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.

The research objectives were to determine (a) interrelationships among components of Korean apparel retail stores' management strategies, (b) effects of perceived environmental uncertainty on their management strategies, (c) effects of stores' management strategies on their performance, and (d) market-orientation strategies the stores have implemented. Four hundred top managers of Korean apparel stores in Seoul, Busan, Suwon, Daejeon, and Daegu completed a questionnaire. A structural equations model was used to test the hypotheses concerning relationships between the research variables. The exogenous variables include components of perceived environmental uncertainty (market turbulence, competitive intensity) and top management's willingness to adapt a changing market (top-management emphasis and risk aversion). The endogenous variables include components of market-orientation strategy (intelligence generation, intelligence dissemination, response design, response implementation), organicity of organizational structure (centralization, formalization, specialization), and satisfaction with store performance (relative to other Korean retail stores, relative to key competitors). Many of the hypotheses were supported. Perceived market turbulence positively affected stores' market-orientation strategies and functional specialization. Market orientation strategy positively affected stores' functional specialization and centralization of decision making. Intelligence generation positively affected satisfaction with store performance relative to other Korean retail stores and relative to key competitors, and response implementation positively affected satisfaction with store performance relative to other Korean retail stores. Some positive relationships were found between perceived environmental uncertainty and top management's willingness to adapt to a changing market. Also, seven of the eight tested relationships were significant and positive between market-orientation strategy and top management's willingness to adapt to a changing market. Top-management emphasis positively affected organicity of organizational structure. Formalization of store structure positively affected satisfaction with store performance relative to other Korean retail stores and relative to key competitors. A major conclusion is that Korean apparel stores' top managers did not view environmental conditions as important influences on their stores' performance, although their perceptions of environmental uncertainty affected their stores' strategic management in such terms as response design, intelligence generation, and intelligence dissemination.. In addition, despite the positive effects of perceived environmental uncertainty on stores' centralization and functional specialization, the top managers appeared reluctant to fundamentally change their stores' organizational structures. / Ph. D.

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)

This research explores the management problem of how individuals can influence the development of a strategic orientation within a firm. A market orientation strategy builds upon three dimensions: the organisation-wide acquisition, dissemination, and co-ordination of market intelligence (Jaworski & Kohli, 1993). Such management of market-based information requires a set of distinct dynamic capabilities or routines. Empirical research about the association between market orientation and performance shows that firms that develop these capabilities improve both their organisational and financial performance (Gray, Buchanan, & Mallon, 2003). This research attempts to understand the circumstances that prompt employees in all areas of an organisation to become accountable for the implementation of a market-oriented strategy. To date, studies have inadequately measured individual contribution to the market orientation of a firm and do not understand each employee's personal responsibility and willingness to act in a market-oriented way. In response, this thesis developed a dynamic, multi-dimensional scale of individual market-oriented behaviour. First-stage research used focus groups and extant literature to construct a measure of individual market orientation. Then, a cross-section of financial services employees completed a web-based survey measuring individual market-oriented behaviour and individual and interpersonal antecedents. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the presence of a single latent construct with three dimensions. Study results identified a strong and significant relationship between the performance of market-oriented behaviours and the perception of a high-quality fulfilled psychological contract with the employer. Employees who were agile learners and frequently in contact with customers were also more likely to practice market-oriented behaviours.

Significant work has taken place in the development of our understanding of business dyadic relationships but much work remains to be done in determining the antecedents, particularly our understanding of cultural contexts. This research aims to add to the debate about what counts in developing a long-term orientation in channel relationships by investigating the role of the concept of market orientation; it explores the possible interface existing between the marketing concept and development of channel relationships. The context is relationships between distributors and suppliers in Taiwan. This study examines the relationship literature from a social exchange theoretical perspective and conducts multiple-case in-depth interviews at the dyadic ends to develop an integrated research model for analysing potential effects of market orientation on the relationship factors influencing long-term oriented relationship building. Quantitative mixed-mode questionnaire surveys were undertaken to test the research model and hypotheses drawn from the model. Data were collected from 158 distributors from four selected business sectors, including both commodity and noncommodity ones. The results confirm the applicability of the marketing concept to an eastern country: Taiwan, and provide empirical evidence that adoption of the marketing concept can be a strategy for stimulating and sustaining long-term oriented channel relationships while mediated by a number of relationship constructs. Communication and shared value are highlighted as the primary mediators while satisfaction signals an inclination to continue a relationship. Market orientation is found to exert significant direct effects on communication and shared value and indirect effects on the other relationship components: trust, cooperation, commitment, conflict and satisfaction, which all contribute to a continuing relationship.