The benefits of being customer-oriented for building firm innovativeness remain ambiguous among academics, with some scholars claiming a customer-orientation fosters organizational innovation competencies, whereas some others argue that it merely inhibits innovation processes. A review of research on the effect of customer orientation on innovation activities are inconclusive, with some studies supporting a positive relationship, while others reporting mixed results. With many firms investing in activities to get to know their customers and in innovation activities, managers need an understanding of the role of customer-oriented behaviors on firm innovation practices.

• Olimpia C. Racela(Mahasarakham University, Thailand)