The effect of marketing capability, financing resource and spatial configuration on market-focused flexibility

Abstract

In spite of the normative appeal of flexibility, the concept has rarely been considered from strategic marketing perspective. Without being market focused, flexibility will not result in superior value creation and sustainable competitive advantage. In the light of the above shortcomings, this study examined a firm’s flexibility with reference to a specified export venture market. Based upon the strategic marketing perspective, this study identified three sets of antecedents of market-focused flexibility: marketing capabilities, financing resources and spatial configurations. The empirical evidences showed reasonable support for the proposed model. In addition, this study brought clear evidences demonstrating the powerful effect of market-focused flexibility on competitive advantages and performance in the corresponding markets. As a whole, this study helps scholars and managers to better conceptualise and measure market-focused flexibility, understand how it develops in the firm and how it works together with other important resources and capabilities to affect outcomes.