The Relationship of Organizational Improvisation to Market Orientation

Peter M Johnson, Pace University

Abstract

As economic and business conditions become more complex, pressures on managers to develop and sustain market orientation are increasing. In response to these conditions, previous research into organizational improvisation has been demonstrated to produce positive outcomes and has been linked in theory to antecedents of market orientation. This study organizes the theoretical connections between organizational improvisation and market orientation and provides the first quantitative measurement of a proposed relationship between these two constructs. Using two established instruments (MKTOR and a scale to measure organizational improvisation) survey data was obtained from 234 top managers and the extent of relationship between organizational improvisation and market orientation was quantified. Results indicate a positive relationship between organizational improvisation and market orientation both in proactive and reactive forms of improvisation. No moderating effect in this relationship was found in evaluating six demographic variables including company revenue, experience of the managers and job title. Implications of this study are that organizational improvisation may be a meaningful antecedent to market orientation and managers that wish to enhance market orientation may do well by implementation and encouragement of organizational improvisation. In addition, the relationship between organizational improvisation and market orientation is evenly distributed regardless of size of company, experience of managers or position within the firm.

Subject Area

Marketing|Economics

Recommended Citation

Johnson, Peter M, "The Relationship of Organizational Improvisation to Market Orientation" (2014). ETD Collection for Pace University. AAI27544987.
https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/dissertations/AAI27544987

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