THE MEDIATING ROLE OF STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CUSTOMER ORIENTATION AND PERFORMANCE

Firms develop and implement strategies by using the resources they have. The degree to which firms incorporate these resources into the strategic management process determines both their performance and the level of their competitive advantage. This study investigates the relationship between customer orientation, which can be conceptualized as customer acquisition, customer retention and new customer acquisition, and firm performance and the mediating role of strategy implementation in this relationship. The relationship between customer orientation and performance is in accordance with the studies in the literature and the hypothesis we developed is supported. In addition, as a result of the findings, strategy implementation has a mediating role in the relationship between customer orientation and performance.