Finally, it is important to reiterate that our key independent variable of
interest – customer focus – is but only one of several facets of a broader construct of
“strategic orientation” (e.g. Gatignon and Xuereb, 1997; Hult et al., 2005; Kohli and
Jaworski, 1990). Although we have documented the role of customer focus in fostering
relational competencies within the context of buyer-supplier relationships, future
research would need to include other dimensions of strategic orientation, such as
competitor and technological orientations, in order to generate robust insights.
Nonetheless, we believe this study makes a compelling case for viewing customer
focus as a driver of relational capabilities within supply chains.