Market Knowledge Depth Scale

What it measures

Measures the depth of a firm's market knowledge — the level of sophistication and complexity with which the firm understands customers and competitors, including the ability to connect unique and interdependent relationships among market factors. Captures the vertical dimension of market knowledge (vs. breadth as horizontal). Uses 5-point semantic differential anchors.

Response format

Semantic differential

Scale items

• Compared to our major competitors, our firm's knowledge about competitors' strategies is: shallow vs. deep.
• Compared to our major competitors, our firm's knowledge about competitors' strategies is: basic vs. advanced.
• Compared to our major competitors, our firm's knowledge about this firm's customers is: shallow vs. deep.
• Compared to our major competitors, our firm's knowledge about this firm's customers is: basic vs. advanced.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

CR = .80, AVE = .50. Adapted from Zahra, Ireland, and Hitt (2000). 5-point semantic differential scale. Depth had both direct and indirect (via KIMs) effects on product innovation performance — partial mediation. Validated in Chinese high-technology firms (n=363).

Recommended companion scales

Citation

De Luca, L.M. & Atuahene-Gima, K. (2007). Market knowledge dimensions and cross-functional collaboration: Examining the different routes to product innovation performance. Journal of Marketing, 71(1), 95–112.

Keywords