An examination of artifacts in market-oriented firms

Abstract

This research examines artifacts in market-oriented firms. More specifically, the categories of artifacts: stories, arrangements, rituals and language.

Market-oriented artifacts have been identified in the literature as a component of a market-oriented organisational culture with four distinguishable categories; stories, arrangements, rituals and language. It is argued artifacts have an influence on the degree of market orientation and play a role in determining the behaviours within market-oriented organisations. However, detailed research relating to the categories is limited (Homburg and Pflesser, 2000; Farrell, 2005; Byrne, 2014; Hogan and Coote, 2014; Tiernan, 2015). Therefore, to deepen the understanding of artifacts in marketoriented firms each category of artifact must be examined. The following research questions have been posed: What is the nature of stories in market-oriented firms? What is the nature of arrangements in market-oriented firms? What is the nature of rituals in market-oriented firms? What is the nature of the language used in marketoriented firms?

To answer the research questions a case study approach was utilised. Data was collected qualitatively using three research methods; document analysis, direct observation and interviews. Thirteen interviews across six selected organisations were conducted over a three-month period.

The research findings indicate that artifacts; stories, arrangements, rituals and language play an important role in market-oriented firms. These artifacts were found to have a direct influence on the layers of organisational culture. This influence refers to their ability to communicate, reinforce and create an organisations’ values, norms and behaviours. In all, this study concludes that artifacts rather than having a subservient or modest role in a market-oriented firm appear to have a significant influence. Artifacts communicate, reinforce and create the layers of a market-oriented culture. Thus, this study provides a deeper understanding of artifacts in marketoriented firms.

The practical implications of this study require managers to assess the degree to which they have developed and utilised market-oriented artifacts in the establishing of a market-oriented culture.