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Marketing performance measurement systems and firm performance: Are marketing capabilities the missing links?

Xiaoning Liang (Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland)
Yuhui Gao (DCU Business School, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland)

European Journal of Marketing

ISSN: 0309-0566

Article publication date: 29 February 2020

Issue publication date: 29 February 2020

2018

Abstract

Purpose

Driven by the growing pressure to justify the contributions of marketing activities, marketers have shown considerable interest in improving their marketing performance measurement systems (MPMSs). The purpose of this study is to examine the neglected mediating effect of marketing capabilities on the MPMS–firm performance relationship and to focus on specific aspects of MPMSs that have been largely omitted in the prior research, namely, the comprehensiveness and uses of MPMSs.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted with marketing and senior managers from 210 Irish-based companies. The proposed research model was tested by using the SPSS Process macro and structural equation modeling in AMOS 24.

Findings

The three characteristics of MPMSs influence firm performance in different manners: while the diagnostic use of MPMSs hinders the development of market-linking capability and thus negatively influences firm performance; the comprehensiveness of MPMSs positively influences firm performance through its impact on architectural marketing capability; and the interactive use of MPMSs via externally focused learning and market-linking capabilities.

Research limitations/implications

Although this study used objective firm performance data to validate subjective data, the use of single-informant and self-reported measures may still be a concern, as the strong relationships between variables may be because of single-informant bias.

Practical implications

This study provides insights into how companies can use a comprehensive MPMS to cultivate specific crucial marketing capabilities and thereby enhance firm performance.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the marketing performance measurement literature by proposing and empirically validating the mediating effect of marketing capabilities on the MPMS–firm performance relationship.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Professor Patrick Flood, Dublin City University and Professor Na Fu, Trinity College Dublin, for their help with the project. The authors also thank Professor Gerrit van Bruggen, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and the two anonymous reviewers from the 47th European Marketing Academy Conference for their constructive comments. This project is funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 71831005).

Citation

Liang, X. and Gao, Y. (2020), "Marketing performance measurement systems and firm performance: Are marketing capabilities the missing links?", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 54 No. 4, pp. 885-907. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-05-2018-0302

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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