PR - Assessing Market Orientation And Firm Performance Across Value Disciplines In The Illinois Beef Sector (p453-466)

Previous research studies have suggested market oriented firms achieve superior performance relative to their peers (Narver and Slater, 1990). Observed performance differences may be attributable to the firm’s ability to clearly define how they provide value to the market (Narver, Slater and Tietje, 1998). Recently, Micheels and Gow (2009) found that highly market oriented and innovative firms are able to more clearly define their value discipline. However, the impact of value discipline clarity on firm performance has not yet been examined. Using a sample of 343 Illinois beef producers, we find that market orientation levels are lowest for operationally excellent producers and highest for customer intimacy producers. Further, we find firm performance to be lowest for firms with an operational excellence value discipline.

Keywords: Firm performance, market orientation, value chain, value discipline