Although progress has been made in understanding market‐driven businesses from a theoretical perspective, relatively few empirical studies have addressed the capabilities needed to become market‐driven and the performance advantages accruing to firms possessing these capabilities. One of the barriers faced has been in defining what is meant by the term “market‐driven”. Develops a multi‐dimensional measure useful for assessing the degree to which a firm is market‐driven. Presents evidence that market‐driven business units developed higher levels of six vital marketing capabilities (in the areas of market research, pricing, product development, channels, promotion, and market management) than their less market‐driven rivals and significantly outperformed these rival business units on four measures of organizational performance.

Although progress has been made in understanding market-driven businesses from a theoretical perspective, relatively few empirical studies have addressed the capabilities needed to become market-driven and the performance advantages accruing to firms possessing these capabilities. One of the barriers faced has been in defining what is meant by the term "market-driven". A study develops a multi-dimensional measure useful for assessing the degree to which a firm is market-driven. It presents evidence that marketdriven business units developed higher levels of six vital marketing capabilities (in the areas of market research, pricing, product development, channels, promotion, and market management) than their less market-driven rivals and significantly outperformed these rival business units on four measures of organizational performance.

Attempts to define “relationship marketing” have been varied and many, neatly reflecting the diverse academic and socio-political backgrounds of RM scholars. This paper lists 26 such definitions, collected as a by-product of a literature review. Presented alongside this resource are the results of applying a content- analysis-based methodology to these definitions. These results suggest that seven RM “con- structs” enjoy general support. In a discussion of this, it is con- cluded that any integration of disparate RM theories implied by these findings is at best superfi- cial and at worst misleading. It is further suggested that “true” and complete integration of RM theory must wait until a coherent under- standing of these fundamental concepts has been developed. From the 26 definitions listed, one is judged as being more compre- hensive and generally acceptable, and a new definition is presented as an inducement to further discussion

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This article will explore the role and significance of marketing in entrepreneurial processes. By utilizing an 11-year longitudinal study, supported by a context-rich interpretive approach, the interrelationship between marketing and entrepreneurship at different stages of the business life cycle are examined. Under an effectuation (Sarasvathy, 2001) and enactment (Weick, 1979) framework entrepreneurship is neither ends-driven nor means-driven, but is a consequence of interplay between actors and social context through ongoing enactment. We argue that 'means' such as social networks, resources, capital or opportunities do not exist 'out there' to be drawn upon, but are actively created, managed and maintained by business founders to make entrepreneurship possible. As the 'joint core actors of the business' (Morris et al., 2010) entrepreneurs actively interact with their customers in shaping the marketing activities of the business to meet their 'ends', in many cases simply 'to be rich' or 'to be successful'.