Purpose: This article sets out to examine the market orientation construct within the context of the non‐profit sector. Given the specificity of non‐profit organisations and the increasingly demanding resource environments in which these organisations operate, the adoption of the concept of marketing is viewed as an adaptive strategy for ensuring that organisations receive the necessary resources for accomplishing their missions and carrying out their activities. In line with this, the present article aims to investigate the extent to which the type of revenue strategy is related to the organisation's market orientation, towards donors and/or users.Design/methodology/approach: Drawing from a resource dependence conceptual framework, the article reports findings from a quantitative study of a representative sample of Portuguese non‐profit organisations (NPOs). This approach was complemented by qualitative research methods. Combining these two approaches has given access to different levels of reality and provided a more holistic understanding of the phenomena under study.Findings: The results from the present study demonstrate that Portuguese NPOs favour a market orientation towards users/beneficiaries, revealing a less proactive behaviour in relation to their donors. In the present study, the resource dependence theory has proved to be an important theoretical tool for understanding market orientation strategies within the non‐profit sector. The link between the type of resource strategy and the organisation's market orientation stands out as an important finding derived from the present study and is particularly visible in relation to donor market orientation. In addition, empirical data partially support the conclusion that diversification of revenue sources is likely to favour a higher degree of market orientation. Further refinement of the adequacy of the MARKOR scale within the context of the non‐profit sector stands out as an avenue for further research.Research limitations/implications: As the sample used for analysis was drawn from Portugal, the generalisability of the results to other countries remains to be tested.Practical implications: The findings of the present study may assist public policy‐makers in the design of more adequate policies in the allocation of resources to non‐profit organisations.Originality/value: The study contributes to a better understanding of market orientation in the specific context of the non‐profit sector. Moreover, this is done through applying the market orientation scale to two different stakeholders (i.e. donors and users/beneficiaries) in the evaluation of market orientation and in its relationship with resource strategies.

Purpose: – The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework that explores the relationships among the following constructs: corporate/organisational culture, market orientation, organisational commitment and organisational performance in non-profit organisations.Design/methodology/approach: – In line with previous studies in the field, a quantitative research design was adopted. The data collection was performed through a mail survey of a sample of Portuguese non-profit organisations operating in the area of health. Structural equation modelling was used as a means to analyse the hypothesised relationships.Findings: – Results have shown that organisational culture impacts on organisational performance. Concerning the market orientation consequences, the study results suggest that higher levels of market orientation result in both high levels of organisational commitment and organisational performance. Results also suggest that organisational commitment does not affect performance in a very significant way.Research limitations/implications: – The study was restricted to non-profit organisations, particularly those operating in the area of health and used cross-sectional data to test the research model and hypotheses. Whilst these findings remain valid, they cannot be used for universal generalisations. This study has significant theoretical and practical implications.Practical implications: – Practitioners and researchers agree that organisational culture may lead to different performance results, although little attention has been given to this issue. The study is useful for understanding organisational culture, market orientation, organisational commitment and organisational performance in non-profit organisations.Originality/value: – This paper offers original findings through simultaneously examining the relationships between organisational culture, market orientation, organisational commitment and organisational performance in the context of non-profit organisations. The findings add weight to the recent emphasis on business-oriented approaches as a lever for improving performance in non-profit organisations.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of the process of new technology adoption, notably social networks (SN), relying on a specific model, the technology acceptance model (TAM).Design/methodology/approach: The study applies a quantitative methodological approach by using a survey method. The data are collected from a sample of 150 university students. In order to test the proposed relationships, structural equation modelling was employed.Findings: The results of this empirical study demonstrate that SN are relatively easy to use, as respondents quickly become skillful at using these technologies, finding them quite flexible to interact with. In terms of their attitudes, respondents find SN fun to use and enjoy using them. Perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness impact on attitude towards SN. Attitude, in turn, impacts on behavioral intention to use SN. Thus, the authors confirm the explanatory power of TAM in the adoption of SN.Research limitations/implications: The study focuses on the parsimonious TAM model and its applicability to SN adoption. Another drawback pertains to the size of the sample.Practical implications: A lot remains to be done to maximise the use of SN within a firm's context. For instance, a specific brand could target a specific group of users on Facebook and those potential customers who want to find detailed information about their products as services could be directed to the firm's official web site.Originality/value: The relevance of this study is set against a lack of consistent, detailed research on the factors influencing the adoption of SNs.