Market orientation processes in retailing: a cross-national study

Purpose - The main purpose is to provide an in-depth understanding of market orientation in retailing and to identify the specific activities that have to be understood and managed in order for a retail firm to become market oriented. Design/methodology/approach - Qualitative studies of six firms in Sweden, Italy and the UK were carried out, including in-depth interviews with retail managers and manufacturers. Findings - Three market orientation processes on different operational levels are identified, including critical activities that support each process. Linkages between retail market orientation and different background characteristics are also identified. Research limitations/implications - The qualitative, in-depth approach using a limited number of respondents means that the results are not generalizable. The findings can serve as a basis for future operationalizations of retail market orientation in order to measure the degree of retail market orientation as well as its character with regards to the emphasis a certain retailer puts on each of the processes. Practical implications - The identified three processes and the corresponding activities can assist retailer managers in developing a more systematic market orientation approach. Originality/value - The paper is a first attempt to develop a framework for market orientation in retailing based on the specific nature of retail marketing and management. It also shows that the quality and relevance of the market data in relation to the specific strategic activity that it is expected to support should be given much more consideration.