Internal Market Orientation Research Articles

International entrepreneurial culture of born global and non-born global family firms: a configurational approach

PurposeDelving into family business heterogeneity, this study applies fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analyses (fsQCA) to explain overlooked differences in the international performance of born global family firms (BGFFs) and non-born global family firms (n-BGFFs); through the lens of assemblage theory of family business internationalization, the study develops distinctive configurations of international entrepreneurial culture (IEC) for BGFFs and n-BGFFs.Design/methodology/approachThis study compares the theoretical tenets of IEC among 167 BGFFs versus 192 n-BGFFs in Malaysia using fsQCA – a configurational method. The study further deploys necessity analysis of fsQCA (NCA) to determine the necessity conditions within the identified configurations.FindingsBGFFs manifest elevated levels of international entrepreneurial orientation, international motivation and international non-competitor network orientation. In contrast, n-BGFFs rely on international markets, learning and competitor network orientations to secure international performance. Furthermore, necessary condition analysis (NCA) reveals that international entrepreneurial orientation and international motivation are the necessity conditions for BGFFs. In contrast, international market, learning and competitor network orientation are all required for n-BGFFs’ international performance.Originality/valueThis study is timely and contributes to advancing the international business theory of family firm internationalization. It also offers better theorizing for family firms’ heterogeneity, locating the source of that heterogeneity not just in the speed of internationalization but also in the composition of their different IECs.

The Influence of ESG Endeavors on Organizational and Financial Performance: Mediating Effects of Internal Market Orientation and the Moderating Role of Job Crafting

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of ESG on organizational and financial performance, and use internal market-oriented culture as an intermediary factor to explore its mediating effect, and finally use job crafting as an adjustment factor to explore its moderating effect. The research results show that ESG has a positive impact on organizational and financial performance, and internal market-oriented culture also has a positive impact on organizational and financial performance. At the same time, internal market-oriented culture (IMOC) has a mediating effect on ESG, organizational and financial performance, while job crafting has a moderating effect on internal market-oriented culture, organizational and financial performance.

Internal marketing orientation and employee innovative behaviour: the mediating role of workforce agility and moderating role of psychological empowerment

Internal marketing orientation and employee innovative behaviour: the mediating role of workforce agility and moderating role of psychological empowerment

How and when internal marketing orientation affects frontline employees’ positive word of mouth: insights from a hotel in China

PurposeDrawing on the theoretical underpinnings of job crafting, this study aims to investigate how and when internal marketing orientation (IMO) promotes employees’ positive word of mouth (PWOM).Design/methodology/approachThe two-wave, multisource data came from frontline employees and their supervisors in a hotel located in Eastern China. The hypothesized relationships were tested with Mplus with multilevel path analysis.FindingsThe results reveal that IMO encourages frontline employees to change the task, cognitive and relational boundaries of their jobs. Nevertheless, it is through relational crafting that IMO ultimately affects employees’ PWOM, especially when they work with supervisors high in felt responsibility for constructive change (FRCC).Research limitations/implicationsTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first studies to investigate how organizations and supervisors can work together to encourage frontline employees’ PWOM.Practical implicationsThe findings carry important implications for practitioners on how to encourage frontline employees’ PWOM in the service sector.Originality/valueFirst, this research adds to the limited knowledge of how organizations and supervisors can work together to promote frontline employees’ PWOM in the service sector. Second, by proposing job crafting as a key intermediary mechanism underlying IMO’s impact on employee PWOM, this research not only offers a new theoretical perspective to understand how to promote frontline employees’ PWOM but also sheds new light on the underlying mechanisms through which IMO exerts its influence on frontline employees. Third, supervisors’ FRCC as a boundary condition of IMO can help service organizations more effectively capitalize on IMO to motivate frontline employees’ engagement in job crafting and subsequent PWOM.

International entrepreneurial culture as a booster of early and rapid internationalisation: A comparative study of Born Globals vs non-Born Globals

AbstractThe literature demonstrates how Born Globals (BGs) make recourse to distinctive strategic intangible assets to accelerate their internationalisation processes while, nevertheless, broadly neglecting the role of International Entrepreneurial Culture (IEC) in generating and differentiating BGs despite its relevant role. This study examines the IEC as a driver of the early and rapid internationalisation of BGs and correspondingly seeks to capture the prevailing differences compared to non-Born Globals (non-BGs).Thus, we empirically tested and validated an IEC scale for a sample of 66 BGs and 102 non-BGs and deployed multivariate analysis techniques to identify the main differences among company profiles. The results reveal how BGs stand out from their peers in terms of autonomy (a dimension of the international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO)), international motivation, and international market orientation. Therefore, concentrating on developing these dimensions may return an effective means of boosting rapid and early internationalisation and thereby stand out from the competition. The remaining IEO dimensions, the international learning orientation and the international networking orientation were not relevant to this differentiating process.This research has important theoretical and practical implications, encouraging and guiding BG managers to adopt a strategic posture emphasising some particular IEC dimensions to differentiate themselves from their competitors and succeed in their early international involvement.

Internal green marketing orientation and brand citizenship behavior: The role of organizational pride and individual green values

Internal green marketing orientation and brand citizenship behavior: The role of organizational pride and individual green values

Sectorial evaluation and characterization of internal marketing orientation through multicriteria analysis

This research carries out a comparative analysis of the Internal Market Orientation (IMO) to a sample of small and medium enterprise companies, which has been divided into nine groups based on their business sectors. Applying the statistical technique of structural equations, the coefficients of four IMO inputs in each business sector are obtained. Next, the PROMETHEE multicriteria technique is applied to obtain a composite indicator of the IMO implementation of each business sector. The value of the composite indicator together with the GAIA plane allow to distinguish the differences of the IMO profiles, their strengths and their weaknesses. The results show the divergences in the IMO inputs according to the sector, which is evidence that the business sector is a predictor of the IMO implementation of a company.

How Teachers Contribute to the Sustainability of the University Brand: Evidence from China

A brand strategy is a powerful guarantee for a university to enhance its reputation and sustainable development. An internal brand is the foundation of a university brand. Based on three variables—internal market orientation, teachers’ organizational identity, and teachers’ brand support behavior, a research model is constructed on a university’s internal brand formation mechanisms. To summarize how teachers support the university’s internal brand building, we analyzed the relationship between the three variables. This study used a three-stage sampling survey method to distribute 500 questionnaires and recovered 419 valid samples. The data from the valid questionnaires were statistically analyzed using two software programs—SPSS 24.0 and Mplus 7.2. This survey and analysis found that the three internal market orientation dimensions (internal information collection, internal communication, and feedback) are significantly positively correlated with teachers’ organizational identity and brand support behavior. Teachers’ organizational identity is not only significantly positively correlated with brand support behavior, but also mediates the relationship between the three dimensions of internal market orientation and brand support behavior. Universities should pay attention to the key roles of teachers in brand building and regard internal market orientation as an important tool for internal brand building.

Unveiling hidden patterns between managerial assumptions, international market orientation, and performance: an unexplored journey into Japanese SMEs

PurposeThis study seeks to investigate how managerial assumptions shape international market orientation (IMO) and how IMO, in turn, affects the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), drawing from cognitive theory and the resource-based view (RBV) to provide the theoretical framework.Design/methodology/approachThe study focuses on the relatively unexplored domain of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Japan. A survey was developed and tested using data from 303 Japanese SMEs. The study model was subsequently analyzed using the partial least squares (PLS) technique.FindingsThe study reveals a nuanced relationship between managerial frames of reference (FoRs) and IMOs. The results confirmed notable congruence between interfunctional market orientation and managers who exhibit a political FoR. They also revealed a positive correlation between professional FoR managers and customer market orientation. Additionally, the findings showed that entrepreneurial FoR managers displayed a significant association with competitive market orientation and Bureaucratic FoR matched with the three types of IMO. Finally, the results indicate that all three forms of IMO have a substantial impact on performance, albeit to varying degrees.Research limitations/implicationsThe applicability of our results to multinational corporations (MNCs) has not been evaluated. Since the primary focus was to identify the types of associations among FoR and IMO, the causal pathways and explanatory factors that underpinned these observed relationships were not examined in this study. Additionally, due to the geographical concentration of our sample in Japan, we were unable to conduct tests on the suggested model in other countries to validate and potentially generalize the research findings.Practical implicationsBy developing an implicit understanding of the market orientation fit within the organization’s FoR, managers can enhance their understanding of competitors' activities and enable them to respond with greater efficiency.Originality/valueTo the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the rare papers that inspect the relationship between International market orientations and managerial assumptions as well as their effect on performance.

The Influence of Communication Technology and Internal Market Orientation on Entrepreneurial Marketing

This examination was directed fully intent on noting the impact of correspondence innovation on inner market direction and enterprising promoting as well as the impact of inward market direction and pioneering showcasing on correspondence innovation at Artomoro store Surabaya. The philosophy of this exploration is illustrative quantitative utilizing speculation testing. This study involves 110 respondents as an example and utilizations the Nonprobability Sampling strategy. The example comprises of customers Artomoro store Surabaya then the information is taken utilizing a poll. The experimental outcomes got that correspondence innovation essentially affects interior market direction with a sig esteem. 0.000. Correspondence innovation and inward market direction fundamentally affect enterprising showcasing with a sig esteem. 0.000 and 0.001 . separately.

Internal green marketing orientation and business performance: The role of employee environmental commitment and green organizational identity

The research examines the idea that Internal Green Marketing Orientation (IGMO) is a strategic approach within the tourism and hospitality industries that focuses on integrating environmentally friendly practices into the organizational culture. It encompasses how a business perceives, values, and prioritizes environmental concerns as part of its internal operations. IGMO, as a fundamental aspect of a company's strategy, plays a significant role in shaping Business Performance (BP) in this sector. How does IGMO influence Business Performance (BP) in the tourism and hospitality industries, and what is the role of Employee Environmental Commitment (EEC) and Green Organizational Identity (GOI) in this relationship? The purpose of this study is to find the answers to the previous questions. The study randomly gathered data via time-lagged surveys distributed among workers with at least two years of experience in hotels and tourism companies in Egypt. The study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the perceptions of 338 employees working in hotels and tourism companies in Egypt. The study's results showed that IGMO is positively associated with BP. Furthermore, IGMO is positively associated with EEC. In addition, EEC is positively associated with BP. EEC succeeded in mediating the association between IGMO and BP. Finally, the study proved that GOI moderates the association between IGMO and EEC. Practical implications include prioritizing IGMO, fostering employee environmental commitment, recognizing the impact of employee commitment on business performance, leveraging employee commitment as a mediator, and understanding the role of green organizational identity in shaping employee commitment.

EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETING ON CHANGE IN MARKET SHARE: MODERATED MEDIATION OF INTERNAL GREEN MARKETING ORIENTATION AND STRATEGIC GREEN MARKETING ORIENTATION

The study is conducted to examine the influence of environmental marketing on changes in market share. Specifically, it aims to explore the intricate functions of internal green marketing orientation and strategic green marketing orientation as possible moderated mediators. Based on the expanding domain of green marketing and sustainable business practices, this study suggests that the impact of environmental marketing on market share is contingent upon a firms internal green marketing orientation. Furthermore, the efficacy of this mediation is dependent on the firms strategic stance towards green marketing. The study applies regression modelling to examine the claimed links, using a sample of 150 enterprises across various industries. The findings suggest that organisations that possess a strong internal green marketing orientation see an upward trend in terms of market share. The aforementioned findings highlight the significance of incorporating internal and strategic green marketing strategies with environmental marketing endeavours. In order to optimise market share growth through environmental marketing, it is crucial for organisations to establish a comprehensive alignment between their internal operations and strategic green initiatives. This research provides significant insights for managers and marketers who seek to utilise environmental activities as a means to gain a competitive edge in the market. It emphasises the need of adopting a unified and internally coherent strategy to green marketing. KEYWORDS: Environmental marketing, Internal green marketing orientation, Strategic green marketing orientation, Market share, Sustainable business practices, Competitive advantage

Sustaining family bakeries in Pakistan: The role of internal marketing and entrepreneurship

Nowadays, climatic change challenges, consumer expectations, and concerns toward sustainability lead firms to consider responsible strategies for internal marketing and entrepreneurial orientation that contribute to competitive advantage and economic and environmental performance. This paper analyses the direct impact of internal marketing and entrepreneurial orientation on innovation and sustainability within the context of family businesses in the manufacturing sector in bakeries in Sindh Province in Pakistan. Information and data were obtained from 404 questionnaires applied in these firms during 2023. The methods include Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling to evaluate the measurement, structural models, and respective variables. Results confirm a significant direct influence of internal marketing on entrepreneurial orientation and innovation towards the sustainability of bakeries firms and emphasise the mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation toward sustainability. Despite that, the firms haven’t improved significantly sustainable production practices during the last three years. On the other hand, the unit cost of bakery production hasn’t decreased during this period due to the reduction of energy or water use. Other results also confirm a significant concern with the customer’s needs, but without putting in practice more quality in the production process or reducing the relative production costs (at constant prices). However, bakeries firms must directly address sustainability in all production and customer sales processes, namely reducing energy inputs and meeting consumers’ needs concerning sustainable needs and goals. This study’s significance lies in its contribution to the existing body of literature by illuminating the intricate pathway of relationships between internal marketing, entrepreneurial orientation toward sustainability, and innovation and sustainability. A future direction involves extending this model’s applicability by examining its validity in other industries and service sectors, enriching the breadth of understanding beyond manufacturing industries.

The mediating effect of eco-friendly practices on the link between international market orientation and performance: Evidence from Vietnamese small and medium enterprises

The mediating effect of eco-friendly practices on the link between international market orientation and performance: Evidence from Vietnamese small and medium enterprises

Is Internal Marketing a declining field? If so, why? A literature exploration from a hermeneutic perspective

PurposeThis paper reflects on antecedents that may cause academic fields to decline or stagnate. It uses a hermeneutic review to consolidate and critique the Internal Marketing (IM) field. Seminal studies of IM and its related construct Internal Marketing orientation (IMO) are identified. IMO is then juxtaposed with contemporary studies from a communications journal identified as core as part of the hermeneutic process.Design/methodology/approachThis study critiques the IMO literature in a hermeneutic review. It draws on the auto-ethnographic tradition to compare IMO with contemporary, related communications articles.FindingsTwo antecedents are addressed. There is interest in IM but less so in IMO. Aspects from the IMO literature align with two broad areas, namely customer-centric and company-centric communications. Some IMO aspects have been developed further therein.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper recognizes further research opportunities for IMO and communications scholars with a greater focus on boundary spanning employees in national, sectoral and organizational settings. Being conceptual means it lacks empirical testing; being hermeneutic means it contributes to methodological plurality.Practical implicationsDespite having potentially profound organizational effects, IMO lacks awareness and adoption. Recommendations are made throughout to facilitate the adoption of improved communications apropos improving IMO.Social implicationsThe paper identifies employee/employer benefits of adopting good internal communications (IC). IM(O) provides a rationale for sound IC practices.Originality/valueThis paper partially addresses the paucity of research into IMO including BSEs. It improves conceptualization by consolidating the key IMO research on the development and measurement of the construct, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses within the literature.

Enhancing Job Satisfaction through Extended Internal Market Orientation: A Study of Migrant Workers in the Chinese Manufacturing Sector

This conceptual paper examines the potential for enhancing job satisfaction among migrant workers in the Chinese manufacturing sector through extended internal market orientation. Migrant workers play a significant role in the sector, but they often face unique challenges that affect their job satisfaction. However, there is a lack of research on the impact of internal market orientation on job satisfaction in this context. This study aims to address this research gap by exploring the concept of internal market orientation and its relationship with job satisfaction among migrant workers. The paper highlights the importance of understanding the factors influencing job satisfaction among migrant workers and the theoretical perspectives that support the link between internal market orientation and job satisfaction. The methodology section outlines the research design, data collection, and measurement tools used. The findings and analysis section presents and interprets the results, discussing the statistical relationship between internal market orientation and job satisfaction. The implications of this study for organizations and policymakers in the Chinese manufacturing sector are also discussed.

The Influence of Extended Internal Market Orientation on Employee Engagement: A Study of Migrant Workers in the Chinese Manufacturing Industry

This conceptual paper explores the influence of extended internal market orientation on employee engagement among migrant workers in the Chinese manufacturing industry. Migrant workers play a significant role in the industry, but they often face challenges related to low employee engagement. This paper highlights the importance of addressing this issue for organizational performance and presents the research objective of examining the influence of extended internal market orientation on employee engagement. The study aims to contribute to the literature on internal market orientation and employee engagement by focusing on the unique context of migrant workers in the Chinese manufacturing industry. The practical implications for organizations and potential directions for future research are discussed.

Effect of green marketing orientation dimensions on green innovation and organizational performance: A mediation‐moderation analysis

AbstractThe study aims to explore the effect of dimensions of green marketing orientation (GMO) on green innovation and organizational performance utilizing the fundamental concepts of GMO theory, institutional theory, and resource‐based theory, or natural resource‐based view. In this research, we mainly explore the unplumbed effect of internal (IGMO), strategic (SGMO), and tactical green marketing orientation (TGMO) of the firm using the GMO theory. Although few scientific attempts tried to measure the effect of IGMO, SGMO, and TGMO, a majority of them disdained the idea of its integrated effect and adopted a futile approach while positioning these constructs in their model. In addition, we investigated stakeholders' role (moderating) in green innovation practices and organizational performance. The proposed model is tested using survey data collected from 201 top and middle‐level working professionals from manufacturing to service industries in India. We used a structured questionnaire and covariance‐based structure equation modeling for the path estimation. All three dimensions showed a direct positive significant effect on green innovation. Only tactical TGMO showed a direct effect on organizational performance, while the other two showed an indirect effect only on organizational performance mediated through green innovation. The study also established the moderating effect of stakeholders' view on the relationships between green innovation and organizational performance. Conclusively, we contribute to GMO theory by extending the scope for further academic/market validation and concurrently advancing managerial inferences for business strategists and market practitioners on sustainable organizational development.

Performance Effects of Internal Market Orientation and Pricing Capability: The Moderating Role of Firm Innovativeness

This research intends to develop a conceptual framework for examining the distinct effects of internal market orientation and pricing capability on three categories of performance outcomes: customer performance, market performance, and financial performance. This study also explores the moderating influence of firm innovativeness on the relationship between internal market orientation and pricing capability. The partial least square structural equation modeling technique was applied to a cross-industry sample of 194 small and medium-sized enterprises in India. The findings indicate that internal market orientation contributes significantly to the development of pricing capability, which has positive effects on customer performance, market performance, and financial performance. Similarly, firm innovativeness positively moderates the relationship between internal market orientation and pricing capability. More interestingly, internal market orientation and pricing capability have substantial and differential effects on customer performance, market performance, and financial performance. Overall, these findings have substantial implications for theory and practice.

The dual environmental customer and green reputation pressures on environmental management systems: the performance implications of manufacturing exports

Purpose This study aims to explore the joint effects of environmental customer and green reputation pressures (GRP) on environmental management systems (EMSs), and their linkages to environmental and business performance, especially among export manufacturers. Design/methodology/approach This study collected empirical data from 437 manufacturers in multiple countries to explore differences in handling environmental customer and reputation pressures among export and domestic manufacturers and the subsequent performance implications. Findings The results indicate that although the GRPs might initially enhance firms’ environmental compliance and reputation, they can also support EMSs and sustainable performance. Furthermore, as firms increase their engagement in exports, both environmental customer and GRPs intensify, leading to stronger EMS implementation as well as sustainable performance, mainly in environmental measures. Practical implications The findings suggest that the international market orientation is an important context to understand sustainability developments. Originality/value The study offers an alternative approach to understanding the environmental customer and GRPs, to accommodate resources for sustainability development.