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1. Introduction
Due to global competition, technological progress and the new needs of consumers, competitive paradigms are in constant change. Those changes are leading firms to compete simultaneously in different dimensions such as design and product development, production, distribution, communication and marketing ([56] Singh et al. , 2008).
Indeed, marketing has grown in importance over the years ([43] Moorman and Rust, 1999; [60] Walsh and Lipinski, 2009). According to [14] Churchill and Lacobucci (2005), anyone involved in the world of business must have knowledge about the capacities of marketing, since in a competitive environment, no business manages to gain an advantage and retain customers without it. For [59] Vega (2009), marketing forms one of the fundamental pillars for fulfillment of objectives and organizational success. In this connection, [53] Reijonen (2010) states that marketing can be understood as strategy, culture/philosophy, tactic/method or market intelligence.
Although marketing plays an important role in the success of large firms, its role is even more critical for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), since the loss or gain of a single customer can often determine their survival ([5] Becherer et al. , 2008). According to [54] Reijonen and Laukkanen (2010), marketing has been seen as one the greatest problems faced by small businesses in their operations, but at the same time, one of the most important and essential business activities for SME growth and survival. [57] Stokes (2000) states also that entrepreneurs and owner-managers of small firms tend to see marketing as a tactic to attract new business, and do not apply the philosophical and strategic concept of the term to the same extent.
SMEs have characteristics that distinguish them from large organizations ([41] McCartan-Quinn and Carson, 2003) and these differences are not limited to size, but also involve objectives, management style and marketing itself ([11] Carson, 1990). For this reason, [53] Reijonen (2010) claims it has been demonstrated that traditional marketing theories are not able to give a satisfactory explanation of marketing in SMEs. Therefore, the role of marketing in SMEs has aroused the interest of many investigators (e.g. [5] Becherer et al. , 2008; [8] Berthon et al. , 2008; [53] Reijonen, 2010; [57] Stokes, 2000). [25] Gilmore et al. (2012) even say that marketing management and decision...