Author(s): Adesanya Oluwatoyin Deborah, Moses Chinonye Love, Worlu Rowland Enwuzuruike, Salau Odunayo Paul, Olaoye Peter Olusegun
Market orientation has been a significant challenge for the effectiveness and sustainability of small and medium scale enterprises. The problem is more intense for women entrepreneurs who have issues with hiring and keeping skilled workforce marketing skills and marketing research. This study provided empirical evidence on the influence of market orientation on employee satisfaction in non-oil export women entrepreneurial firms. The study adopted a quantitative approach via the use of questionnaire distributed conveniently and purposively to 416 female entrepreneurs and export managers in the agribusiness, textile, and information technology and business processing outfit (IT/BPO) in Lagos state. The data collected were analysed using correlation, regression, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to obtain results. The findings revealed that the relationship between market orientation and women entrepreneurs’ perception of employee satisfaction is confirmed to be directly significant with a beta value of 0.584, indicating a strong degree of association. The analysis showed that the indicators of market orientation variable collectively explained 37.3% of the variability of women entrepreneurs’ perception of employee satisfaction. It concluded that the orientation of the market via intelligence gathering, internal diffusion of information, and willingness to practice facilitate real employees’ satisfaction and consequent customers’ satisfaction. Women entrepreneurs need to structure their ventures flexibly to develop and adapt market orientation as a prospective strategy for speedy innovativeness through motivated and engaged employees for sustainable competitiveness.