Market orientation, corporate social responsibility, and firm performance: the moderation role of relationship marketing orientation

Abstract

The research objectives in this study is to test the relationship among concepts CSR,MO and firm performance in Vietnam marketing communications industry. Inaddition, study also aim to examine how RMO concept playing as the moderatortowards these relations in such typical industry, Vietnam context. The study has somemain results,Firstly, the qualitative research results is conducted through face to face and directgroup discussions with 12 respondents. They are owners, senior managers, expertscoming from Vietnamese enterprises. In this phase, the research results determinefactors that shape the research model such Orientation (MO), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Relationship Marketing Orientation (RMO), and Firm performance (FP). In particular, the RMO concept is formed as a moderating variable for pairs of relationship including MO and CSR, CSR and FP, MO and FP. Especially,the research model is formed in the typical context such the Vietnam marketingcommunications industry.Second, the preliminary quantitative research results are conducted through questionnaires and direct interviews with sample size n = 72. The respondents arebusiness owners, shareholders, senior managers of Vietnamese companies, whichhave headquarters or branches mainly operating in Ho Chi Minh City, in themarketing communications sector. In this stage, the research results confirm the scaleof research concepts that have been formed in previous studies (Tse et al., 2004; Sinet al., 2005; Carroll, 1991). In addition, this results also show that the values ofconcept scales meet requirements in the real context. There is no adjustment towardsthe original concept scales. Besides, the results of this stage also reconfirm theexistence of proposed research model.Third, the official quantitative research is conducted to local firms in Ho Chi MinhCity with sample size n = 242. The respondents in this main survey are businessowners, senior managers, shareholders of Vietnamese firms in the marketingcommunications industry. The research concept scales in research model are testedthrough the Cronbach’s Alpha reliability, the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), theConfirmatory Factor Ananlysis (CFA), and the Structual Equation Model (SEM) fortesting hypothesis. Analytical results show that the Cronbach's Alpha reliability ofresearch concept scales are reliable. In addition, evaluating research concepts throughEFA reveals the value of concept scales acceptable.Fourth, the CFA test results show that all research concept scales meet requirementsfor consistency (such as single-dimensional, multi-dimensional, convergent, anddiscriminant validity). The SEM testing shows that the theoretical model is consistentwith market data. All hypothesis of the theoretical model are consistent and satisfytowards requirements.Fifth, regarding to relationships among concepts MO, CSR and firm performance(FP), the analysis results of this study are quite consistent with previous researchesconducted by Qu (2009) in China, Long (2015) in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Again,this provides an important evidence for the relationship among concepts CSR, MO145and firm performance. However, in this study, RMO concept is added to the researchmodel as a moderator that moderating the relationships among concepts MO, CSRand firm performance. At present, according to author understanding, there has nosuch studies in Vietnam context as well as abroad conducting this model. Especially,in Vietnam marketing communications industry, the research results show that RMOconcept moderates all relationships of concepts MO and CSR, CSR and FP, MO andFP.