| Benefiting from the development of intelligent information technologies,the current business environment has changed greatly,and the enterprise's market strategy and marketing mode have taken on a new look.Whether for marketing practitioners or theoretical researchers,customer orientation is the core concept to identify,understand and meet customer needs.How to formulate and implement marketing strategy to better create value for customers has always been an important topic in the field of marketing strategy.Different from the traditional environment,digital environment and technology expand the theoretical boundary of customer orientation and inject new thinking logic into its connotation.In the business field,some practices have preliminarily discussed the successful cases of business model innovation and transformation guided by digital customers in the digital environment.However,in the academic,the discussion on customer orientation in the digital environment is still in its infancy.This study captures the research opportunities brought by digital technology and environment to customer orientation,puts forward the new concept of "digital customer orientation" in theory,and focuses on the following three issues:the definition and dimension of digital customer orientation;based on the definition of digital customer orientation,this study discusses the impact of digital customer orientation and its four dimensions on business model innovation,as well as the mediated mechanism between digital customer orientation and firm transformation performance;taking organizational flexibility and environmental turbulence as internal and external factors of the organization,the article explores how they play a role in the process of firm digital transformation.The following is a brief introduction.Aiming at the problem of "definition and dimensions of digital customer orientation".Firstly,through literature research,this study defines the concept of digital customer orientation along the classical customer orientation theory.Based on the platform ecosystem theory,dynamic capability theory and value creation theory,this paper puts forward the definition and dimensions of digital customer orientation from the new characteristics and changes of digital technology and digital environment.This study defines digital customer orientation as a strategic orientation for firms to provide customized and rich customer experience through the establishment of platform ecosystem,and continuously create excellent value for digital customers based on realtime and full understanding and support of their needs.Further,the theoretical dimensions of digital customer orientation are summarized as digital customer positioning,interaction creating value,ecosystem building and data analysis support.Through the method of quantitative research,it is verified that the digital customer orientation scale is mathematically scientific.The research shows that:(1)Through small sample pre-test and large sample formal test,it is determined that the first-order four factor model is the most ideal model of digital customer orientation,which meets the requirements of theory and various statistical indicators;(2)Through a variety of methods,it is verified that the scale has good discriminant validity and convergent validity,which shows that the four dimensions of digital customer orientation measured by the scale are consistent in measurement,while the specific content and structure are different,reflecting different aspects of digital customer orientation respectively;(3)Further,by constructing the jurisprudence network,it is verified that the digital customer orientation scale has good jurisprudence validity.At the same time,by comparing the existing scales to test the common validity of digital customer orientation,it is confirmed that the digital customer orientation has a predictable correlation with customer orientation and emerging customer orientation.In view of the impact of digital customer orientation on business model innovation and the mediated role of business model innovation between digital customer orientation and firm transformation performance.Firstly,based on the combing and summary of the literature,this study proposes that not only the overall digital customer orientation can have a positive effect on business model innovation,the four dimensions of digital customer orientation also play a significant role in promoting business model innovation.In addition,digital customer orientation can also promote firms to improve transformation performance.Further,business model innovation is regarded as a mediated variable of the impact of digital customer orientation on firm transformation performance,and a theoretical hypothesis is put forward.Based on the empirical research,the conclusions are as follows:(1)whether it is digital customer orientation,or the four dimensions of digital customer orientation,all promote the business model innovation.In addition,different dimensions of digital customer orientation have different effects on business model innovation.(2)The promotion effect of digital customer orientation on firm transformation performance has also been confirmed,which shows that in the face of the continuous upgrading of personalized and customized needs of digital customers,the implementation of digital customer orientation strategy can help traditional firms cope with the changing market environment and unpredictable changes,and expand market share by retaining existing customers and attracting digital customers,realize the improvement of firm transformation performance.(3)Based on the establishment of various direct influence functions,it further verifies the mediated role of business model innovation.The statistical results suggest that for traditional firms,digital customer orientation can not only directly and positively affect firm transformation performance,but also affect firm transformation performance through business model innovation,that is,the mediated effect of business model innovation exists significantly.In view of the role mechanism of organizational flexibility and environmental turbulence in the process of firm digital transformation.This study explores the role mechanism of organizational flexibility and environmental turbulence in the impact of digital customer orientation on firm transformation performance from the perspective of internal and external factors of the organization according to dynamic capability theory and contingency theory.On the one hand,organizational flexibility has the advantages of rapidly transforming the use of resources,improving resource utilization,reducing excessive consumption of resources and strong adaptability to the external environment,which can promote traditional firms to make full use of the needs and preferences of digital customers and transform the resources of network members into their own resources in the interaction with network members in the ecosystem.So as to provide sufficient resource guarantee for the digital transformation of traditional firms,which is important to strengthen the positive correlation between digital customer orientation and firm transformation performance.On the other hand,in order to adapt to and cope with the impact of environmental turbulence on the digital transformation process of traditional firms,traditional firms need to use information technology and ecosystem to fully understand and support the needs of digital customers in real time.So as to continuously create cost value for them and create benefits for themselves,which helps to get higher sales and profits.The results show that organizational flexibility and environmental turbulence have a moderating effect between digital customer orientation and firm transformation performance.This shows that under the premise of adopting digital customer-oriented strategy,the transformation performance of traditional firms improves with the strengthening of organizational flexibility.Environmental turbulence can strengthen the role of digital customer orientation in promoting enterprise transformation performance.Based on the research and discussion of the above three issues,the theoretical contribution of this study to relevant research is reflected in the following three aspects:First,this study enriches the relevant theoretical research of customer orientation and provides a new method for the evaluation of digital customer orientation.In the past,the classic customer orientation theory believed that customer orientation is a serious of beliefs that determine the needs and satisfaction of consumers as the priority of the firm,and put the long-term customer satisfaction above the realization of shortterm profit objectives.Along this basic line,based on platform ecosystem theory,dynamic capability theory and value creation theory,this study proposes,develops and verifies the new concept of "digital customer orientation" and its dimensions.From this perspective,the theoretical contribution of this study includes three aspects:firstly,from the existing scattered research literature on digital customer relationship and digital firm strategy,this paper summarizes the main characteristics of digital marketing environment and its key impact on the formulation of customer-oriented strategy.Secondly,the qualitative research method is used to confirm and improve the dimension of digital customer orientation,and the quantitative research is used to verify the reliability and validity of its dimension,so as to develop the theoretical concept of digital customer orientation into an operable practical measurement stage.Compared with the traditional customer orientation structure,the four dimensions of digital customer orientation not only reflect the dynamic capability of firms to build platform ecosystem with the needs of digital customers as the core,and to reintegrate,construct and configure internal and external resources to cope with the rapidly changing business environment.It is also an important driving force for firms to continue to create value for digital customers and further improve their profitability.Finally,the research results of this paper provide a new theoretical perspective for the debate whether customer orientation is a series of organizational behavior or corporate culture.This study believes that digital customer orientation includes the basic concept(digital customer positioning)and a series of processes and practices supporting this concept(interaction creating value,ecosystem building and data analysis support).These conclusions regard customer orientation as an important supplement to the research of strategic ideas,activities and processes,and help to enrich the theoretical understanding of the deepseated source of customer orientation in the digital age.Second,this study has made an important theoretical contribution to the research of business model innovation.In the previous research of business model innovation,although business model innovation has been considered as the key element for organizations to achieve strategic objectives and obtain competitive advantage,there are still few studies on how to achieve business model innovation.In this context,this paper uses empirical research methods to investigate the action path of digital customer orientation on business model innovation in traditional firms affected by digital transformation,which provides a new theoretical idea for the research of business model innovation.Specifically,firstly,this study preliminarily reveals the mechanism of digital customer orientation in driving business model innovation.The results show that both the overall digital customer orientation and the four dimensions of digital customer orientation have a significant positive effect on business model innovation.Secondly,different dimensions of digital customer orientation have different effects on business model innovation,and data analysis support has a greater impact.The ability of data analysis and support enables traditional firms to obtain valuable information from the original data of customers,so that traditional firms can timely understand the current and potential changes in the competitive environment.On the one hand,this research conclusion confirms that there is a significant relationship between the four dimensions of digital customer orientation and business model innovation.On the other hand,it shows that in different research situations,different dimensions of digital customer orientation have different effects on business model innovation.Finally,based on the research scenario of traditional firm digital transformation,this study establishes a conceptual framework from digital customer orientation to business model innovation and then to transformation performance,which is the enrichment and perfection of the research on business model innovation.Third,this study constructs a theoretical framework including digital customer orientation,business model innovation,organizational flexibility,environmental turbulence and firm transformation performance,which provides some new insights for the theoretical research of traditional firm digital transformation.Specifically,firstly,this research deepens and expands the research on digital transformation in the era of digital economy by constructing theoretical models and using quantitative research methods.It provides a new method and way to study the implementation and realization of traditional firm digital transformation strategy.Secondly,different from previous studies focusing on product and technological innovation on the growth of traditional firms,this study reveals how digital customer orientation and business model innovation can promote traditional firms to realize digital transformation and achieve excellent performance.Finally,organizational flexibility and environmental turbulence are introduced as regulatory variables in the research of firm digital transformation,which expands the applicable situation of dynamic capability theory and contingency theory in the digital economy.Compared with the previous literature,which only considered the influence mechanism of organizational flexibility under the research scenarios of competitive advantage and new product introduction ability,and the role mechanism of environmental turbulence in improving firm performance and product innovation,this study not only creatively added organizational flexibility and environmental turbulence as internal and external factors to the context of firm digital transformation research.At the same time,it is regarded as a regulatory variable into the conceptual model of the study.This shows that the theoretical contribution of this study also lies in the introduction of dynamic capability theory and contingency theory,which reveals the influence and action mechanism of internal dynamic capability and external market factors in the process of digital transformation of traditional firms through real-time and full understanding and support of digital customer needs in the era of digital economy.It provides a new idea for the implementation of digital transformation and how to improve firm performance.This study also provides the following three aspects of management implications for the digital transformation of traditional firms:First,in view of the importance of digital customer orientation,firms should adjust and change the organizational structure and resource allocation from the implementation of digital customer orientation.The research results of this study show that the implementation of digital customer orientation is of great significance to business model innovation and firm transformation performance.With the gradual transformation of the real economy to the digital economy,firms need to incorporate more diversified dimensions into the overall customer-oriented concept.The implementation of customer-oriented strategy in digital environment needs to be considered from four aspects.First of all,the ability to regard the analysis unit of each digital marketing action and plan as a digital customer will help firms allocate enough resources to better understand the product use experience of digital customers,and provide them with a better experience in the dimension they care about,so as to get rid of the inherent idea of "taking products as the center".Secondly,firms should pay attention to maintaining the relationship and frequency of interaction with customers,give digital customers more choice and control,and turn their knowledge,creativity and other valuable assets into strategic resources.Thirdly,considering the role of ecosystem building ability in meeting the immediate needs of customers,increasing contact points and improving customer experience,firms should build a platform ecosystem around core products,and seamlessly integrate and embed processes,products and interactions into customers' life and consumption process.Finally,with the continuous changes of customer behavior and preferences,firms should realize the need for solutions based on data analysis technology to meet customer preferences.Second,business model innovation is an effective way to implement digital transformation.It is necessary for traditional firms to realize the innovation and transformation of business model according to their own situation and mastered resources and technology.At present,China pays more attention to the construction of innovation system.Building an innovative country and improving the ability of independent innovation are the leading strategies for economic and social development.As an important part of the national innovation system,the innovation ability of firms is an important issue that can not be ignored.In view of this,the systematic disclosure of the driving mechanism of traditional firm business model innovation will help to promote the transformation and innovation,enhance the competitive advantage of firms,and then improve the success rate and performance benefit of firm digital transformation.Firstly,the innovation of realizing the value proposition model lies in actively exploring new ways to expand the customer base and new technologies to produce and provide products for customers,so as to deal with the changing consumers,market competition and technological innovation.Secondly,in order to realize the innovation of value creation model,firms should have a closer relationship with customers,build a community relationship of interconnection between customers,firms,and customers and firms,and promote customer relations from the traditional single model to the cooperation model of value co-creation.Thirdly,the innovation of value transmission mode should make rational use of the platform,integrate online and offline channels,integrate the marketing entrance according to the omni channel thinking,constantly broaden the channel scope and strengthen the detailed management of customers,so as to attract different customer groups in heterogeneous channels.Finally,from the perspective of value acquisition innovation,firms should build digitalized interactive platforms to flexibly respond to the changes of customers' demand after the promotion of time value,and improve the positive externality of time value spillover,which is an innovative way to obtain excess profits.Third,facing the deepening of the implementation of the deep integration strategy of digital economy and real economy,how to implement digital transformation is a key problem that Chinese firms,especially traditional firms,should pay attention to and must solve.The road of digital transformation of traditional firms starts not from a simple step,but from an important transformation,that is to recognize the role of transformative marketing and digital customer orientation in helping firms successfully break through the digital environment.Therefore,the research conclusion of this paper has important practical value for the research of digital transformation in China.Firstly,the dimensions of digital customer-oriented strategy help to break organizational boundaries,promote internal and external communication and coordinate activity objectives.It is an important tool and way for traditional firms to implement digital transformation.Traditional firms should grasp the two key points of customer management and capacity-building,optimize the use experience of new digital models and new functions,and use the digitalized interactive platforms to create a Direct-ToCustomer(DTC)model.Product manufacturers provide products directly to customers,avoiding the traditional sales channels as middlemen.This enables traditional firms to effectively control costs and ensure that brands and products establish a direct relationship with customers.Secondly,the digital transformation of traditional firms needs to pay more attention to business model innovation.On the one hand,the digital transformation of traditional firms should understand and give play to the key role of business model at the strategic level,and make full use of business model and digital technology to establish the understanding of digital customers in practice.On the other hand,we should also pay attention to the universal application and use of digital products,services,technologies and business models.The disruptive changes brought to the decision-making behavior,operation model and collaborative governance of customers,firms and their stakeholders,and the positive impact of these changes on value creation and value acquisition.Thirdly,although digital information technology has brought new resources for traditional firms to implement strategic transformation,owning resources alone cannot guarantee the successful implementation of transformation.Firms must also fully consider the changes of internal and external environment.On the one hand,they need to have the ability to effectively develop,integrate,construct and allocate resources.On the other hand,we should also pay realtime attention to the changes of external market and competitive environment,and realize digital transformation in a dynamic way.Finally,for traditional firms,digital transformation does not completely abandon the traditional businesses and advantageous products that have occupied a certain market position.At the same time of transformation,they must also adhere to the advantages of their traditional businesses and cannot be changed.Traditional firms need to optimize the core business in the ecosystem as the starting point,verify the new products,services or business models,and continue to expand the business model and functions of the digitalized interactive platforms through continuous optimization of online operations. |
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