BUS602: Marketing Management

This research survey was carried out by sending the questionnaire to a total population (n = 150) of NTBFs situated in the METU Technopark. The key informer (often a CEO) was asked to fill the questionnaire as he/she is supposed to know and respond well to the survey questions. The data collection was carried out from June 2011 to January 2012. After repeated reminders we received 44 responses (29%) out of which 37 company responses were considered usable.1 Most of the respondents were the entrepreneurs themselves as they were looking after the marketing function of the firm.

The relationships posited in the model were tested using structural equation modeling by using the PLS (Partial least squares) methodology. Structural equation modeling using PLS has become popular and has been used in other research streams such as strategic management, organizational behavior, and marketing.

The PLS method does not require strong theory and can be used as a theory building method. PLS is used for causal-predictive analysis in complex model building but low theoretical information. Due to the concerns of model identification, and relatively smaller sample size, we used the PLS based structural equation modeling instead of the covariance-based structural equation model.