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Natural Environment, Market Orientation, And Firm Innovativeness: A Life Cycle Perspective, Clay Dibrell, Justin Craig, Eric Hansen

Justin B. Craig

We investigate the moderating effects of the natural environment on the market orientation to firm innovativeness relationship in growth versus mature firms. 237 owners or chief executive officer respondents allowed us to establish evidence of (1) positive linkage between market orientation and firm innovativeness and (2) natural environmental policy moderates the market orientation to firm innovativeness relationship in growth ventures and not in their more mature peers. Our findings suggest ventures characterized as being in the growth stage are more likely to employ a more positive policy toward the natural environment to gain a long-term competitive advantage through firm innovativeness.