Customer Orientation and Performance in Small Firms: Examining the Moderating Influence of Risk-Taking, Innovativeness, and Opportunity Focus

Abstract

Customer orientation is considered to be an essential element for small firm success despite relatively little empirical evidence to support such a claim. This research examines the customer orientation–performance relationship among 180 small firms, and the moderating influence of risk-taking, innovativeness, and opportunity focus on that relationship. Results support the overall positive influence of customer orientation on performance and indicate that the influence is stronger as risk-taking, innovativeness, and opportunity focus increase. Interestingly, customer orientation does not positively influence small firm performance under low levels of risk-taking, innovativeness, and opportunity focus.