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Marketing capabilities for small and medium enterprises that supply large companies

Emerson Wagner Mainardes (Department of Management, FUCAPE Business School, Vitória, Brazil)
Gabriela Pessoa de Oliveira Cisneiros (Department of Accounting and Management, FUCAPE Business School, São Luís, Brazil)
Carlos Jorge Taborda Macedo (Department of Accounting and Management, FUCAPE Business School, São Luís, Brazil and Supplier Development Program-SDP, Sistema FIEMA, São Luís, Brazil)
Amilson de Araujo Durans (Department of Accounting and Management, FUCAPE Business School, São Luís, Brazil; Department of Management, Faculdade Santa Terezinha-CEST, São Luís, Brazil and Department of Planning, Sistema FIEMA, São Luís, Brazil)

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing

ISSN: 0885-8624

Article publication date: 8 February 2021

Issue publication date: 3 January 2022

963

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of marketing capabilities on market orientation and sustained competitive advantage from the viewpoint of managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that supply large companies. This paper also analyzes the moderating role of exposure to external turbulence in the relationship between marketing capabilities and sustained competitive advantage, and between marketing capabilities and market orientation for SMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the literature, this study develops a model to verify the proposed relationships. An online questionnaire collected data from 423 managers of SMEs that supply large companies to test the model. This paper analyzes the proposed model using structural equation modeling with partial least squares.

Findings

According to the surveyed managers, marketing capabilities tend to play a significant role in the market orientation and perceived sustained competitive advantage of SMEs that supply large companies. Better-developed marketing capabilities can strengthen the market orientation of SMEs, helping to achieve and maintain a sustained competitive advantage. They will, thus, attract more clients and minimize their risk, regardless of the environment in which they operate.

Research limitations/implications

This research contributes to marketing theory by highlighting the marketing capabilities of SMEs that supply large companies and demonstrating the importance of such capabilities for their survival.

Originality/value

The study investigated the views of the SME managers that supply large companies about their company’s marketing capabilities. Traditionally, these companies have had little concern for marketing. This research focuses on an emerging market, that is not usually addressed.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq/Brazil), projects 304209/2018–0, by Foundation for Research Support of Espírito Santo (FAPES/Brazil), projects 84513772 (599/2018) and 85395650 (228/2019), by Portuguese Science Foundation (FCT/Portugal) through NECE (Núcleo de Estudos em Ciências Empresariais), project UID/GES/04630/2020 and by IFTS (Instituto Fucape de Tecnologias Sociais), project 2018–2021.

Citation

Mainardes, E.W., Cisneiros, G.P.d.O., Macedo, C.J.T. and Durans, A.d.A. (2022), "Marketing capabilities for small and medium enterprises that supply large companies", Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 37 No. 1, pp. 47-64. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-07-2020-0360

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

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