Strategic marketing practices and the performance of Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Taiwan

Authors: Wai-Sum Siu¹; Wenchang Fang²; Tingling Lin²

Source: Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, Volume 16, Number 2, March 2004 , pp. 161-178(18)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

Abstract:

This paper reports on a survey of the strategic marketing practices of 218 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Taiwan. The survey's results indicate that while the higher performing Taiwanese SMEs give a higher priority to marketing than to other business functions in corporate planning, they are still sales- or production-oriented. The higher performing Taiwanese SMEs are more aware of strategic planning tools, but they make less use of them. They compete with value-added products and good buyer-seller relationships. The findings suggest that broad, small firm marketing principles, specifically generated from countries in the West, to some extent contribute to the success of Taiwanese SMEs. Interestingly, however, the specific marketing practices of these small firms are different from those of their Western counterparts. The research results provide additional evidence to support the theory that both Chinese cultural value orientations and mediating environmental factors play significant roles in shaping the attitudes and behaviour of Taiwanese owner-managers and, in turn, the marketing practices of Taiwanese SMEs.

Keywords: marketing practices; small firms; Chinese; Taiwan

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08985620410001677862

Affiliations: 1: Department of Marketing Hong Kong Baptist University Kowloon Hong Kong, Email: wssiu@hkbu.edu.hk 2: Department of Business Administration National Taipei University Taipei Taiwan

Publication date: 2004-03-01

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