Senior Management Attitudes Toward Marketing and the Relationship to Market Orientation

This dissertation provides an overview of research focusing on senior management attitudes at the chief executive officer (CEO) level toward the role of marketing and the relationship to marketing performance as measured by the degree of market orientation. It also considers the effects of associated CEO and firm-industry attributes as they relate to these attitudes, categorized as marketing fulfilling a "strategic," "sales," or "creative" role. The study relied upon quantitative survey instrument data collected from 687 chief marketing officers (CMOs), vice presidents, and directors of marketing across the United States. Results were analyzed for financial services and retail and then compared to all other private sector industries. Comparisons were also made between firms primarily engaged in a low cost, differentiation, or focus strategy. Strong associations with the degree of market orientation were found across all three attitudinal constructs. Implications for management practice and recommendations for future research are presented.