Performance Outcome of Market Orientation Behaviour among Botswanas’ Small Service Firms

Abstract

A vast majority of the stream concerning Market Orientation (MO) consequences have concentrated on its relationship with business performance (Narver and Slater,1990;Jaworski and Kholi,1993;Kuada and Buatsi,2005;Pelham,2000 and Dwairi et al.,2007).Few works have however addressed other possible consequences, such as the effect of MO on the operational level of employees (Jaworski and Kholi,1993;Ruekert,1992;Zebal & Goodwin.,2011),or the effect of MO at a customer level (Krekapa et al.,2003;Zebal & Goodwin.,2011).This limited amount of research is somewhat surprising given that employees ‘attitudes and behaviours, and customer satisfaction (non economic performance),as well as business performance (economic performance) are central pillars that have been widely recognized in the conceptualization of MO (Kholi and Jaworski,1990 and Narver and Slater,1990).The effects of MO on both job related attitudes have been studied by relevant literature. The studies conducted by Jaworski and Kholi (1993),Marandu & Themba.,(2012) and Jones et al.,(2003) are some examples that underline the positive consequences of MO on these job related employee attitudes. The multivariate analysis techniques (MANOVA) was used in this study to explicate the nomological web between overall market orientation and economic and noneconomic performance of small service firms.This study contributes to that body of literature by investigating the consequences of market orientation in Botswana. The results successfully replicate the Jaworski and Kholi findings, within the Botswana’s environment. The findings also provide evidence that performance outcomes can be enhanced by the adoption of market orientation in Botswana.