The measurement of e-marketing orientation (EMO) in business-to-business markets

The adoption of e-marketing has been associated with an array of potential benefits such as market expansion and cost reduction Nevertheless, the degree of involvement in 13213 markets has been patchy, with many organizations not involved in it at all. This article examines the variations in e-marketing adoption from an organizational orientation perspective and introduces empirical measurement with the 'Electronic Marketing Orientation' (EMO) construct Based upon a web-survey of senior managers and marketing/sales directors the findings suggest that EMO is made up of both philosophical and behavioral components By conceptualizing EMO and facilitating its measurement, marketers will be able to benchmark their activities towards adoption, evaluate their efforts and be able to assess where to focus their resources to improve their e-marketing processes. A number of specific recommendations are made for companies in relation to the successful adoption of e-marketing. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc All rights reserved