Development of a Market Orientation Research Agenda for the Nonprofit Sector

Abstract

The concept of market orientation (MO) is the overarching framework by which practitioners and academics make sense of the interplay between customers, competition, stakeholders and the organization within the commercial for-profit arena and is the way the marketing concept is put into practice. Academics have suggested that MO would also benefit nonprofit organizations (NPOs) by generating more funds in an increasingly competitive environment and improving service delivery. Based upon a systematic review of the overall MO literature, we identify gaps and develop a research agenda for MO research within the under-researched nonprofit sector. The paper offers suggestions for researchers to extend the concept of MO from the commercial for-profit arena into the nonprofit arena, thereby looking forward for the nonprofit sector by looking back on the for-profit sector.