A Pilot Study on Entrepreneurial Marketing, Marketing Capability, and Performance of Family Businesses in Nigeria: The Role of Competitive Intensity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31674/ijmhs.2025.v09i02.001Abstract
Introduction: This pilot study investigates the impact of entrepreneurial marketing (EM) and marketing capability (MC) on the performance of family enterprises. With the increasing prominence of family businesses in the global economy, it is crucial to understand how these marketing dimensions influence their performance. Furthermore, the study examines the moderating effect of competitive intensity (CI) on the relationship between EM, MC, and firm performance. Methods: A quantitative approach was employed using structured questionnaires distributed via the drop-off/pick-up (DOPU) method. Data were collected from a sample of 73 respondents representing family-owned firms in North Central Nigeria. Results: Findings reveal a significant relationship between entrepreneurial marketing, marketing capability, and the performance of family enterprises. Moreover, competitive intensity was found to moderate this relationship, indicating that the effect of EM and MC on firm performance is influenced by the level of market competition. Conclusion: The study concludes that family firms can significantly enhance their performance by leveraging entrepreneurial marketing and marketing capabilities, especially in highly competitive environments. It recommends that family businesses develop robust marketing strategies and adaptive capabilities to thrive under competitive pressures. Future research should further examine variables affecting the performance of family enterprises in emerging economies, with particular attention to the expanding landscape of such firms in Nigeria.
Keywords:
Competitive Intensity, Entrepreneurial Marketing, Family Businesses, Firm Performance, Marketing CapabilityDownloads
References
Acosta, A.S., Crespo, A.H., & Agudo, J.C. (2018).Effect of market orientation, network capability and entrepreneurial orientation on international performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), International Business Review, 27(6), 1128-1140.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2018.04.004
Adel, H. M., Mahrous, A. A., & Hammad, R. (2020). Entrepreneurial marketing strategy, institutional environment, and business performance of SMEs in Egypt. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 12(5), 727-746. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-11-2019-0171
Akyüz, M. U. R. A. T., Isaac, O. M., & Abdullahi, A. I. (2020). Effect of electronic marketing on the performance of SMEs in Karu local government area, Nasarawa state of Nigeria. FUO Quarterly Journal of Contemporary Research, 8(2), 1-16. Retrieved from https://shorturl.at/UcbSb. Accessed on 12th September 2024.
Al Maskari, G. S. (2019). The impact of intellectual capital and balanced scorecard implementation on firm performance (Doctoral dissertation, University of Bradford). Retrieved from https://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10454/17390/al%20maskari%2c%20g.s.s.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. Accessed on 20th September 2024.
Allred, S. B., & Ross-Davis, A. (2011). The drop-off and pick-up method: An approach to reduce nonresponse bias in natural resource surveys. Small-Scale Forestry, 10(3), 305-318. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-010-9150-y
Alnawas, I., & Abu Farha, A. (2020). Strategic orientations and capabilities' effect on SMEs' performance. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 38(7), 829-845. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-11-2019-0548
Alqahtani, N., & Uslay, C. (2020). Entrepreneurial marketing and firm performance: Synthesis and conceptual development. Journal of Business Research, 113, 62-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.12.035
Asikhia, O. U., Makinde, G. O., & Onamusi, A. B. (2020). Marketing capability and firm performance: Mediating role of new product development and management innovation. The International Journal of Business & Management, 8(2), 69-77. https://doi.org/10.24940/theijbm/2020/v8/i2/BM2002-033
Asikhia, O., & Binuyo, O. (2012). Competitive intensity as a moderator in customer orientation–performance relationship in Nigeria. International Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, 2(3), 18-24. Retrieved from https://www.hilarispublisher.com/open-access/competitive-intensity-as-a-moderator-in-customer-orientation-performance-relationship-in-nigeria-2162-6359-2-125.pdf. Accessed on 9th September 2024.
Ayobami, A. O., Olanireti, O. D. O. A. M., & Babarinde, K. P. (2017). Family business and innovation in Nigeria: Problems and prospects. Covenant Journal of Entrepreneurship, 2(1), 26-33. Retrieved from https://journals.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/index.php/cjoe/article/view/967. Accessed on 11th September 2024.
Bagozzi, R. P., & Yi, Y. (2012). Specification, evaluation, and interpretation of structural equation models. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40, 8-34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-011-0278-x
Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99-120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
Carson, G., O'Connor, C., & Simmons, G. (2020). The crucial role of market intelligence in the development of small business marketing capabilities. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 27(5), 797-816. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-12-2019-0394
Celtekligil, K. (2020). Transaction cost theory. Strategic priorities in competitive environments: Multidimensional Approaches for Business Success, 141-154. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45023-6_8.
Chahal, H., Dangwal, R. C., & Raina, S. (2016). Marketing orientation, strategic orientation and their synergistic impact on business performance: A case of SMEs in emerging context (India). Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship, 18(1), 27-52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JRME-03-2016-0004
Crick, J. M., Karami, M., & Crick, D. (2021). The impact of the interaction between an entrepreneurial marketing orientation and coopetition on business performance. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 27(6), 1423-1447. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-12-2020-0871
Davcik, N. S., Cardinali, S., Sharma, P., & Cedrola, E. (2021). Exploring the role of international R&D activities in the impact of technological and marketing capabilities on SMEs’ performance. Journal of Business Research, 128, 650-660. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.04.042
Day, G. S. (1994). The capabilities of market-driven organizations. Journal of Marketing, 58(4), 37-52. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299405800404
Day, G. S. (2011). Closing the marketing capabilities gap. Journal of Marketing, 75(4), 183-195. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.75.4.183
De Massis, A., Frattini, F., Majocchi, A., & Piscitello, L. (2018). Family firms in the global economy: Toward a deeper understanding of internationalization determinants, processes, and outcomes. Global Strategy Journal, 8(1), 3-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/gsj.1199
Dekom, H. B., Jingak, D. E., & Gontur, S. (2024). Effect of Succession Planning on the Sustainability of Family-Owned Businesses Evidence From Plateau State, Nigeria. Journal of Economics, Business, and Commerce, 1(2), 23-36. https://doi.org/10.69739/jebc.v1i2.145
Eggers, F., Niemand, T., Kraus, S., & Breier, M. (2020). Developing a scale for entrepreneurial marketing: Revealing its inner frame and prediction of performance. Journal of Business Research, 113, 72-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.11.051
Elena-Iuliana, I., & Maria, C. (2016). Organizational performance - a concept that self-seeks to find itself. Annals of Connotation Brancusi, University of Targu Jiu. Economy Series Issues 4, 2016, 1-9. Retrieved from https://ideas.repec.org/a/cbu/jrnlec/y2016v4p179-183.html. Accessed on 17th September 2024.
Fotiadis, A., & Williams, R. B. (2018). “TiCoSa” a 3d matrix conceptual model to investigate visitors’ perceptions in an athletic event. Journal of Tourism, Heritage & Services Marketing, 4(2), 32-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1490450
Gliga, G., & Evers, N. (2023). Marketing capability development through networking–An entrepreneurial marketing perspective. Journal of Business Research, 156, 113472. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113472
Gök, O., & Peker, S. (2017). Understanding the links among innovation performance, market performance and financial performance. Review of Managerial Science, 11, 605-631. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-016-0198-8
Gontur, S., Goyit, M. G., & Vem, L. J. (2023). Impact of entrepreneurial marketing dimensions on competitive advantage of small and medium-scale enterprises in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. Journal of Production, Operations Management and Economics (JPOME), 3(01), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.55529/jpome.31.1.12
Gontur, S., Tuamyil, R. B., Davireng, M., & Dekom, H. B. (2024). Customer Relationship Management and Performance of Agricultural Firms: A Moderating Effect of Technological Environment. Advancement in Management and Technology (AMT), 5(2), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.46977/amt.2024.v05i02.001
Gontur, S., Vem, L. J., Goyit, M. G., & Davireng, M. (2022). Entrepreneurial marketing, corporate reputation, corporate creativity and competitive advantage: A research framework and proposition. International Journal of Business, Management and Economics, 3(1), 52-80. https://doi.org/10.47747/ijbme.v3i1.352
Hacioglu, G., Eren, S. S., Eren, M. S., & Celikkan, H. (2012). The effect of entrepreneurial marketing on firms’ innovative performance in Turkish SMEs. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 58, 871-878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.1065
Hanaysha, J. R., & Al-Shaikh, M. E. (2022). An examination of entrepreneurial marketing dimensions and firm performance in small and medium enterprises. Sustainability, 14(18), 11444. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su141811444
Hills, G. E., & Hultman, C. M. (2011). Academic roots: The past and present of entrepreneurial marketing. Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship, 24(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/08276331.2011.10593521
Homburg, C., & Wielgos, D. M. (2022). The value relevance of digital marketing capabilities to firm performance. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 50(4), 666-688. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-022-00858-7
Ittner, C. D., & Larcker, D. F. (1998). Are nonfinancial measures leading indicators of financial performance? An analysis of customer satisfaction. Journal of Accounting Research, 36, 1-35. https://doi.org/10.2307/2491304
Jaiyeola, A. (2021). The impact of socio emotional wealth on the relationships between entrepreneurial orientation and debt financing of family businesses: empirical evidence from Nigeria. (Doctoral Thesis, University of Wolverhampton). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/2436/624764. Accessed on 18th September 2024.
Junod, A. N., & Jacquet, J. B. (2023). Insights for the drop-off/pick-up method to improve data collection. Society & Natural Resources, 36(1), 76-88. https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2022.2146821
Kakeesh, D. F., Al-Weshah, G. A., & Alalwan, A. A. (2024). Entrepreneurial marketing and business performance in SMEs: the mediating role of competitive aggressiveness. Journal of Marketing Analytics, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41270-024-00310-5
Kevill, A., Trehan, K., Harrington, S., & Kars-Unluoglu, S. (2021). Dynamic managerial capabilities in micro-enterprises: Stability, vulnerability and the role of managerial time allocation. International Small Business Journal, 39(6), 507-531. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242620970473
Khan, Z. A., & Husain, U. (2022). The Impact of entrepreneurial marketing on firm performance: Mediating effect of network diversity and learning capacity; Moderating effect of competitive intensity. International Journal of Research, 10(8), 81–98. https://doi.org/10.29121/granthaalayah.v10.i8.2022.4741
Khaskheli, G. A., Rajper, Z. A., Mangi, Q. A., Hussain, R. S., & Shar, A. H. (2020). A mediation analysis of social media marketing between the relationship of entrepreneurial marketing strategies and the performance of small & medium enterprises in Pakistan. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 13(29), 2024-2034. https://doi.org/10.17485/IJST/v13i29.1035
Li, W., Ming, H., & Song, J. (2024). “Live in the present” or “focus on the future”: the effects of ambidextrous marketing capabilities on entrepreneurial performance. European Journal of Innovation Management, 27(4), 1362-1380. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-04-2022-0187
Mahdi, A., Crick, D., Crick, J. M., Lamine, W., & Spence, M. (2024). Entrepreneurial marketing practices and rural wine producers’ performance: The moderating role of competitive intensity in an immediate post crisis period. Journal of Rural Studies, 108, 103277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103277
Martin, S. L., Javalgi, R. G., & Cavusgil, E. (2017). Marketing capabilities, positional advantage, and performance of born global firms: Contingent effect of ambidextrous innovation. International Business Review, 26(3), 527-543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2016.11.006
Martin, S. L., Javalgi, R. R. G., & Ciravegna, L. (2020). Marketing capabilities and international new venture performance: The mediation role of marketing communication and the moderation effect of technological turbulence. Journal of Business Research, 107, 25-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.09.044
Mio, C., Costantini, A., & Panfilo, S. (2022). Performance measurement tools for sustainable business: A systematic literature review on the sustainability balanced scorecard use. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 29(2), 367-384. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2206
Morgan, N. A., Vorhies, D. W., & Mason, C. H. (2009). Market orientation, marketing capabilities, and firm performance. Strategic Management Journal, 30(8), 909-920. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.764
Morgan, N. A., Vorhies, D. W., & Schlegelmilch, B. B. (2006). Resource–performance relationships in industrial export ventures: The role of resource inimitability and substitutability. Industrial Marketing Management, 35(5), 621-633. http://dx.doi.org/10.1509|jim17.0056
Morris, M. H., Schindehutte, M., & LaForge, R. W. (2002). Entrepreneurial marketing: a construct for integrating emerging entrepreneurship and marketing perspectives. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 10(4), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/10696679.2002.11501922
Mu, J., & Zhang, J. Z. (2021). Seller marketing capability, brand reputation, and consumer journeys on e-commerce platforms. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 49(5), 994-1020. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-021-00773-3
Nunnally, J. C. & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill, New York. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662169501900308
Nursal, M. F., Rianto, M. R., & Bukhari, E. (2022). The influence of market orientation, entrepreneurial orientation, knowledge management and learning organization on performance mediated by innovation in culinary SME’s in Bekasi. East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 1(8), 1691-1702. https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v1i8.1266
Oduro, S., & Mensah-Williams, E. (2023). Marketing capabilities and competitive performance in the SMEs context: A bi-theoretical perspective. Journal of Small Business Strategy, 33(2), 17-35. https://doi.org/10.53703/001c
Olusegun, D. O. (2022). Succession Planning and the Performance of Small Family Businesses in Kwara State. (Doctoral dissertation, Kwara State University, Nigeria).
Onditi, E.O. (2022). The effect of competitive intensity on performance of private security firms in Kenya. International Journal of Economics Business and Management Research, 6(9), 1-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.51505/ijebmr.2022.6906
Onditi, E.O. (2024). The Influence of competitive intensity on the market orientation of private security firms in Mombasa County, Kenya. International Journal of Economics, Business and Management Research, 8(12),112-124. https://doi.org/10.51505/IJEBMR.2024.81209
Paoloni, P., & Modaffari, G. (2022). Business incubators vs start-ups: a sustainable way of sharing knowledge. Journal of Knowledge Management, 26(5), 1235-1261. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-12-2020-0923
Poza, E. J., & Daugherty, M. S. (2010). Family Business (3rd ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Retrieved from https://gimmenotes.co.za/wp-content/uploads/filebase/family_business_management_mne3704/family_business_prescribed_textbook.pdf. Accessed on 12th September 2024.
Sadiku-Dushi, N., Dana, L. P., & Ramadani, V. (2019). Entrepreneurial marketing dimensions and SMEs performance. Journal of Business Research, 100, 86-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.03.025
Saunders, M., & Lewis, P. (2017). Doing Research in Business and Management. (2nd ed.). Pearson.
Teece, D. J., Pisano, G., & Shuen, A. (1997). Dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Strategic Management Journal, 18(7), 509-533. Retrieved from https://sms.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0266(199708)18:7%3C509::AID-SMJ882%3E3.0.CO;2-Z. Accessed on 13th September 2024.
Tijjani, T. S., Pulka, B. M., & Muazu, H. M. (2020). Female entrepreneurs and sources of finance for business start-up and growth in Nigeria. Journal of Resources and Economic Development, 3(1), 104-119. Retrieved from https://shorturl.at/ftRYi. Accessed on 5th September 2024.
Tolstoy, D., Nordman, E. R., & Vu, U. (2022). The indirect effect of online marketing capabilities on the international performance of e-commerce SMEs. International Business Review, 31(3), 101946. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2021.101946
Wade, D., & Recardo, R. (2009). Corporate performance management. Routledge, London. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780080503172
Yaqub, M. Z., Yaqub, R. M. S., Alsabban, A., Baig, F. J., & Bajaba, S. (2024). Market-orientation, entrepreneurial-orientation and SMEs’ performance: the mediating roles of marketing capabilities and competitive strategies. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOEPP-05-2024-0206
Zhang, H., Wang, Y., & Song, M. (2019). Does competitive intensity moderate the relationships between sustainable capabilities and sustainable organizational performance in new ventures?. Sustainability, 12(1), 253. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010253
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Management and Human Science (IJMHS)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
