Understanding the layers of a market-oriented organisational culture

Abstract Organisations with market-oriented cultures outperform other organisations. Thus, the creation of such a culture is paramount. This paper details how distinct layers of an organisation’s culture can in combination influence market-oriented behaviours. The importance of organisational culture in the successful implementation of a market orientation strategy has been recognised. However, an awareness of how the layers of organisational culture, such as values, norms and artefacts, can contribute to market-oriented behaviour is still under research. The layers of organisational culture were thus investigated in three mixed-method case studies of Irish companies utilising a questionnaire survey, interviews and observations. The core conclusion of the study is that the combined synergistic effect of the particular unique organisational cultural layers in a company encourages market-oriented behaviours. This research adds necessary details for managers who seek to develop and create a market-oriented culture to improve company performance.