¡§Market orientation will improve performance¡¨, this issue has been discussed over 30 years. Most of scholars think market orientation is the core of modern marketing management and strategy. However, there are numerous empirical studies that have examined the association between market orientation and organizational performance. Many studies have found a positive association between market orientation and organizational performance, but some studies have found no significant relationship. Therefore, some scholars interpret the mixed findings by incorporating the mediating variables. Some studies incorporate the innovation as a mediating variable between market orientation and organizational performance. Additionally, a series of recent studies have found that a firm¡¦s organizational learning is likely to indirectly affect organizational performance by facilitating the type of generative learning that leads to innovations in products, procedures, and systems. Therefore, this research presents a conceptual framework for incorporating organizational learning and innovations as the mediating variable between market orientation and organizational performance. The sample of this study has 145 companies of Information Technology Industry in Scientific Industry Park. Many quantitative methods, including t-test, ANOVA, regression analysis, and LISREL analysis, and used to test the hypothesis of this research. The major findings of this study are summarized as following: (1) Overall, the global model fit is acceptable. This empirical result supports the relationships among the market orientation, organizational learning, organizational innovations, and organizational performance. (2) Market orientation has a positive impact on organizational learning, administrative and technical innovation. Furthermore, the direct effect of market orientation on technical innovation is greater than the direct effect of market orientation on administrative innovation, but the total effect of market orientation on technical innovation is smaller than the total effect of market orientation on administrative innovation. (3) Organizational learning has a positive direct impact on administrative and technical innovation, but the direct effect of organizational learning on performance is not statistically significant. However, organizational learning has a positive indirect impact on performance by organizational innovations. Moreover, the direct effect of organizational learning on administrative innovation is greater than the direct effect of organizational learning on technical innovation. The indirect effect of organizational learning on performance by administrative innovation is greater than the indirect effect by technical innovation. (4) The direct effect of administrative innovation on performance is greater than the direct effect of technical innovation on performance. However, the effect of the two innovations types (administrative and technical) interact impact with each other is not statistically significant.

Research Questions: Environmental consideration has influenced managerial decisions and has required from firms to develop an organizational culture that focus on the environmental issues. Despite the importance of adopting a business philosophy that take into account the ecological concerns few studies have examined the relationship between market orientation and environmental practices. This thesis contributes to fill this gap by addressing the following questions: 1) Does the introduction of the environmental facilities help firms towards green innovation? 2) Is Green marketing strategy of firms positively associated with the augment in performance? 3) Does green marketing communication affect positively corporate image? Research Objectives: My aim is to investigate if firms´ green strategy can encourage innovation; enhance corporate reputation and increase overall performance. Research approach and methodology: The assesment of companies green initiatives and the effects on their performance have been achieved through the content of annual and sustainability reports as well as interviews with business managers. Findings: The investigation indicates that when implementing an effective green strategy firms will improve their managerial and organizational performance and such improvements can contribute positively to their financial outcome. The better use of the resources via the introduction of the environmental facilities by firms indeed can help them towards green innovation. Add to that, communicating environmental practices also seems to be an important tool to enhance brand reputation. Thus this study agrees with some authors who affirm that integrating environmental issues into business activities firms´ can increase efficiency and competitiveness while reducing environmental impact. Concluding remarks: The core lesson learned from this scientic work is that the response of the firms in prioritizing the implementation of eco-friendly practices is linked with their perception of current environmental trends. The most firms reinvent themselves by adopting more reuse, recycle, reduce, re-design, green training, green marketing, etc more eco-oriented they seems to be.

A integração da inteligência de mercado e a estruturação eficaz das fases iniciais (também conhecidas como front-end) do processo de desenvolvimento de novos produtos são dois dos mais importantes e difíceis desafios que inovadores enfrentam. Esta tese concentra-se na ligação entre estes dois aspectos, oferecendo um modelo conceitual para a sistematização e integração da inteligência de mercado nas atividades do front-end. O modelo, intitulado MISIPro (Market Intelligence Sistematization e Integration Process – Processo de sistematização e integração da inteligência de mercado), considera dois tipos diferentes de atividades que ocorrem no front-end: a) atividades de processamento de informações de mercado; e b) atividades de desenvolvimento de produtos. Essas atividades são então definidas, estruturadas e integradas. O modelo foi desenvolvido com base numa revisão da literatura sobre desenvolvimento de produtos, orientação de mercado e gestão do conhecimento e em 5 estudos de caso em empresas no Brasil e nos Estados Unidos. Como contribuição teórica, esta tese apresenta uma integração de conceitos importantes provenientes de diferentes perspectivas e áreas de conhecimento e uma nova abordagem e estrutura para a concepção do conceito. Para os profissionais, o modelo oferece uma ferramenta útil para a estruturação das atividades do front-end e integração das informações de mercado no processo de desenvolvimento de produtos. / Integrating market intelligence and effective structuring of the planning stages (also known as front-end) of new product development (NPD) process are two of the most important and difficult challenges facing innovators. This dissertation focuses on the link between these two elements, offering a conceptual model for the systematization and integration of market intelligence into the frontend activities. The model, entitled MISIPro (Market Intelligence Systematization and Integration Process), considers two different types of activities that take place in the front-end: a) market information processing activities; and b) product development activities. These activities are herein defined, structure and mutually integrated. The model was developed based on a review of the literature about product development, market orientation and knowledge management, and 5 case studies in Brazilian and U.S. companies. From a theoretical perspective, this dissertation offers an integration of the important concepts from different perspectives and areas of knowledge and a new approach and structure for the concept design. For practitioners, the model offers a useful tool for structuring the front-end activities and integrating market intelligence into the NPD process.

A integração da inteligência de mercado e a estruturação eficaz das fases iniciais (também conhecidas como front-end) do processo de desenvolvimento de novos produtos são dois dos mais importantes e difíceis desafios que inovadores enfrentam. Esta tese concentra-se na ligação entre estes dois aspectos, oferecendo um modelo conceitual para a sistematização e integração da inteligência de mercado nas atividades do front-end. O modelo, intitulado MISIPro (Market Intelligence Sistematization e Integration Process – Processo de sistematização e integração da inteligência de mercado), considera dois tipos diferentes de atividades que ocorrem no front-end: a) atividades de processamento de informações de mercado; e b) atividades de desenvolvimento de produtos. Essas atividades são então definidas, estruturadas e integradas. O modelo foi desenvolvido com base numa revisão da literatura sobre desenvolvimento de produtos, orientação de mercado e gestão do conhecimento e em 5 estudos de caso em empresas no Brasil e nos Estados Unidos. Como contribuição teórica, esta tese apresenta uma integração de conceitos importantes provenientes de diferentes perspectivas e áreas de conhecimento e uma nova abordagem e estrutura para a concepção do conceito. Para os profissionais, o modelo oferece uma ferramenta útil para a estruturação das atividades do front-end e integração das informações de mercado no processo de desenvolvimento de produtos. / Integrating market intelligence and effective structuring of the planning stages (also known as front-end) of new product development (NPD) process are two of the most important and difficult challenges facing innovators. This dissertation focuses on the link between these two elements, offering a conceptual model for the systematization and integration of market intelligence into the frontend activities. The model, entitled MISIPro (Market Intelligence Systematization and Integration Process), considers two different types of activities that take place in the front-end: a) market information processing activities; and b) product development activities. These activities are herein defined, structure and mutually integrated. The model was developed based on a review of the literature about product development, market orientation and knowledge management, and 5 case studies in Brazilian and U.S. companies. From a theoretical perspective, this dissertation offers an integration of the important concepts from different perspectives and areas of knowledge and a new approach and structure for the concept design. For practitioners, the model offers a useful tool for structuring the front-end activities and integrating market intelligence into the NPD process.

A integração da inteligência de mercado e a estruturação eficaz das fases iniciais (também conhecidas como front-end) do processo de desenvolvimento de novos produtos são dois dos mais importantes e difíceis desafios que inovadores enfrentam. Esta tese concentra-se na ligação entre estes dois aspectos, oferecendo um modelo conceitual para a sistematização e integração da inteligência de mercado nas atividades do front-end. O modelo, intitulado MISIPro (Market Intelligence Sistematization e Integration Process – Processo de sistematização e integração da inteligência de mercado), considera dois tipos diferentes de atividades que ocorrem no front-end: a) atividades de processamento de informações de mercado; e b) atividades de desenvolvimento de produtos. Essas atividades são então definidas, estruturadas e integradas. O modelo foi desenvolvido com base numa revisão da literatura sobre desenvolvimento de produtos, orientação de mercado e gestão do conhecimento e em 5 estudos de caso em empresas no Brasil e nos Estados Unidos. Como contribuição teórica, esta tese apresenta uma integração de conceitos importantes provenientes de diferentes perspectivas e áreas de conhecimento e uma nova abordagem e estrutura para a concepção do conceito. Para os profissionais, o modelo oferece uma ferramenta útil para a estruturação das atividades do front-end e integração das informações de mercado no processo de desenvolvimento de produtos. / Integrating market intelligence and effective structuring of the planning stages (also known as front-end) of new product development (NPD) process are two of the most important and difficult challenges facing innovators. This dissertation focuses on the link between these two elements, offering a conceptual model for the systematization and integration of market intelligence into the frontend activities. The model, entitled MISIPro (Market Intelligence Systematization and Integration Process), considers two different types of activities that take place in the front-end: a) market information processing activities; and b) product development activities. These activities are herein defined, structure and mutually integrated. The model was developed based on a review of the literature about product development, market orientation and knowledge management, and 5 case studies in Brazilian and U.S. companies. From a theoretical perspective, this dissertation offers an integration of the important concepts from different perspectives and areas of knowledge and a new approach and structure for the concept design. For practitioners, the model offers a useful tool for structuring the front-end activities and integrating market intelligence into the NPD process.

The results of this study provide support for the use of the SERVQUAL and market orientation instruments for evaluating agencies approach to service delivery issues in Taiwan. The results indicate that on two of the five dimensions of the SERVQUAL instrument in particular have the potential for identifying areas of concerns and facilitating focusing on specific concerns and developing mechanisms for addressing these concerns. These areas are responsiveness and reliability. The potential for improving the applicability and sophistication of the instrument also exists. There are clearly issues that can be addressed between the perceptions and expectations of both customers and managers for the advertising agencies. In particular, the results indicate that customers have a much bigger gap between expectations of service and the delivery of service than the managers. This research provides evidence that a service problem exists in advertising agency settings in Taiwan as well as a mechanism for identifying and measuring the extent of the problem. In addition, the consortium based advertising agencies had a different market orientation than the matrix or integrated organizations studied. Consortium based organizations are more likely to have a competitor orientation while matrix and integrated organizations are more likely to have a customer orientation. In addition, market orientation impacts attitudes and approaches to service quality.

The gap between the relatively static marketing resources of a firm and the turbulent marketplace is growing in importance for both practitioners and academics alike. This paper explores how marketing capabilities, specifically market orientation, work synergistically with other organizational capabilities to form dynamic marketing capabilities that enhance firm innovativeness. Findings indicate that a tight integration between the technical and marketing functions of a firm creates a fertile transformation point, where market orientation infuses the innovation process. Market orientation interacts with these integrated capabilities to form a dynamic marketing capability that enhances the organization's innovativeness. Implications include how these dynamic marketing capabilities differ between service and manufacturing firms, where only the cultural aspects of market orientation enhance performance in service firms.

This report combines theoretical and empirical findings to create a holistic framework for market oriented practices within professional service firms. Changes in the business environment of technology consultancy firms, has developed a need to adopt more structured procedures in assessing the market place and in responding, both through external activities as well as through internal optimization. An assumption was made that the market orientation concept was of relevance in addressing this need. A qualitative empirical investigation was conducted at a large professional service firm mainly operating within the construction consulting industry in Sweden. The result provides a conceptual framework for practising market orientation, based largely on empirical findings, which in the conclusion is summarized into a model to visualize the interconnection of the different parts of market orientation. The framework developed is ‘The Market Orientation Model’ which is made up four stages; (1) ‘Assess Current State’ in which the goal is to understand the current state of the firm; current market, current services and current competences. (2) ‘Collect Intelligence’ where the collection of market intelligence, using a set of different processes, about the needs and demands of current, new and internal customers should be gathered. (3) ‘Create Insight’ which is the process of identifying the Market Potential or the Market Demand through processes of organization wide dissemination and analysis of the gathered intelligence. (4a) ‘Create Response Initiative’ where the aim is to create new, or develop existing service offerings to meet the demand or need of the market. (4b) ‘Create Sales Initiative’ which is the initiation of a sales attempt of existing services to new or existing customers. The model creates a summarized picture of what constitutes market orientation and how it can be adapted to an organization. It can be used to create a standardized approach for an entire organization in building a market oriented firm. By continuously following this model in a market oriented firm, greater alignment with market should be achieved. / Denna rapport kombinerar teoretiska och empiriska resultat för att skapa ett helhetstäckande ramverk för marknadsorienterad verksamhet inom professionella tjänsteföretag. Förändringar i dessa företags omvärld har utvecklat ett behov av att införa mer strukturerade rutiner för att bedöma marknaden och genom både marknadsinsatser och interna processförbättringar möta dessa förändringar. Ett antagande gjordes att marknadsorientering var ett relevant koncept för att bemöta detta behov. En kvalitativ empirisk studie genomfördes på ett större professionellt tjänsteföretag på den svenska teknikkonsultmarknaden med inriktning mot byggbranschen. Resultatet består av ett konceptuellt ramverk för marknadsorientering, som till stor del bygger på empiriska resultat. Detta sammanfattas i en modell för att visualisera kopplingarna mellan de olika delarna av marknadsorientering. Ramverket benämns som "The Market Orientation Model" som består  av fyra steg; (1) "Utvärdera aktuellt läge" där målet är att förstå den nuvarande situationen för företaget, den aktuella marknaden, nuvarande tjänster och nuvarande kompetenser. (2) "Samla information" med  målet  att  samla  in  marknadsinformation  om  befintliga,  nya  och  interna  kunders tjänstebehov med hjälp av en uppsättning processer. (3) 'Skapa ins ikt’, som är processen för att  identifiera  marknadens  potential  eller  efterfrågan  genom  processer  för  organisatorisk spridning och analys av informationen som erhållits i steg två. (4a) ’Bemötande’ där syftet är att skapa nya, eller utveckla befintliga tjänsteutbud för att möta efterfrågan eller behov på marknaden.  (4b)  'Försäljningsinitiativ’  där  man  skapar  en  riktad  säljinsats  av  befintliga tjänster till nya eller befintliga kunder. Modellen ger en sammanfattad bild av vad som utgör marknadsorientering och hur den kan anpassas   till   en   organisation.   Det   kan   användas   för   att   skapa   ett   standardiserat tillvägagångssätt för en organisation att bygga ett marknadsorienterat företag. Genom att följa denna modell inom ett företag bör en bättre anpassning till marknaden uppnås.

It has been widely acknowledged that today’s business world is characterized by severe competition. To remain competitive, firms have to employ alternative strategies to keep up with the fast paced development. One such strategy is coopetition; firms collaborate in some areas to combine their resources while competing in other areas. Thus, instead of trying to master everything within a company’s own walls, emphasis is towards gaining access to external resources and coordinating the wide array of expertise in the best possible way to achieve competitive advantage. In addition, growing requirements from the customer end force firms to combine their resources to be able to put together tailored solutions. This entails a notable customer input in product development and firm’s ability to utilize market knowledge can not be undermined. However, before the feedback gained from the market can act as a source of competitive edge, it has to be further processed into a form in which it offers strategic value for the company. This research aims to study how market knowledge is utilized to create competitive in the interface of inter- and intra-organizational coopetition. Even though competition is often considered to take place between firms, competitive elements can also be found within firms. For that reason, we include both inter- and intra-organizational coopetition in the research. In terms of the process involved in market knowledge utilization, three steps are appointed; transfer, translation and transformation of knowledge. To perform the research, we selected a high technology company belonging to SME category present in the information security business as case company. Six semi-structured interviews were conducted on three different occasions. Due to the sensitive nature of the research topic, the case company remains anonymous and is referred to as Case Company in the research. By ensuring respondents’ anonymity, the gained responses are more likely to be honest and thus more reliable and comprehensive. The empirical findings revealed differences in market knowledge utilization between inter- and intra-organizational coopetition. While coopetition taking place between firms was characterized with dominating competitive element and protection of one’s own assets, only preliminary stages of market knowledge utilization were found to be present. This entailed that knowledge transformation was absent in the inter-organizational context. On the other hand, on the intra-organizational level a collective approach to knowledge coordination was employed and attention had been paid on establishing sufficient structural conditions to support the knowledge utilization process. Thus, the process within the company was more efficient and it completed the knowledge utilization process at the inter-organizational level as knowledge transformation took place only within Case Company. While coopetition is a rather new field of study, we believe that the performed research provided information on inter- and intra-organizational coopetition in an SME present in the high technology industry and gave insights of the knowledge exchange both within and across companies. In the end, we have built up a model including the most important findings of the study. The figure entails the market knowledge utilization processes visualized in both inter- and intra-organizational contexts.

Exporting is a critically important strategy for firms to grow, yet research in this area has tended to ignore how firms can leverage resource-based capabilities to improve export performance. Building on the resource-based view and institutional theory, the authors develop a novel perspective to explain how a firm can improve export performance by aligning its export channel with its level of market orientation capabilities, contingent on the institutional distance between home and export markets. Using a unique database of Chinese exporters, the authors find that exporters with strong market orientation capabilities prefer hierarchical export channels, while those with weak market orientation capabilities prefer hybrid channels. The analysis also indicates that the institutional distance between China and the export market moderates this relation. Moreover, the authors find that aligning export channel choice with firm-level market orientation capabilities and institutional distance yields better export performance. (authors' abstract)