Interfunctional Coordination at Hi-Tech Firms

Abstract

The paper is focused on the determination of new knowledge about interfunctional coordination.

Interfunctional coordination was defined at the beginning of 90s. It is the coordination of all company activities leading to the increase of business performance. Interfunctional coordination is connected with market orientation. It is one of necessary principle of market orientation. It is not possible to use market orientation without interfunctional coordination. Market orientation is based on marketing conception. The first detailed studies were offered by Kohli and Jaworski (1990) and Narver and Slater (1990). Market orientation is described as a method helping to contribute better managing of a company by many researchers. A lot of papers on this topic were publicized during the last two decades. The earliest papers involved the first definitions of market orientation; offered methods for its measuring; and investigated the impact of market orientation on business performance. The last attitudes towards market orientation agree that market orientation enables managers to focus on external and internal elements and activities, which influence the activity of a company leading to its performance increase (Tomaskova, 2009). At present, we have a lot of methods used for the measuring of market orientation. Using a proper method depends on the branch or economic system. The perception of the implementation of market orientation is changing during the period, as well. However, the main principle is still the same – market orientation has a positive impact on business performance. Nowadays, a lot of authors deal with the implementation of market orientation. Because of this reason, we have prepared research “Research on implementation on market orientation in Hi-Tech Firms” (GA 402/07/1493). The goal of the research was to detect barriers of the implementation of market orientation. We divided the barriers of the implementation into three parts according to managers’ influence in an internal, branch and external environment. State, economy and technologies are named as the main elements of external environment. The main barriers connected with the elements of branch environment are quality and quantity of branch stakeholders. Barriers of internal environment involve the barriers connected with the top management and its personality, skills, knowledge and experiences, all employees of a company and interfunctional coordination. The paper deals with the interfunctional coordination at hi-tech firms. The objective of the paper is to define barriers connected with interfunctional coordination and to detect the perception and importance of interfunctional coordination at hi-tech firms. The theoretical knowledge is noticed in some research studies. The data was acquired by means of a questionnaire. New Method measured market orientation in a company. The questionnaire New Method with 7-point Likert scale constituted by Tomaskova (2005) was used for the research. The complete database was analysed by using standard statistical methods (correlation analysis, Spearman correlation coefficient, chi-square) as well as other sophisticated techniques (Cronbach alpha). The main results of the research show that the level of market orientation at the hi-tech firms in the Czech Republic is high and confirm how important is gaining information and using this information inside the company for market orientation. The main results of the research confirm that interfunctional coordination is the base of market orientation. Hi-tech firms in the Czech Republic perceive interfunctional coordination as very necessary presumption for their future development and prosperity. The highest rate for this part received the following statements confirming positive company attitude for innovation, preference for teamwork and mutual cooperation in firms and also effort to be flexible. On the other hand, the lowest average rate had the statement describing relations between superiors and subordinates and their strictness and formalness.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.23.1.1224