The effects of market capabilities and market orientation of organizations have been extensively discussed and empirically examined in the process of explaining sustainable competitive advantage. Previous studies have found the positive effects of market capabilities and market orientation on various organizational outcomes, including sustainable competitive advantage. However, these relationships have not been discussed in one of the most advanced technology industries, the aircraft manufacturing industry. This study aimed to empirically analyze the effect of the market capabilities of aircraft manufacturers located in Busan and western Gyeongsangnam-do in Korea on market orientation and sustainable competitive advantage. In addition, this study examined the mediating effect of market orientation on the relationship between the market capabilities and sustainable competitive advantage. Based on previous studies on marketing strategy, this study included competitor orientation, customer orientation, intelligence generation, intelligence dissemination, and intelligence responsiveness as sub-variables of the market capabilities of aircraft manufacturers. The data were collected from a total of 454 employees through questionnaires and empirical analyses were conducted. The results of analyzing the validity and reliability of all variables were confirmed to meet the standard. As a result of the analyses, it was found that all five sub-variables of market capabilities of aircraft manufacturers have a positive effect on market orientation. That is, when the levels of competitor orientation, customer orientation, intelligence generation, intelligence dissemination, and intelligence responsiveness were increased, the level of market orientation was also increased. It was also found that sub-variables of market capabilities except for intelligence generation had a positive effect on sustainable competitive advantage. When the level of competitor orientation, customer orientation, intelligence disseminations, and intelligence responsiveness were increased, the level of sustainable competitive advantage of organizations was also increased. However, it was found that the level of intelligence generation of the organizations had no statistically significant relationship with the level of sustainable competitive advantage of organizations. Finally, it was found that the market orientation of aircraft manufacturers has a positive effect on sustainable competitive advantage, and mediates the relationship between the market capabilities of aircraft manufacturers and sustainable competitive advantage. That is, as the market capabilities of aircraft manufacturers such as competitor orientation, customer orientation, intelligence dissemination, and intelligence responsiveness were increased, the level of market orientation of aircraft manufacturers was also increased, and in turn, the level of sustainable competitive advantage was also increased. The results of this study have theoretical implications in that they provide evidences the relationship between competitor orientation, customer orientation, intelligence generation, dissemination, and responsiveness, market orientation, and sustainable competitive advantage of aircraft manufacturers. The results of this study are somewhat consistent with those of previous studies which have been conducted in other industries. Therefore, the results of this study contribute to reinforce the role of market capabilities and market orientation in explaining sustainable competitive advantage of companies. In addition, the results of this study have implications for distribution studies in that market capabilities and market orientation of companies are related to the distribution strategy or channel-related competency and the activities on distribution information of the partner companies. The results of this study confirming the effect of market capability and market orientation on a company
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