The Mediator Role of Marketing Capabilities in Relations between Strategic Orientations and Organizational Performance: Case Study of Iran Melli Bank

In this study, the relationship between different strategic orientations, marketing capabilities and organization performance are examined. There are many evidences that organizations have market orientation but not adequate understanding of how to usethese assets to achieve competitive advantage. In the other hand, strategic orientations such as innovation, competition, customers, entrepreneurship, employee and market orientation can provide a sustainable competitive advantage and superior performance for organization. Strategic orientations do not automatically lead to a better performance, but they have to follow certain behaviors affecting the organization performance. Thus, the roles of market orientation and marketing capabilities, as mediator variables improving the relationship between strategic orientation and performance, have been studied. The Information needed to test the conceptual model is collected from 226 managers in Iran Melli Bank branches via questionnaires. The results indicate that entrepreneurial and employee orientations have positive effect on market orientation. But, there is no significant relationship between other strategic orientations and market orientation. Also, the bank performance in current competitive environment is affected by market orientation variables and marketing capability.