Qualitative insights into antecedents and consequences of Market Orientation in the Moroccan hospitality industry

Abstract

This paper seeks to explore the nature of Market Orientation that exists in the hospitality industry, by identifying its antecedents and consequences. Following a qualitative research design, fourteen managers within the Moroccan hospitality sector are engaged in discussions to share their perceptions on the prevalent subject. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, and coded using NVIVO 11. Similar responses were identified from a prepared data matrix. The results were presented through a narrative approach outlining the frequency of respondents' discourse. The analysis demonstrates consistency with the existing literature, highlighting the significance of key elements: Hotel managers treat Market Orientation as a usual business strategy towards two main environmental components customers and competitors, that share certain properties but differ significantly on others. Furthermore, the study identifies four antecedents (Top management attitude, HR management, strategy declination, and internal process management) that support Market Orientation implementation. Finally, valuing Market Orientation has tremendous potential for improving performance in terms of profitability, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and requirement compliance.