The market orientation-new product performance relationship:: Redefining the moderating role of environmental conditions

Past studies concerning the impact of market orientation on the performance of new products do not necessarily conclude that it has an effect. To explain those seemingly contradictory results, some studies have dealt with the existence of moderating variables of the relationship. These studies focused essentially on the moderating role of the environmental conditions. Based on a survey of 142 product managers or sales directors, this article offers a new approach. Firstly, it completely models this moderating effect, providing a structured framework for future research. Secondly, thanks to the use of an original measurement scale, it apprehends objective environmental conditions. Thirdly, it details the market orientation-new product performance relationship, by modeling a new mediator, the instrumental use of available information, thus giving a clearer insight into how and where the moderating effect actually takes place. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.