Abstract

- In this paper we investigate the mediating effects of market orientation in the competitive strategy orientation - product innovative success relationship Quantitative approach was employed in the investigation Instruments used to collect data was self-administered questionnaires Finally a series of hypotheses are posited to explore the relationships of the variables and to test the effects of mediator A field survey administered to 425 workers of small to medium enterprise in the manufacturing and services sector were used to gather the data Out of the 425 surveys sent hypotheseswere empirically tested using structural equation modelling software s AMOSto analysis regression and confirmatory factors of variables on a data set of 388participants The various hypotheses posited in the study were empirically tested and found to be positively significant According to the findings of this study shows that competitive orientation has significant positive effect on products innovative success Similarly competitive orientation has significant positive effect on market orientation In addition market orientation has significant positive effect on products innovative success The index of mediation indicated that product innovative success received only 48 of the indirect effect from competitive oriented through MO leaving 52 unaccounted for From this it can be presumed that the balance of 52 may be accounted for by other mediating factors not considered in this study that necessitate further investigation Here potentially market orientation partially mediates the path between competitive oriented and product innovative success Therefore it is advisable for future researchers to incorporate other external and internal factors that can mediate the relationship between competitive orientation and product innovative success Generally we suggest the development of market orientation is an important strategy for the small to medium enterprises to achieve