The effect posed on the business performance by the market orientation in the hospitals

The measurement of operational performance within our present day?s global competition environment has been gradually increasing its importance in order to protect the operational assets and marketing share. On the other hand, along with many factors, marketing activities and market oriented efforts pose effects on the operational performance. As a matter of fact, many studies which have been performed on this subject during the recent years, serve to verify that the market orientation has a direct connection with the operational performance. Therefore, to accurately understand the context of market orientation, has been presenting an importance under our present day?s conditions wherein a hard competition has prevailed.The basic aim of this study which is unique to the private hospitals operating throughout Turkey, is to discover the market orientation level of those private hospitals included in the scope of this research and also, within the context of cause and result, perform a detailed analysis on the subject whether or not such marketing orientation levels have a correlation with the operational performance.Within the scope of this study realized for the above cited aim, the managers of 100 private hospitals have undergone a survey process. During the course of this study, the data screening and data survey methods have been employed. In regard with data screening method, with a view to have an access to the technical performance data of private hospitals which are operating throughout Turkey, the Statistical Year Book of 2008, which was prepared by the Ministry of Health for Inpatient Treatment Establishments, has been used. On the other hand, by resorting to the data survey method as another method, it has been aimed at detecting the market orientation levels of hospitals. For data survey method, a scale developed by Kohli, Jaworski and Kumar, has been applied.According to the results of this study, a positive correlation (p<0,05) has been traced between market orientation and existence of marketing department at the hospitals. Furthermore, a statistically significant correlation has also been found to exist between the market orientations and general performance assessments of hospital.Accordingly, in regard with the dimensions pertaining to the market orientation, find below the rates of effect posed on the general performance: Market Oriented Data Collection Activities: 46%, Market Oriented Data Dissemination Activities: 55%, Watching Activities for Market Reactions: 34%, Activities for Responding to the Market Reactions: 53%. Furthermore, it is also put into light that a statistically significant difference had also existed between general performance assessment and those hospitals having a marketing department, and this difference arose from the fact that those hospitals which had a marketing department, had shown a superior general performance (p=0,003) when compared with those hospitals which had no marketing department. However, no statistically significant correlation has been found out whether or not the technical performance shown by the market oriented hospital, was high, (p>0,05).