Marketing Oriented and Sales Oriented Companies in the Agro-Food Industry

Abstract

A strong marketing orientation within organizations is considered able to create a competitive edge and having a positive impact on the company`s performance. Its` necessity is obvious especially in the last decades when companies face mature markets and the key for surviving consists in approaching a marketing - oriented strategy, by keeping a strong relationship with all the stakeholders. Marketing-oriented companies are more likely to survive than the sales-oriented ones. The principal aim of this research was to investigate whether the agro-food companies from Cluj County have a marketing - oriented activity, given its` importance within the agro-food sector. A survey has been conducted among the agro-food companies from Cluj County in 2012 using the questionnaire which comprised a section with seven affirmations regarding marketing orientation. Data interpretation was based on statistical methods such as: Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Test, Factor Analysis and Cluster Analysis. Results indicated that the agro-food companies from Cluj County are more sales - oriented, which means that all of their efforts follow the increasing volume of sales. A high number of 32 companies from the total of 51 which were interviewed are more interested in promotion and market studies than building a strong relationship with stakeholders. Only 19 companies are marketing - oriented, being interested in designing products according to market demand and customer preference, but also about their employees and their personal satisfaction. In conclusion, the agro-food companies from Cluj-County are more sales - oriented than marketing - oriented when facing the market, which on medium and long term could have negative impact on companies` performance.