Marketing Orientation Sample Essay
Marketing orientation is a concept of an organization which underlines that the company`s success is mainly based on
customers` satisfaction. The stress here is put on valuing consumers` needs and wants first of all. “A marketing oriented firm (also called the marketing concept, or consumer focus, or customer focus) is one that allows the wants and needs of customers and potential customers to drive all the firm 's strategic decisions. The firm 's corporate culture is systematically committed to creating customer value. The rationale is that the more a company understands and meets the real needs of its consumers, the more likely it is to have happy customers who come back for more, and tell their friends” (wikipedia).
Marketing orientation concept evolved between the late 1960s and early 1970s. Firstly, it was developed at Harvard University. Marketing orientation replaced production orientation and sales orientation which were prevailing before. By this time numerous researches were made in order to investigate marketing orientation more thoroughly and make necessary conclusions about the influence of this concept. However, understanding of marketing orientation is not clear and is discussed from different points of view. There are studies which propose philosophical approach towards marketing orientation and there are those which turn to behavioral notion of marketing orientation. I would like to mention opinions of several researchers towards the topic of marketing orientation. Desphande and Webster, like many others, share ideas of philosophical and cultural qualities of marketing orientation. “In their study in 1992 they use the term «customer orientation» to describe a specific set of beliefs that puts the customers’ interests first and ahead of those of all other stakeholders (e.g. owners, managers, employees) which, in their view, should be considered as part of a broader, and more fundamental, corporate culture”
customers` satisfaction. The stress here is put on valuing consumers` needs and wants first of all. “A marketing oriented firm (also called the marketing concept, or consumer focus, or customer focus) is one that allows the wants and needs of customers and potential customers to drive all the firm 's strategic decisions. The firm 's corporate culture is systematically committed to creating customer value. The rationale is that the more a company understands and meets the real needs of its consumers, the more likely it is to have happy customers who come back for more, and tell their friends” (wikipedia).
Marketing orientation concept evolved between the late 1960s and early 1970s. Firstly, it was developed at Harvard University. Marketing orientation replaced production orientation and sales orientation which were prevailing before. By this time numerous researches were made in order to investigate marketing orientation more thoroughly and make necessary conclusions about the influence of this concept. However, understanding of marketing orientation is not clear and is discussed from different points of view. There are studies which propose philosophical approach towards marketing orientation and there are those which turn to behavioral notion of marketing orientation. I would like to mention opinions of several researchers towards the topic of marketing orientation. Desphande and Webster, like many others, share ideas of philosophical and cultural qualities of marketing orientation. “In their study in 1992 they use the term «customer orientation» to describe a specific set of beliefs that puts the customers’ interests first and ahead of those of all other stakeholders (e.g. owners, managers, employees) which, in their view, should be considered as part of a broader, and more fundamental, corporate culture”
Bibliography: 1. Avlonitis G. and Gounaris S., “Marketing Orientation and Company Performance: A Comparative Study of Industrial vs. Consumer Goods Companies”, Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 26, no.5 (1997) 2. Bonoma T., “The Marketing Edge: Making Strategies Work” (1985) 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing_orientation 4. mcm.aueb.gr/.../Gounaris/Marketing_Orientation_and_Its_Deve lopment.pdf