Impact of marketing capabilities on competitive advantage and business performance: research propositions

Abstract

Research to date looking at marketing capabilities is limited to varied types of capabilities in general. The purpose of the study is to comprehend marketing capabilities from operational perspective and to explore its role in enhancing competitive advantage and business performance. The paper draws upon the extant literature to present a series of research propositions relating to marketing capabilities. The paper identifies the role of market orientation, culture, environment turbulence, and competitive advantage in enhancing marketing capabilities and business performance relationship. To the extent marketing managers develop valuable, non-substitutable and inimitable capabilities in the turbulent competitive environment, business performance may be increased leading, in turn, to enhanced competitive advantage. However, conceptualisation of marketing capabilities from operational is one of its major limitations. Hence, the other three perspectives that include intellectual capital, marketing mix and competition need also to be relooked for comprehending marketing capabilities concept.