The Impact Of Stakeholder Market Orientation On Sustainability Performance At Tourism Destinations

Abstract

Market orientation has become the cornerstone of the marketing practice and management. As a result, it has attracted scholarly attention in the past years to call for the reconceptualization of market orientation and its combination with other strategic orientations and its ability to have a significant impact on sustainability performance. As a result, this study reconceptualised the market orientation (MO) into sustainability stakeholder market orientation (SStMO) by expanding its constituents and applying it To predict sustainability performance (SP). The study examines the impact of StMO on sustainability performance (SP) at tourism destinations (TDs) in Ghana. Using the stakeholder and institutional theories, the study in conjunction with extensive literature review produce a conceptual framework. A quantitative survey method of 313 respondents of tourism businesses was used for the study. The Smart PLS- structural equation modelling was employed to analyse the empirical data through measurement and structural models as well as examining the moderating role of state regulations. Further, the study finds that, environmental performance tops the level of sustainability practices at the tourism destinations, followed by economic sustainability performance and social sustainability performance. Out of twelve (12) hypotheses that were used to test the relationship between StMO and SP, nine (9) out of the twelve were supported whilst three (3) were rejected. The study also finds that, ecological regulation positively moderates the relationship whilst political regulation was negative. The theoretical and managerial implications as well as future research are also discussed in the study.