Prior research found a firm’s strategic orientation has a key impact on product innovativeness performance (Ozkaya et al., 2015). Both marketing orientation and learning orientation help firms to develop new product designs, generate innovative ideas, and achieve a better business performance (Narver & Stanley, 1990; Chuang, Morgan & Robson, 2015; Calantone et al, 2002). In line with prior studies, the purpose of this research is to investigate the mediating role of absorptive capacity (ACAP) (Cohen & Levinthal, 1990) on the effect of a firm’s strategic orientation (i.e., marketing orientation and learning orientation) on product innovativeness. We further investigated how environmental uncertainty moderates the effects of market orientation and learning orientation on product innovativeness. Survey method is adopted to collect data from Chinese manufacturer SMEs in the IT industry. 318 questionnaires were collected and analysed. CFA result shows that all constructs meet minimum requirements for reliability and discriminant validity test. Structural Equation Model (SEM) test reveals that both learning orientation and competitor orientation have significant impacts on product innovativeness, and ACAP plays partial meditation roles to effects from learning orientation to product innovativeness, and competitor orientation to product innovativeness. Customer orientation does not show a direct effect on product innovativeness, but is fully mediated by ACAP. We further tested whether the model is moderated by environmental uncertainty (EU) and result shows that EU only moderates the impact from learning orientation to product innovativeness. By developing a model of strategic orientation– absorptive capacity- product innovativeness, we contribute to the extant literature in strategic marketing.

Since the beginning of 2020, Corona-19 has broke out and spread around the world. In order to control the epidemic, China has adopted a series of measures such as delaying the resumption of work and production of enterprises, compulsory closure of restaurant and entertainment business, which have effectively contained the spread of the epidemic to a large extent. However, a series of policies in response to the epidemic have also traumatized the economy. In particular, it has caused great difficulties to the operation of small and medium-sized enterprises. This article conducted a questionnaire survey on the status of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) affected by the epidemic. The results of the survey show that 85% of SMEs have a cash balance that is able to support operation for less than 3 months, indicating that SMEs have a high risk of financial vulnerability, and most SMEs face the risk of capital disruption and crisis. The central and local governments have successively issued hundreds of policies to help small and medium-sized enterprises overcome the difficulties. In addition to the well utilization of supporting policies of the government, small and medium-sized enterprises should seek self-help and development based on their own particularly on the working capital management. In this process, small and medium-sized enterprises need to be more conservative, pay attention to reducing expenditure, try to save cash by negotiation and signing agreements etc. and set scientifically credit conditions, use the Internet to strengthen cooperation, expand sales channels and smoothly survive this difficult epidemic period.

Purpose This study first explores – the possible dynamic relationship between ownership structure and firm performance using a panel of 4,900 Chinese-listed small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from 1999 to 2012. Research design, data, and methodology – We address this issue through a dynamic panel model using a method of moments (GMM) technique and dynamic simultaneous equations to alleviate the potential endogenous problem: unobserved heterogeneity, simultaneity, and dynamic endogeneity. Results – Under the framework of dynamic endogeneity, firm performance has a significantly positive influence on ownership, but not vice versa. Ownership and performance can be explained by their owned lagged values, respectively. Moreover, intertemporal endogeneity exists among ownership, investment, and performance through the application of system dynamic equations, which implies that the relationship among ownership structure, investment, and firm performance is dynamic by nature. Conclusions – This study also significantly contributes to a better understanding of dynamic corporate governance by providing further empirical evidence from the largest capital market in the Asian region.