A study on interpersonal relationships, market orientation and performance of chinese garlic farmers

Abstract

The study uses survey data gathered in August 2012 from the primary garlic-producing area of China, which is located in Jinxiang County in Shandong Province, to create a structural equation model that permits the analysis of the causal relationships among garlic farmers' interpersonal relationships, market orientations, innovation and performance. The study results reveal that Chinese garlic farmers' market orientations can exert positive impacts on their performance; these influences occur indirectly through the mediators of innovation. Chinese farmers' strength of interpersonal relationships can significantly enhance their market orientation levels and indirectly promote improved performance. The policy implication of these findings is that the Chinese government should acknowledge the important role of interpersonal relationships and provide farmers with more information about consumer needs and new cultivation techniques; this information could help farmers evaluate their situations and make sound decisions that enhance both their market orientation levels and their performances.