Creating superior customer value for B2B firms through supplier firm capabilities

In a dynamic global business-to-business (B2B) environment, innovation and marketing appear crucial to providing supplier firms' positional advantage through the ability to create value for customers. Our examination is grounded in seeking to address the research question: To what extent is the creation of superior performance, relationship, and co-creation value driven by market orientation, product innovation and marketing capabilities in B2B firms? The results of a survey of 155 large B2B firms show product innovation capability and marketing capability partially mediates the relationship between a firms' market orientation and its ability to create value (performance and co-creation), except for the role of marketing capability which we found acted as a full mediator of the relationship between market orientation and relationship value.

► Some suggest that simply being market oriented is not enough to create value and gain marketplace advantages. ► Firms must attempt to deliver 2 types of value- building relationships with B2B customers and collaborating with them. ► To do this they need value creating capabilities. ► We examine the extent value creation is driven by market orientation, innovation and marketing capabilities in B2B firms. ► We show innovation marketing capability mediate the relationship between market orientation and value creation.