Market Orientation as Inter-firm Cooperation:: An International Study of the Grocery Sector

Abstract

Previous research shows that a firm’s market orientation is influenced by external relationships, but few regard market orientation as an inter-firm phenomenon, i.e. as a part of cooperative inter-firm activities. The paper suggests inter-firm market orientation as an approach for its conceptualization. [Kohli, Ajay K. and Jaworski, Bernard J. (1990) Market orientation: The construct, research propositions and managerial implications. Journal of Marketing 54(April), 1–18] original components are adapted to the interorganizational setting and four dimensions, especially relevant in order to characterize inter-firm market orientation, are identified, including indicators that can be used to study them further. The results are based on qualitative case studies on supplier-retailer relationships in Sweden, Italy and the UK.