elucidates variance in small firm performance over and above a contingency model and a direct relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings contribute to the existing literature by exhibiting the effect of market orientation on firm performance. The configuration model suggests that small firms can outperform competitors in a lower competitive environment if they have high market orientation and high strategic flexibility investment. To leverage market opportunities and achieve better firm performance, small firms’ owners should analyze the usefulness of current capabilities in a changing competitive environment concurrently and align market orientation to those conditions.Originality/valueThe strategic management and marketing literature suggests that relationship between market orientation and performance is ambiguous. The findings offer insights to managers regarding the appropriate use of strategic flexibility in leveraging the benefits of market orientation in a highly competitive environment. Furthermore, by collecting data from the context of an emerging economy, India, the authors attempt to strengthen the applicability of market orientation in different contexts.

Entrepreneurial orientation, market orientation and opportunity exploitation in driving business performance: moderating effect of interfunctional coordination

Purpose The study aims to investigate the extent to which interfunctional coordination (IFC) moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO), market orientation (MO) and organisational opportunity exploitation (OE) and business performance (BP); second, to examine the impact of EO, MO and organisational OE on the BP. Design/methodology/approach The study used a cross-sectional design approach, with the research framework tested on a sample of 203 cases of employees mostly at skilled, professional and management levels in Gauteng Province. Data was analysed through correlation, regression and moderation analysis. Findings The results indicated that EO, MO and OE account for BP. Furthermore, IFC significantly moderates only the relationship between MO and BP (financial) and OE and BP (non-financial). While the relationship between EO and BP is not significantly moderated. Practical implications The study highlights that IFC is not yet embedded in organisational practice and culture. Scaling interventions to promote IFC as a performance enabler, particularly in conjunction with the entrepreneurial, market-oriented and OE activities, is essential in the South African corporate entrepreneurial environment. Originality/value Although EO, MO and OE are widely recognised as performance enablers, very little is known about the potential moderating role of IFC towards these identified complementary strategic capabilities within the South African corporate context. The empirical research strengthens awareness about the need and criticality of IFC in improving organisational performance in emerging economies.

Contextual factors moderating the impact of strategic management accounting on competitive advantage

PurposeThis study investigates the influence of six interrelated contextual factors, namely organisational structure, quality of information technology, business strategy in terms of deliberate strategy-formulation, market orientation, market competition and perceived environmental uncertainty (PEU), on the usage intensity of innovative management accounting techniques commonly referred to as strategic management accounting (SMA); the impact of SMA usage on competitive advantage; and the moderating influence of the contextual factors on the relationship between SMA usage and competitive advantage.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were obtained through a structured questionnaire from publicly listed manufacturing companies on the main board of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and moderated regression were used to analyse data. Both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to examine the validity and reliability of variables as first and second order of analysis. Structural equation modelling (SEM) (maximum likelihood estimation method) was applied to assess the robustness of result.FindingsMarket orientation and deliberate strategy-formulation emerged as significant determinants of SMA usage intensity. Although there is a significant relationship between SMA usage and competitive advantage, the strength of the relationship is moderate. Organisational structure, deliberate strategy-formulation and PEU significantly moderate the relationship between SMA usage and competitive advantage.Research limitations/implicationsThe emergence of deliberate strategy-formulation, as both a significant predictor of SMA usage intensity and as the strongest moderator of the relationship between SMA usage and competitive advantage, establish that it is organisations that take a proactive approach to strategy issues that may derive the most benefit from SMA utilisation.Practical implicationsThe result from this study brings to fore the need to involve management accountants in strategy-formulation and implementation in order to leverage their competence in deploying SMA techniques to enhance organisational competitiveness.Originality/valueThe current study is the first, to the researcher's knowledge, to specifically examine interrelated contextual factors distinctively affecting SMA usage and organisational competitiveness in a developing country. Whilst these six factors have been stressed as important determinants of the adoption of innovative management accounting techniques, the study provides empirical evidence on the extent to which they exert on SMA. The study presents empirical evidence on the relevance of market orientation—a construct which has surprisingly received little research attention in management accounting literature—as a variable which could affect the adoption of management accounting innovation.

The influence of social media marketing, product innovation and market orientation on Indonesian SMEs marketing performance

The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of social media marketing, product innovation, market orientation on marketing performance. The study uses quantitative methods and data analysis techniques are based on Structural Equation Modeling using SmartPLS 3.0 software. The sample selection method uses the snowball sampling method. Online questionnaires are sent to 320 SMEs in Banten Province, where 300 responses are used. The results of data analysis show that social media marketing has a significant effect on marketing performance, product innovation has a significant effect on marketing performance and market orientation has a significant effect on marketing performance.

Changes in the Marketing Orientation Within the Business Model of an International Retailer

Reported in this paper is an interview- and press release-based study that considers the market-driven and market-driving activities within the disaggregated components of a business model. This is based on an empirical study of IKEA in Malaysia over the past 20 years. Market orientation is perceived to be a position on a continuum, not a binary one. The components of the business model employed in this study were developed from Osterwalder and Pigneur. Findings show that over time the balance between driven and driving orientations of the company changed in a number of ways with respect to its business models. This chapter contributes by showing the disaggregated nature of market orientation of driving and driven activities and linking them to a given component of business model as well as reviewing what happened to the driven-driving balance over the course of time. This approach can widely be applied with respect to attempts geared towards understanding the dynamic nature of international retailing.

Exploring market orientation, product innovation and competitive advantage to enhance the performance of SMEs under uncertain evens

The purpose of this study is to build an empirical research model and prove the influence of market orientation on product innovation and competitive advantage. The study also proves the intervening role of product innovation and competitive advantage on increasing market performance. In addition, market uncertainty is also tested in moderation in strengthening the relationship between product innovation and competitive advantage in market performance. The study tests 178 samples of Batik SME players in Surakarta. A purposive sampling was used as this research’s sampling method. The result of this study proves empirically that market orientation positively, significantly influences product innovation and competitive advantage. The test of mediation role between product innovation and competitive advantage in market performance also shows positive and significant results. The result of the test on moderation role between Market uncertainty in the relationship between product innovation and competitive advantage on market performance also shows positive and significant influence on market performance.