Robert E. Morgan

Gaining competitive advantage through customer value oriented management

Within the customer value literature there is a lacuna of theoretical frameworks and models that underlie consumers’ overall product valuation. This paper addresses this limitation and presents a model integrating consumer values, product benefits, and various costs of consumption. In the proposed model, benefits and costs are defined in terms of consumers’ perceptions in the activities of acquisition, consumption, and maintenance, as well as consumers’ expectation of value satisfaction before buying.

Differences in Perceptions of Exporting Problems Based on Firm Size and Export Market Experience

There is a lacuna of empirical research in the international marketing literature pertaining to problems and issues encountered by exporting firms, particularly in relation to the Western European context. In addressing this gap, reports the findings of an ethnocentric study, which focused on the problems confronting the ongoing export activities of indigenous Greek manufacturing firms within the trading sphere of the European Community. Examines specifically the extent to which there are significant differences in perceptions of exporting problems based on the organizational characteristics of firm size and export market experience. Tests two hypotheses, and identifies a number of such differences. Provides conclusions and implications, which furnish both managers and public policy makers with an awareness of scenarios where exporting problems may arise. Considers the research limitations, and also appends suggestions for avenues of future research on which these have some influence.

Market orientation and dimensions of strategic orientation

The specific domain of market orientation has been the subject of much scrutiny this decade. Both conceptual and empirical advances have been made to establish the marketing orientation construct as central to marketing decisions, business activities and organizational culture. However, a lacuna remains in understanding how market orientation may be related to competitive strategy. It is argued that market oriented activities and behaviours are articulated through strategic means which guides the firm in its product‐market. Conceptualized as “strategic orientation of the business enterprise”, competitive strategy is discussed as an important vehicle through which market orientation may be manifest. Six dimensions of strategic orientation are presented and statistical analyses, of data generated from a survey of medium and large industrial manufacturing businesses, specified “proactiveness”, “analysis” and “futurity” as positive and significant in their association with firms’ levels of market orientation. Discussion of these findings is made, along with various conclusions and implications of the study for executive and academic audiences.

Market Orientation, Generative Learning, Innovation Strategy and Business Performance Inter-Relationships in Bioscience Firms

We propose conceptual arguments to establish relationships between market orientation and generative learning and their respective impact on exploitative innovation strategy and explorative innovation strategy. We then consider the ambidextrous association between both forms of innovation strategy and business performance. This model is subject to an empirical test using data generated from 160 bioscience firms. Using structural equation modelling, two mutually exclusive paths are specified where market orientation leads to exploitative innovation strategy, while generative learning leads to explorative innovation strategy. We then find that the ambidexterity exhibited by firms in the form of exploitative innovation strategy and explorative innovation strategy significantly explains improvements in firms’ business performance. Discussion is given to these findings and managerial implications are presented along with avenues for further research.

Theories of international trade, foreign direct investment and firm internationalization: a critique

It has been suggested that there is a lack of consensus regarding the conceptual domain of cross‐national studies. That said, the theoretical focus of such scholarly activities has tended to reflect the multidisciplinary nature of the field. By far the most significant contributions to knowledge in the area can be sourced to the international economics, international finance and international business literatures. The proliferation in focuses and the diversity of empirical studies to be found within these literatures, demonstrates the wealth of understanding that can be attributed to the research of cross‐national commercial activities and operations. Attempts to explicate many of the dominant theories within these literatures. Contributions to the macro level of analysis can be found in the form of theories of international trade. Alternatively, micro theories engage the organization as the level of analysis and consideration is given to both the foreign direct investment decision process and pattern pursued by firms in internationalization. Discusses the nature and emphasis of these theories in the form of a critique.

Exploitative learning and entrepreneurial orientation alignment in emerging young firms: implications for market and response performance

We examine exploitative learning and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in emerging young high technology firms located within business incubators. In the last five years, the UK government has invested approximately £125m in incubation activities. The rationale for supporting business incubation is to maximize knowledge sharing across firms with an expectation that it will leverage performance. This represents exploitative learning – the acquisition of established knowledge that carries clear known value and outcomes. Paradoxically, research into EO has repeatedly emphasized the value of knowledge created through exploratory learning mechanisms (‘play, discovery and experimentation’) in securing advantage. Theoretical and empirical questions are raised herein with regard to the value of exploitative learning within a network context which might negatively influence the impact of EO on the firm. Using configuration theory, we demonstrate that firms cannot sustain dual-dominant orientations of exploitative learning and EO. A strongly configured EO generates high performance returns. However, multi-group analysis reveals that these effects are particularly strong for those firms whose exploitative learning is weak. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Export stimuli and export barriers: evidence from empirical research studies

Explores two theoretical constructs evident in the exporting area of the international marketing literature: export stimuli and export barriers. Takes account of the manner in which these explanatory variables can predict export behaviour among small and medium‐sized firms. Discussion centres primarily on the tenet that a significant degree of dormant export potential tends to lie at the pre‐export phase of export development; that is, encouraging non‐exporters to become exporters is perhaps a more fertile area of interest for government than attempting to increase the export activity of marginal exporters. Uses classificatory schemas as a basis for conceptualizing export stimuli and export barriers for non‐exporters, so as to provide a platform to establish the ingredients of these constructs. Conducts an evaluation of the advances in empirical research regarding export stimuli and export barriers in the form of a critique.

Market Orientation and Organizational Learning Capabilities

The platform of contemporary marketing thought is founded upon the marketing concept. While there has been much debate about the precise nature of this concept, related discussion concerning its manifestation, in the form of a firms market orientation, has developed to suggest that it is a feature exhibited by organizations possessing superior skills in understanding and satisfying customer needs. Despite the favourable externalities likely to accrue to an organization that is market oriented, it has been claimed that for a firm to achieve its full potential to learn about the marketplace, instilling a market orientation is only a first principle. While market orientation provides the norms for responding to the marketplace, this needs to be complemented by appropriate mechanisms and processes for higher-order learning to occur. This article examines such a conceptual argument and empirically investigates the relationship between two key constructs: market orientation and organizational learning capabili...

In pursuit of the “ideal approach” to successful marketing strategy implementation

Purpose – The main objective of this paper is to consider how firms set about strategising in marketing and the nature of their implementation effort. Prior research has not considered the alternative means of implementation that firms display in practice.Design/methodology/approach – A model is developed from a mid‐level (marketing) managerial perspective by comparing three groups of strategy implementation types (“change”, “collaborative”, and “cultural”) against five contextual and process characteristics of marketing strategy implementation.Findings – Contrary to literature that has recommended bottom‐up marketing planning, the findings show if the firm displays an implementation environment characterised by hierarchical structures and strong top‐down influences, then marketing strategy implementation will be more effective.Research limitations/implications – More analysis of the daily lives of mid‐level employees is essential to improve the understanding of the key implementation success factors. Als...

Product‐market positioning and prospector strategy: An analysis of strategic patterns from the resource‐based perspective

Adopts a firm‐level approach and attempts to develop our understanding of the means through which different types of firm compete. Addresses specifically, a lacuna in existing knowledge by investigating a fundamental research question: “How do firms pursuing a prospector mode of market strategy differ from those pursuing a defender, analyzer or reactor strategy in terms of the product‐market positioning attributes they exhibit?“ Miles and Snow provide the basis for the assessment of strategy types, while “strategic market positioning” is characterised as the product‐market positions established by the firm. Conceptualises strategic market positioning as the ways in which firm‐specific resources and assets are deployed to build positional advantages in product‐markets. Presents analyses of data generated from high technology, medium and large, industrial manufacturing firms and discusses these results in the light of previous findings. Places particular emphasis on the distinguishing characteristics of prospector‐type firms. Identifies a number of potential research avenues from this study and discusses several implications for executives.