Impleme[n]tation of the marketing concept : an organizational learning perspective

This dissertation develops a model of implementation of the marketing concept using an organizational learning perspective. This perspective suggests that implementation of the marketing requirement implies that organizations adopt a set of shared beliefs and engage in market information processing activities that reflect the marketing concept. A set of eight hypotheses were developed to explore the relationship between marketing concept belief and market information processing activities. Data were collected from staff at Anglophone, acute-care hospitals in Canada. Forty-six hospitals were included in the final sample with an average of 14 members of each hospital providing data. Data were collected on the following variables: marketing concept beliefs, market information processing, effectiveness orientation, strategic orientation, organization flux, market complexity, market dynamism, and market performance. In general, the hypotheses received little support. Although a number of potential explanations are raised, perhaps the most interesting is the possibility that the measure of marketing concept beliefs was in fact measuring paternalism. Finally, directions for future research are suggested.