Internal market orientation as a value creation mechanism

Purpose: This paper aims to re-examine the nature, aim and scope of internal market orientation (IMO) and introduce it as a value creation mechanism for the firm’s internal market. A service-dominant logic (SDL)-based perspective of the IMO notion is advanced, and the key steps and phases for value creation in the internal market are outlined. Design/methodology/approach: This conceptual paper bridges the IM discourse with the SDL literature, and the latter’s implications for internal marketing theory and practice are discussed. Findings: Drawing on the premises of the SDL, IMO re-surfaces as an interconnected operant resource that can be enacted through performing three sets of activities central in the value creation process for internal stakeholders (i.e. value-identifying, value-generating and value-enhancing activities). These groups of relevant value-enabling activities required for IMO enactment are extensively discussed and their role in the value creation process is scrutinized. Originality/value: This conceptual paper aspires to provide a managerially relevant understanding of value creation in the firm’s internal market. An SDL-driven understanding of IMO is advanced setting it as a value creation mechanism appealing to a wider range of organizations.