Proposal (PhD) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Proposal (PhD) - Essay Example This study investigates the impact of market orientation on product innovation in Arabic countries, particularly, the impact of components of market orientation on product innovation. Market orientation and innovation have been identified as crucial success factors in companies (Day, 1994; Hunt and Morgan, 1995; 1996). Researches have shown the importance of market orientation for the success of product innovations (Cooper, 1975; 1979; Slater and Narver, 1994; Pelham and Wilson, 1996; Atuahene-Gima, 1996; Gatignon and Xuereb, 1997). An increasing number of empirical studies have demonstrated that an improvement in the level of market orientation will lead to superior organizational performance and new product innovation (Narver and Slater, 1990; Oczkowski and Farrell, 1998; Slater and Narver, 2000; Kohli and Jaworsky, 1990; Ruekert, 1992; Deshpandà ©, Farley and Webster, 1993; Atuahene–Gima, 1996; Gatignon and Xuereb, 1997). On the other hand, a number of authors are questioning the benefits of being market oriented, suggesting that there may be several limitations to a market orientation. Hamel and Prahalad (1991) suggest that market oriented firms may s uffer from ignoring or missing markets and competitors. Slater and Narver (1995) argue that market oriented firms may fail to identify and capitalize on the latent needs of customers, due to their excessive focus on expressed needs. Studies about market orientation and product innovation in European and American counties offer little guidance to understand effect of market orientation on product innovation because the resources and capabilities of Arabic firm countries are different from those of European and American firms counties. Also there is a little attention on the variables that improve the work of market orientation toward product innovation. The following research questions will be addressed in