A Paradigmatic and Methodological Examination of Market Orientation Research

Research on market orientation has evolved for more than two decades, and is now ripe for reflection on its paradigmatic and methodological moorings. We review market orientation research to understand research paradigms adopted in the studies using an operations research paradigm framework, and compare and contrast methodologies and research designs used in the literature. This study used the citation pearl-growing method to identify and review 137 studies on market orientation. The study finds a dominance of the positivist paradigm in the extant research, particularly in the North American journals. There have only been a few interpretive studies on market orientation in the past two decades. This study makes a case for methodological pluralism in the research on market orientation. The findings will benefit academia and practitioners in understanding the past research trends and identify potential future research areas. The review adds value to the literature in terms of presenting an overview of market orientation research, where the research field stands today, and where it is heading in the future.