The drivers of customer orientation: An exploration of relational, human resource and procedural tactics

While the outcomes of customer orientation have been extensively studied, the antecedents to a customer-oriented culture are relatively ignored and often described as in need of further research. The aim of this study is to explore, describe, and categorize the factors that drive the development of customer orientation. In this regard, a key objective is to provide insights into the nature and the dynamics of organizational approaches and tactics that impede or facilitate customer orientation. Thus, central concerns are the strategies, tactics, and procedures that contribute to the development of a customer-oriented culture. This paper starts by outlining existing research into the character of customer orientation in contemporary firms. Thereafter a conceptual model of the approaches and tactics that drive customer orientation is presented and a series of hypotheses forwarded. Following a brief discussion of the research design and methods employed, the results of a survey of the antecedents of customer orientation in high-tech companies are presented. The paper concludes with a series of implications for both practitioners and theorists.