Investigating the links between market orientation, marketing capabilities and performance in the context of retailing: a structural equation model approach

The present study investigates the links between market orientation (MO), store-level marketing capabilities and performance. In particular, we are interested in to analyse the relationship between MO and store-level marketing capabilities, and the impact of these store-level marketing capabilities on performance. The store-level marketing capabilities studied here are: 1) assortment management capability; 2) customer-service management capability. For the purpose of the study, we develop a conceptual model and related hypotheses. The hypotheses are tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) with a sample of 202 small Finnish retail entrepreneurs in the field of specialty goods retailing. Our findings offer the several substantive contributions. As a first contribution, the findings of the present study indicate that the relationship between retailer MO and store-level marketing capabilities is both positive and significant. As a second contribution, the study shows that both assortment management capability and customer-service management capability have a positive impact on customer performance. As a third contribution, the findings of our study indicate that store-level marketing capabilities do not have a direct impact on financial performance.