Determinants for market orientation at the industry and value chain levels in agribusiness and fisheries.

Marked orientations are widely recognised as a major determinant of profitability of both companies, value chains, and whole sectors of the economy. The importance of degree of market orientation in the food sector is widely acknowledged. However, determi nants of market orientation have until now been analysed only at the level of the individual company, but there is reason to believe that determinants related to the business environment may be at least equally important. Data will be collocated of a num ber of case studies in the fisheries; meat and dairy sectors selected to maximise exposure to possible determinants. Market orientation is defined as a set of behaviours as systematic gathering and analysis of information on customers, end users and compe titors for the purpose of developing business strategy, modification and implementation, including strategies for product development, design of production lines, distribution channels and procurement. These behaviours willbe analysed in a theoretical con text incorporating elements from industrial economics; transaction cost analysis, and the socio-political paradigm for chain analysis. A catalogue of potential determinants of the degree of market orientation and hypotheses about their interlinkage and t he way they affect profitability will be derived.