The effects of market orientation on trust and commitment: the case of the sponsorship business-to-business relationship

Abstract

There is little empirical research that examines the effects of marketing orientation on the two most important relationship marketing concepts, namely trust and commitment. In this paper, the sponsorship relationship is the focus of an empirical investigation aimed at uncovering the potential effect of market orientation, exhibited by both parties of the sponsorship dyad, upon trust and commitment. By selecting the leading sponsorship property in Australia, the Australian Football League, the majority of key Australian sponsors were included in this study, allowing the authors to draw managerial implications of direct relevance to other sponsors and properties aiming to secure long lasting sponsorship relationships.