Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of marketing capabilities on market orientation and sustained competitive advantage from the viewpoint of managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that supply large companies. This paper also analyzes the moderating role of exposure to external turbulence in the relationship between marketing capabilities and sustained competitive advantage, and between marketing capabilities and market orientation for SMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the literature, this study develops a model to verify the proposed relationships. An online questionnaire collected data from 423 managers of SMEs that supply large companies to test the model. This paper analyzes the proposed model using structural equation modeling with partial least squares.

Findings

According to the surveyed managers, marketing capabilities tend to play a significant role in the market orientation and perceived sustained competitive advantage of SMEs that supply large companies. Better-developed marketing capabilities can strengthen the market orientation of SMEs, helping to achieve and maintain a sustained competitive advantage. They will, thus, attract more clients and minimize their risk, regardless of the environment in which they operate.

Research limitations/implications

This research contributes to marketing theory by highlighting the marketing capabilities of SMEs that supply large companies and demonstrating the importance of such capabilities for their survival.

Originality/value

The study investigated the views of the SME managers that supply large companies about their company’s marketing capabilities. Traditionally, these companies have had little concern for marketing. This research focuses on an emerging market, that is not usually addressed.

中文翻译：

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为大公司供货的中小企业的营销能力

目的

本研究的目的是从为大公司供货的中小型企业 (SME) 的管理者的角度，检验营销能力对市场导向和持续竞争优势的影响。本文还分析了外部动荡对中小企业营销能力与持续竞争优势关系、营销能力与市场导向之间的调节作用。

设计/方法/方法

基于文献，本研究开发了一个模型来验证所提出的关系。一份在线问卷收集了 423 名为大公司提供服务的中小企业经理的数据，以测试该模型。本文使用带有偏最小二乘法的结构方程建模来分析所提出的模型。

发现

据受访管理者称，营销能力往往在为大公司供货的中小企业的市场导向和感知持续竞争优势中发挥重要作用。更好的营销能力可以加强中小企业的市场导向，有助于实现和保持持续的竞争优势。因此，无论其经营环境如何，它们都将吸引更多客户并将风险降至最低。

研究限制/影响

这项研究通过突出为大公司提供服务的中小企业的营销能力并证明这些能力对其生存的重要性，为营销理论做出了贡献。

原创性/价值

该研究调查了为大公司供货的中小企业经理对其公司营销能力的看法。传统上，这些公司几乎不关心营销。这项研究的重点是一个新兴市场，通常不涉及。