Strategic orientation of niche firms

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to better understand how strategic orientation guides the marketing strategy and marketing efforts of niche firms, by addressing the questions of which strategic orientation niche firms apply and how managers in niche firms handle the potential problems associated with different strategic orientations. Based on these findings, managerial implications are discussed. Design/methodology/approach - Qualitative research in terms of in-depth interviews of key informants in six niche firms in the seafood and wine industries. Findings - The niche firms appear to be product oriented and customer oriented at the same time. They overcome the potential problems related to the respective strategic orientations by focusing on their product-related strengths, while benefiting from their close and few customer relationships. Practical implications - Managers in niche firms should focus on high-quality products, specific product concepts and the continuous improvement of these. In addition, they should initiate and develop close and long-term relationships with a few trusted business customers. Originality/value - This research paper is one among very few papers that present findings related to niche firms and their choice of marketing strategy. This paper of strategic orientation can contribute to a better understanding of how niche firms prioritize, allocate resources and choose strategies.