Market orientation in the service sector of the transition economies of central Europe

Graham Hooley, John Fahy, Gordon Greenley, József Beracs, Krzysztof Fonfara, Boris Snoj

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The Narver and Slater market orientation scale is tested in the context of service firms in the transition economies of central Europe and found to be both valid and reliable. The survey examined levels of market orientation in 205 business to business services companies and 141 consumer services companies in Hungary, Poland and Slovenia. As predicted by the predominantly western marketing literature, those service firms with higher levels of market orientation; were more often found in turbulent, rapidly changing markets; were more likely to pursue longer term market building goals rather than short term efficiency objectives; more likely to pursue differentiated positioning through offering superior levels of service compared to competitors; and also performed better on both financial and market based criteria. A number of different business approaches, however, are evident in the transition economies suggesting that other business orientations may co‐exist with a market orientation creating a richer and more complex set of organizational drivers.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)86-106
Number of pages21
JournalEuropean Journal of Marketing
Volume37
Issue number1-2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2003

Keywords

  • Economy
  • Hungary
  • Market orientation
  • Poland
  • Services
  • Slovenia

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