Customer orientation and financial performance relationship: The mediating role of innovative capability

Abstract

Existing research establishes customer orientation (CO) per se as insufficient to achieve higher levels of financial performance (FP). Such reasoning suggests the need for additional skills and capabilities, such as, innovative capability (IC). In addition, environmental variables (e.g., Technological Turbulence - TT) affect these relationships. This paper explores the relationships and effects of CO and IC on FP under different TT conditions. A research framework and hypotheses were developed. The framework captures the following relationships: (i) the direct influence of CO on FP; (ii) the mediating role of IC on the CO/FP relationship; (iii) the moderating role of TT over the mediation of IC on the CO/FP relationship. The fieldwork included an exploratory stage, followed by a cross-sectional survey applied to managers in medium-sized companies in Brazil. Findings revealed that IC partially mediates the relationship between CO and FP, in particular in high TT environments. Managerial implications and avenues for future research are presented.