Comparing the impact of different marketing capabilities: Empirical evidence from B2B firms in China

This research compares three key types of marketing capabilities (static, dynamic, and adaptive capabilities) with one another to examine empirically the relative contribution of each capability type to firm performance under different market conditions. Through two empirical studies with business-to-business managers, this study first develops a scale of adaptive marketing capabilities and then investigates the relationships between all three types of marketing capabilities and firm performance. The results show that adaptive marketing capabilities have the greatest impact on market performance. In addition, while environmental turbulence obliterates the contribution of static marketing capabilities (turning the effect negative), it actually strengthens the relationship between adaptive marketing capabilities and firm performance. Finally, dynamic marketing capabilities have a similar impact under low and high environmental turbulence, suggesting the instability in today's marketplace even within relatively “stable” markets. Together, the insights from this research underscore the importance of differentiating among the three types of marketing capabilities and building a firm's capabilities portfolio depending on firm and market conditions.