Lakhasly

1. INTRODUCTION
   Fast and inevitable change in present day caused by globalization phenomenon and
   scientific fast improvement in economic, social, political and industrial dimensions especially
   in two previous decades, were companied by tremendous changes in technology in
   information and relations. Acceleration speed of these changes in deferent dimensions guide
   managers to improve inside processes of organizations and companies to help their survival
   in world that is more competitive than yesterday. Organizations review their strategies by
   different ways and find survival code in creating more satisfaction of customers. So,
   competitiveness, flexibility and products diversity are considered by productive
   organizations.
   In this regard, one of the considered philosophies was Supply chain manger philosophy. On
   the other hand, marketing strategies and Alignment between them have a great importance
   in advance of organizational goal in implementation of Supply chain processes.
   Supply chains are valuable chains which include from Supplier scope up to final customers.
   Supply chain manager required unity and coordination in business processes during Supply
   chain to answer demand changes of final customers [1,2].
   The business processes that must necessarily be integrated and coordinated include:
   purchasing, manufacturing, marketing, logistics, and information processes. As Jarratt and
   Fayed (2001) state, “The development of integrated supply systems moves competition into
   a new phase, with systems competing against systems to create efficiency and client value
   at each point in the system” [1,12].
   To be considered effective a well-formulated strategy must be implemented successfully.
   Implementation effectiveness however, clearly depends on the appropriateness, feasibility
   and desirability of the strategy. Our argument is that through the development of
   competency in implementation—the ability to translate ideas into actions and generate
   positive outcomes—can provide a source of competitive advantage for the organization. A
   diversity of perspectives has been put forward in defining the concept of strategy
   implementation [13].
   1.2 Research Objectives
   On the one hand this study aims to investigate role of Marketing Strategy Alignment
   in Chemical Companies in specific area (Zanjan Province), on the other hand, tries
   to pursue Marketing and it’s strategies from wider scope like Supply chain.
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2. LITERATURE REVIEW
   2.1 Marketing strategy concept
   Marketing strategy is an important principle that an organization uses to organize and
   allocate its resources to make profit from customers (who are part of market) with logical
   parameters related to its components and size[3]. Aaker stated in his research that
   marketing strategies included widespread function of strategies like positioning, pricing,
   distributing and globalizing strategies. A successful marketing need and stable competitive
   advantageous in planning and executing [4].
   In another definition which is presented by Tikanen et al, marketing strategy is a systematic
   effort through recognition of organizational goal in making optimums values for customers,
   stock holders and other organizational partners who are relating with operational and
   strategic goals [5]. Organizational marketing strategy with understanding defined activities
   for marketing in organizational business strategy took measures to plan this strategy by
   totalizing manager and systematic processes of complicated changes, coordination,
   matching, and market and customer intelligence in inside business channel related to
   organization [5]. Dramond an Answer defined marketing strategies as environment analysis
   and customer requirements definition, matching activities with customer needs and
   executing plans to achieve a competitive condition in related with competitors [6].
   Two kind of strategic principle are brought up in the literature of this area. The first type of
   hypothesis is miles and snow’s hypotheses which are of 4 kinds as, Prospectors, Analyzers
   Defenders, and Reactors [7]. And the second kind related to generic porter who was divided
   strategies in to 3 kinds as leadership cost, differentiation and focus [8]. Both of these
   strategies are used in literature widely but porter’s hypothesis is considered more because of
   marketing view point. Since, it mentions the ways of creating values by organization [9]. As
   differentiation and leadership cost and how an organization covers its marketing limitations
   [10]. Also Sloter said that there were little researches in the field of investigating marketing
   strategies integrally. Then Sloter and Olsoon Categorized marketing strategies which
   included offensive marketing, mass marketing, spastic marketing, valuing marketing [10].
   Offensive strategies emphasizes on unique, qualitative productions, innovation in
   productions with high price and special strategies for distribution. While, mass marketing
   presented wide limitations of productions by using of widespread distribution and low prices.
   Spastic marketing had the least consideration to marketing and valuing marketing of low
   prices in contrast with high services to customers [11].
   2.2 Marketing Strategy Alignment
   Considering the views and investigation of Green et al. [1] in 2012 a discussion as marketing
   strategy Alignment is presented. This view is a near relation with Supply chain processes
   and especially making relationship with Supply chain partnership and marketing strategies
   Alignment which are used for creating coordination between Supply chain members in
   Supply chain, which includes; co-ordination of organizational marketing strategy philosophy
   with its other partners, creating new concept of productions and services and productions
   expansion, pricing strategy execution, executing promotion strategy, implementing
   distribution strategy as well as expansion of unite activity for creating values.
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   In this research this model is used to investigate marketing strategies and Alignment among
   processes. In following we are going to explain these factors and this model.
   2.3 Alignment of Marketing Philosophy
   The organizations arrange their marketing activities on base of the following five viewpoints.
   These viewpoints are: generation, selling, holistic. In the following we are going to explain
   these philosophies briefly.
   2.3.1 Compatible marketing philosophies
   2.3.1.1 The production concept
   The production concept, one of the oldest in business, holds that consumers prefer products
   that are widely available and inexpensive. Managers of production-oriented businesses
   concentrate on achieving high production efficiency, low costs, and mass distribution [14].
   2.3.1.2 The product concept
   Other businesses are guided by the product concept, which holds that consumers favor
   those products that offer the most quality, performance, or innovative features. Managers in
   these organizations focus on making superior products and improving them over time,
   assuming that buyers can appraise quality and performance [14].
   2.3.1.3 The selling concept
   The selling concept, another common business orientation, holds that consumers and
   businesses, if left alone, will ordinarily not buy enough of the organization’s products. The
   organization must, therefore, undertake an aggressive selling and promotion effort. This
   concept assumes that consumers must be coaxed into buying, so the company has a battery
   of selling and promotion tools to stimulate buying [14].
   2.3.1.4 The marketing concept
   The marketing concept, based on central tenets crystallized in the mid-1950s, challenges the
   three business orientations we just discussed.18 The marketing concept holds that the key
   to achieving organizational goals consists of the company being more effective than its
   competitors in creating, delivering, and communicating customer value to its chosen target
   markets [14].
   2.3.1.5 The Holistic marketing concept
   Kotler Define Holistic Marketing Concept in this way “Develop, design and implement
   marketing programs, processes and activities that recognize breadth and interdependencies.
   Holistic Marketing recognizes that everything Matters. As it can be seen it in Fig.1 it includes
   4 dimensions Internal Marketing, Social Responsible Marketing, Integrated Marketing and
   Relationship Marketing [14].
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   Fig. 1. Holistic marketing dimensions
   Source: [15]
   2.3.2 New product development and innovation
   Innovation is a survival source of blood in an organization. A company should constantly
   look for new goods and marketing improvement to supply customer’s satisfaction constantly
   and offend itself against competitors is removing them away. Anyway, this is just part of
   equation, and innovation also depends on changes in goods, processes and activities [16].
   Johnsozn defined innovation as commercializing new things which could be investigated
   through following items:
    A new technology
    A new user in shape of new goods, services or processes
    A new market or part of market
    A new instructional diagram or a new managing approach or a combination of these
   two or more components [17,18].
   2.3.3 Pricing strategy
   Pricing is a value (which is measured by some money) those sellers agree to exchange the
   goods with money and the buyers agree to take goods or services in exchange of paying the
   value [19,20].
   Price has different dimensions that are:
    Stability: price doesn’t always have a special value and the agreement between
   seller and buyer determine it precisely.
    Negotiable: buyer and seller negotiate to archive and agreed price.
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    Has domain: one part of price is stable but the other part of price is negotiable. The
   stable part of price is usually affected by total cost of seller [19].
   2.3.4 Promotion Strategy
   In managing a marketing communications systems require a draft strategy and sales
   programs that effectively and efficiently. Promotion is a key element in corporate campaigns
   and promotional campaign is best done by satisfied customers. Thus, the campaign needs
   to be handled carefully because the problem is not just concerned on how to communicate
   with customers but also about how much it costs, and the costs must be adapted to the
   conditions and the ability of companies [21].
   Sales promotions are also a key marketing tool in communication programs that influence
   brand equity. However, different types of promotional tools (e.g., monetary and nonmonetary
   promotions) may have different effects on sales, profitability or brand equity [22].
   2.3.5 Defining the role of distributor in marketing strategy
   Marketing strategy plays a crucial role in managing the channels of industrial distribution. In
   the area of industrial distribution, this strategy has been the case for accurate attention from
   various angels, including:


3. Producer's marketing strategy and especially the goals that he chooses for gaining
   competitive advantage, quality, price, availability, execution engineering and
   technical services , complete production line, technical production leadership etc.


4. The situation of the producer in the market, whether it is a follower or the leader in
   the market.


5. The technical specifications and characteristics of production, especially far different
   production features among various marks in the world and technical judgment of
   satisfying customer needs.


6. The importance (capability) of production immediate access (product) to customer or
   vice versa, to the extent to which customer needs are predicted and planned.
   Selling products using industrial distributors must be done through the marketing strategies'
   framework, because industrial distributors have an important role in meeting market
   demand. Considering the role of industrial distributors in marketing strategies' success (e.g.
   entering new products to the market, fulfilling the needs of small segments in the market)
   industrial distributors' features and particular capabilities must be examined [23].
   2.3.6 The concept of value and value chain
   Value chain is like a precious index that its usefulness in determining the strategies for
   attaining competitive advantage is proved. This model that is presented in the Fig. 2
   primarily was developed for accounting goals in order to discern the profitability of different
   processes in production and manufacturing. Instead of profit, recently this model has been
   used for measurement and competitive advantage scales. Porter (1980) suggests that
   instead of profit competitive advantage has been used and will be used [8]. In 1985, Porter
   claims that to a large scale competitive advantage is determined through the way that
   companies manage each element and the transactions between the elements. For
   companies, value chain provides a tool for finding out approaches to create more customer
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   value and it deals with analyzing the capabilities of an organization. Initially, the mentioned
   model was applied in service sectors as well [24].
   Fig. 2. Conceptual framework
   2.4 Supply chain management
   The concept of supply chain management (SCM) originated and flourished in the
   manufacturing industry [25]. The term which has been mainly used for SCM in the literature
   is framework though apparently there is a lack of consensus about what actually a
   framework [26]. Many researchers and consultants have tried to propose frameworks to
   perform developments in SCM over a period of time. After all some researchershave noted
   the lack of clear definitional constructs to consider as the base to SCM research. According
   to Soni and Kodali, The constructs of the framework are frequently used and observed
   constructs in SCM literature so it is the reason to call it a framework for SCM excellence [26].
   In the framework mission and vision of a business are situated on the top of the house that
   this fact clarifies that the ultimate goal to a company or a member of supply chain is to
   achieve mission and finally vision. Based on mission and vision, business strategy is
   formulated that is referred to as competitive strategy which is at the bottom of building that
   signifies on the basis of business strategy only, further strategies are framed [27].
   2.5 SCM Practices
   SCM practices have been defined as a set of activities undertaken in an organization to
   promote effective management of its supply chain. Li et al. [28] Proposed 5 Supply Chain
   Management Practices in organization. We consider their Model in this Research and Briefly
   Discuss each item.
   2.5.1 Strategic supplier participation
   Managing suppliers depends on the kind of communication that the organization establishes
   in developing and maintaining the relationship with suppliers. In the latest studies, the
   researchers have examined the different varieties of communications with suppliers; Cannon
   and Perrcault believe that relationship with suppliers can be developed according to the level
   of exchanged information, operational persistency, cooperation norms and coordination of
   seller and buyer. In the information exchange element, sharing important information from
   both sides describes the communication. Operational persistency involves functional
   integrations of the organization in establishing relationship from the view of systems,
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   procedures and technologies. Cooperation norms are the level of expected prototype of
   cooperating with each other to reach individual and shared goals [29].
   2.5.2 Customer relationship
   The necessity of information technology evolution and in particular global internet network
   and electronic commerce has offered an opportunity to improve relationship with customers
   in association with previous facilities in today’s' competitive markets. The ultimate aim of
   turning this communications and transactions into more profitability is through increasing
   repurchasing and decreasing the costs of obtaining customer [30]. Some definitions for
   Customer Relationship Management (CRM) from the theorists' point of view are narrated
   below:
   CRM is a part of a strategy of an organization for discovering and maintaining customers'
   satisfaction and transform them into permanent customers. Also in along with managing
   customer relationship with company and for maximizing customer value it helps company
   [31]. CRM is the collection of methodologies, processes, software and systems which assists
   institutions and companies in effective and organized management of customer relationship
   [32]. Managing customer relationship means creating and retaining personal relationship
   with profitable customers [33]. As a process, CRM entails supervising customers (e.g.
   gathering their appropriate data), managing and evaluating data and finally creating real
   advantage from the output information of transaction with them [34]. Managing customer
   relationship is a business and marketing comprehensive strategy which integrates the
   processes technology and the entire of business activities all-round the customer [35].
   From the discussed descriptions, it can be concluded that CRM is a business strategy for
   optimizing profitability, making revenues and customer satisfaction that is designed based on
   organizing selling services according to customer needs, increasing the level of customer
   satisfaction while core concern is customer and implementing customer locus processes.
   2.5.3 Level of information sharing
   Information sharing refers to the company ability in sharing knowledge with supply chain
   partners in an efficient and effective way. Shared information in contemporary supply chain
   system requires information among direct partners (members) and also all Networks that
   encompasses the entire of supply chain. Information sharing is needed for effective and
   efficient use by partners. This information must be transferred from an assured resource to a
   safe framework. Effective information sharing is accounted as a fundamental ability of
   supply chain processes [36]. Information sharing has two dimensions: qualitative and
   quantitative. In the process of implementing supply chain management both of these
   dimensions are extensively effective while each has been put forward as an independent
   variable in the previous studies of supply chain management. The word level refers to the
   quantitative facet of information sharing and it clarifies to what extent crucial and private
   information should be shared with supply chain partners [37].
   2.5.4 Quality of Information Sharing
   The quality of information sharing involves dimensions like accuracy, scheduled plan,
   sufficiency and credit of the exchanged information [38]. Since information sharing is
   important, its importance on supply chain management relies on three elements:
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   What information is shared? By Whom, When and How sharing process is done?
   The literature of this issue is filled up with examples of nonfunctional effects of presented
   information in supply chain that are inaccurate and deferred. Diverse interests and seeking
   their own favors among supply chain partners and information asymmetry along the supply
   chain impacts information quality [39,1].
   2.5.5 Postponement
   Postponement is defined as the transference of one or some processes (manufacturing,
   resource finding and delivering) to another spot in supply chain. [40] There are two
   considerable points in developing postponement strategy: 1. determining the number of
   stages for postponement 2. Determining the stages which require postponement.
   Postponement allows the organization to have different flexible production in meeting
   customers' changing needs and product differentiation or change in demand function. [41]
   Various kinds of postponement strategy and discussions about its benefits are introduced in
   debates of marketing, logistics and supply chain management. Alderson and Bucklin
   presented two articles in this area. Apparently, Alderson was the first who introduced this
   theory and later on the extension of this theory was proposed by Bucklin. Alderson
   discussed postponement from the marketing viewpoint that put forward this theory as a
   promising reaction to demand uncertainties which leads to drop in costs. Bucklin introduced
   this concept in the distribution channels area and offered this question; where, how and
   when to store the inventories to decline the cost [42,43].
   As mentioned above, some other postponement strategies were presented by some
   scholars like; Cooper, Dapiran, Feitzinger and Lee, Pagh and Cooper, Van Hoek, Yang and
   Burns and also Mikkola and Larson. In some papers qualitative section of the postponement
   strategies are remarked and in others quantitative section has been reviewed [44].
   2.6 Indexes of Performance Measurement in Supply Chain
   Altogether, variety of efforts have been made to clarify the indexes for performance
   measurement in supply chains that each effort entails a different view and approach for
   categorizing and grouping such indexes. Representative studies of this kind can be:
    Focusing on the status of indexes being qualitative or quantitative that has been
   examined in the works of Beamon in 1999.
    What to be measured; This topic focused on different issues; In Gunsacaran and
   Tuni (2001) on indexes to be costly or not; in works of Ashonsil (2004) on quality,
   cost, flexibility and delivery; In Beamon’s (1999) studies on resources, output and
   flexibility; In Heeber's work in the frame of supply chain cooperation, on combining
   and coordination efficiency and in Chan's papers (2003) on input, output and
   processing.
   Some of quantitative criteria are:
    Cost based criteria like minimizing cost, cutting down investment in inventories,
   maximizing profit and maximizing Return On Investment (ROI)
    Customer oriented criteria like the percentage of fulfilling orders (rate of supply),
   minimizing the delay in product delivery, minimizing the time to respond customers,
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   minimizing LT (the time between obtaining and delivering the order) and minimizing
   tasks replication
    Productivity based criteria like; maximizing the use of capacity and making use of
   resources.
    Considering strategic, operational or technical focus of indexes to which the studies
   of Gunasacaran (2001) were devoted [45].
   2.7 The Green's Method in Evaluating Supply Chain Performance
   For examining supply chain performance, Green et al. considered 11 scales in their article.
   These criteria are related to supply chain implementation processes. These factors consist
   of: the ability of delivering products without any deficiency to the final customer, the potential
   of delivering products and services with value added to the final customer, the ability to
   remove any delay, damaged and deficient orders to customers, the capability of replying and
   solving customers' issues in a short time, the ability to deliver products in on time, the ability
   of delivering the right number and quantity of products to the customers, the capability of
   delivering orders in various sizes, being able to offer products of tiny sizes (special products)
   to customers, the ability to reduce the total cost, being capable of minimizing any kind of
   waste throughout the supply chain, the ability to minimize stored channels along the supply
   chain. Due to the aims of the research, Green' method will be applied in the study [1].
   1.2.4 The role of logistics in supply chain inchemical companies
   Transportation processes are one of the necessary sectors of supply chain. These
   processes, maintain the flow of the materials which a firm has with its suppliers and
   customers. An integrated view on transportation processes, manufacturing and inventory
   maintenance is a description of the concept of a modern supply chain management.
   In a supply chain, transportation processes are taking place in a way that comes below:
   Supplying raw materials from foreign suppliers or from a remote domestic factory to
   the place of manufacturing, from the logistic outlook both are the same.
   Products distribution from a factory to the customers Distribution system depends on
   the kinds of products:

• Capital goods like machineries or industrial customers' equipment are carried
  through a specific transportation linkage just once or rarely.


• Also materials for production are forwarded to industrial customers; regularly,
  repeatedly and through the same direction.


• Consuming goods to wholesalers and retailers are often sent in customized tiny
  sizes that demands combining transportations when they are launched [27].
  Regarding other technics that is used in Chemical companies supply chains most of
  companies use following methods. In order to supplying raw materials, Most of companies
  make use of cyclic procurement system, in a way that in daily or weekly timelines,
  transportations flows are left to be gathered in the form of massive parcels then ordering is
  fulfilled. In addition to the modern inventory systems, in most cases ABC system is used for
  ordering in the companies. FIFO method is used for the goods in the warehouse. In the
  process of distribution to the customer the system of direct distribution, the easiest system of
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  distribution is used. In which manufactured items are transferred to the sale points in the
  form of large parcels, then representatives of distribution process initiate selling and
  delivering the items to the customers.

3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
   The aim of this research, at first stage investigates marketing strategies among chemical
   industry companies in specific geographical region (Zanjan province). Also, coordinating
   these strategies for improving Supply chain Practice and its Performance.
   3.1 Research Hypotheses
   This Study includes 3 main Hypotheses and 5 subsidiary hypotheses.
   H1. Marketing Strategy Alignment in Chemical Companies positively and directly affects
   Supply Chain Management Practices.
   H1-1- Marketing Strategy Alignment in Chemical Companies positively and directly
   affects Strategic Supplier Partnership.
   H1- 2- Marketing Strategy Alignment in Chemical Companies positively and directly
   affects Customer Relationship.
   H1-3- Marketing Strategy Alignment in Chemical Companies positively and directly
   affects Level of Information Sharing.
   H1-4- Marketing Strategy Alignment in Chemical Companies positively and directly
   affects Quality of Information Sharing.
   H1-5- Marketing Strategy Alignment in Chemical Companies positively and directly
   affects Postponement.
   H2. Chemical Companies with high levels of Supply Chain Management Practices will
   have the higher levels of Supply Chain Performance.
   H3. Chemical Companies with high levels of Marketing Strategy Alignment will have the
   higher levels of Supply Chain Performance.
   3.2 Data Gathering Method
   Two methods are used to collect data. Primary information and Secondary information. In
   this research, secondary information includes using related English and Persian sources and
   similar investigations as well as existing information in industries and mines organization
   archive, chemical companies through internet and expert in this field. The primary
   information in this research is totally collected by questionnaire method as well as email and
   in some cases because of impossibility of this method; the questionnaire method is used in
   verbal and personal way.
   3.2.1 The research questionnaire
   In this research, a three-part questionnaire is used to evaluate variables. The first part,
   relates to marketing strategies Alignment in which 7 questions are presented to evaluate the
   Alignment of these strategies, the second part relates to Supply chain management practice
   which includes 5 factors that a question is presented for each, and the third part relates to
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   Supply chain Performance that 11 questions are presented for its measuring. (The table of
   part 4 is located here. In this section we look for categorizing and ranking variables and for
   this as well as considering basic research method, the best scale in this research is ordinal
   scale.
   Considering research instruction and the used variables, Likert’s five scales is used as a
   proper scale in designing questionnaire Population and Statistical Sample.
   3.2.2 The Population and Sample
   Population in this research includes all of the companies in chemical industry as lead and
   zinc industry, color and other chemical production that are active in zanjan province.
   According to secondary data, that are achieved through the source of industry and mine
   organization of zanjan province, 88 companies were active in this province in 2013. Based
   on the research goal, if it was possible, the researcher collect data from all of these
   companies. So, the sample member was equal to population.
   3.2.3 Validity and Reliability of Questionnaire
   3.2.3.1 Validity
   In designing questions and content of this questionnaire, two important tasks were done. At
   first, the efforts made to extract questions and especially questionnaire content from valid
   sources and essays. So, most of the translated questions from these sources which were
   investigated by both researcher and essay referees increase the truthfulness and accuracy
   and all in all questionnaire Validity very much. In second place, after Supply questionnaire,
   the professors and expert’s idea about the questions and content of them in this area are
   asked to amend in the case of probable misunderstanding and insufficiency. By using ideas
   of professors and experts in this field, the questions related to the questionnaire of part
   one(marketing strategies Alignment) has changed mainly and one question was deleted
   from a set questions in this part, some of these questions in next sections were not
   understandable because of some problems in translation that were eliminated by some
   reforming.
   In order to test the Validity of this research confirming factor analysis method was done by
   LISREL software which is explained in the following. Parts of results are shown in Table 3.
   3.2.3.2 Reliability
   In this research, we tried to use different methods of Reliability evaluation. Reliability is a
   logical coordination among questions is one of the most important and common Reliability
   evaluation methods that in this research considerable consideration was paid to it and with
   the help of SPSS software, this index was achieved. The Results are shown in Table 2.
   3.3 Data Analysis Method
   3.3.1 Structural equation modeling
   Presupposition method of LISREL software in instructional equation modeling is the
   probable maximum method, this method estimates a set of parameters, based on these
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   estimated primary value, fitness function were calculated, this function is a coefficient that
   describes fitness parameters with research data.
   In this research, the second estimation was calculated based on primary estimation to
   achieve a function with a smaller fitness function and this process continues to shape the
   smallest fitness function [46,47].
   3.3.1.1 The first order factor analysis
   In first order factor analysis, it was supposed that the scores in each studies in a variable, in
   fact reflected its condition in a more fundamental factor which had no accurate measurement
   because of its Latent. But this latent factor was not considered as another latent factor
   dimensions and in fact only there was one latent layer of variable or variables in orbit. The
   first order (or higher) factor models could be one factor, two factors, three factors or more
   number of factors. In the first order factor models there were 3 kinds of variables ; these
   variables included outside latent variables and error variables which was as a latent variable
   kinds , so it was located in circle or oval and X variable was an observed variable kind, so it
   was located in triangle or square [48].
   In order to investigate variables of marketing strategy Alignment and Supply chain
   Performance, factor analysis of this kind was used in this research.
   3.3.1.2 The second order factor analysis
   The second order factor model defined as a kind of factor models in which latent factors are
   measured by using of observable variables which itself effected by a more fundamental
   variable, in another word, latent variable, but located in a higher level; in fact second order
   factor models were presented in a time that first order factors were explained by instructional
   factor [49].
   In this research in investigating Supply chain management practice Variable the second
   order factor analysis was used.
   Fitting indicators model fitting model determined a degree that support variance-covariance
   data sample of instructional equation model. Fitness model become so different and
   complicated, so the concept of fitness model and indicators were able to interpret fitness
   model in best way, therefore; many researchers faced with a kind of bewilderment. The
   existence of many indicators and loss of agreement in choosing and accepting domain of
   some of them in instructional equations modeling Model were so clear [50].


4. RESULTS
   Fig. 3 shows the relationship between Marketing Strategy Alignment and Supply Chain
   Management Practice which is related to Main Hypothesis 1. As it can be seen in Fig. 3,6
   questions were posed to measure Marketing Strategy Alignment. Observed variables which
   are demonstrated in Fig. 3 (MSA1 to MSA6) is related to Marketing Philosophies, New
   Product Development and Innovation, Pricing, Promotion, Distribution and Value Chain
   Respectively. New Product Development and Innovation and Pricing have the most
   correlation with Supply Chain Management Practices of 4 other items.
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   Fig. 3. The relationship between MSA1 and SCMP2
   Table 1 illustrates Descriptive Statistics for 3 main variables. As it can be seen in Table 1
   Supply Chain Performance has the highest Mean of 2 other variables. Also it has the lowest
   standard Deviation.
   Table 1. Descriptive statistics
   Variables Mean Std. Deviation Skewness Kurtosis
   Marketing Strategy Alignment
   Supply Chain Management Practices
   Supply Chain Performance
   3.44
   3.77
   4.04
   1.07
   1.01
   0.88
   0.052
   -0.303
   -0.547
   -1.243
   -1.007
   -0.546
   Table 1 indicates Reliability Assessment Results. As it can be seen in Table 2, first column
   shows the scales for 3 main items, the second column shows number of questions in
   questionnaire and column 3 indicates Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficients, in which all of variables
   coefficients are higher than 0.7. Therefore, we can say the questionnaire is reliable enough
   for data gathering.
   1Marketing Strategy Alignment (MSA)
   2Supply Chain Management Practice(SCMP)
   British Journal of Economics, Management & Trade, 4(9): 1356-1375, 2014
   1370
   Table 2. Reliability assessment results
   Scale Number of Items Cronbach’sAlpha
   Marketing Strategy Alignment 6 0.884
   Supply Chain
   Management
   Practices
   SSP 4 0.872
   CR 4 0.867
   LIS 4 0.912
   QIS 4 0.932
   PO 4 0.896
   Supply Chain Performance 11 0.958
   Table 3 shows Dimensionality and convergent validity assessment results. 6 important
   indexes have been considered in software’s output. Considering relevant resources to
   analyze Structural Equation Modeling, if relevant coefficients belonging to CFI, NFI, NNFI,
   GFI indexes are more than 0.9, it can be claimed that the model has good fitness, also
   coefficients more than 0.95 shows excellent fitness. In this Research Coefficients indicate
   that almost all of variables are in the acceptable and good fitness index.
   Table 3. Dimensionality and convergent validity assessment results
   Scale NNFI NFI CFI GFI RMSEA SRMR
   Marketing Strategy Alignment 0.89 0.92 0.90 0.94 0.078 0.10
   Supply Chain Management Practices 0.89 0.87 0.94 0.90 0.061 0.07
   Supply Chain Performance 0.92 0.93 0.94 0.94 0.068 0.08
   Table 4 illustrates Main hypotheses Correlations. The relationship between Supply Chain
   Management practices and Supply Chain Performance shows the highest coefficient of 2
   other hypotheses with 0.74. All of main Hypotheses have been accepted strongly. So, it can
   be argued that all the variables have positive and direct impact in each other. Table 5 shows
   Subsidiary hypotheses Correlations. The relationship between Marketing Strategy Alignment
   and Postponement is not significant and the coefficient for this hypothesis is 0.09. Except
   this hypothesis, the others are significant at the 0.01 level.
   Table 4. Main hypotheses correlations
   Variables MSA SCMP SCP
   Marketing Strategy Alignment
   Supply Chain Management Practices
   Supply Chain Performance
   1.00
   0.59**
   0.62**
   1.00
   0.74** 1.00
   Correlation is significant at the .05 level (two-tailed).
   Correlation is significant at the .01 level (two-tailed).
   Table 5. Subsidiary hypotheses correlations
   Variables SSP CR LIS QIS PO
   Marketing Strategy Alignment 0.53 0.48* 0.70** 0.74** 0.09
   *Correlation is significant at the .05 level (two-tailed).
   **Correlation is significant at the .01 level (two-tailed).
   British Journal of Economics, Management & Trade, 4(9): 1356-1375, 2014
   1371


5. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
   Based on the results of Factor analysis, beside the variables of strategic supplier association
   and information sharing level as well as information sharing level and information sharing
   quality, the rest of the variable had a considerable solidarity with each other.
   Considering the presented tables, the two main hypothesis of this research were accepted
   and among secondary variables, the variable which was related to postponement and its
   Alignment with marketing strategies were rejected and the rest were confirmed. The existing
   coordination’s degree indicated partial strong relations among variables. As discussed in
   Literature in this research, implementation of postponement discussion depended on
   characteristics of organization market as well as the type of production, so it was not
   applicable in all conditions. The acquired coordination degree showed that information
   sharing quality variable and then information sharing level with 0.74 and 0.70 had the
   greatest coordination among variables. This issue indicated a desired condition of
   information sharing as well as its quality. On the other hand, the matching degree of these
   variable with marketing strategy Alignment variable was considerable in a way that
   information sharing and it’s doing quality could be a way to actualize marketing strategies in
   organization in a best way.
   Considering the second main hypothesis and the path coefficient, we could suppose a high
   relation between Supply chain management implementation and improving the
   organizational Performance, especially improvement of Supply chain Performance in a way
   that if Supply chain management implementation process was done correctly and effectively,
   we could get a considerable result from it. In another word, high ability organizations in
   Supply chain Practice would have a high level in supply chain performance. Totally, we
   could claim that better Performance of organization in marketing strategies Alignment
   caused improvement in Supply chain management Practices and as a result would improve
   supply chain Performance of organization.


6. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS
   This research is one of the first and best researches in the field of marketing strategy with
   concept of Supply chain. So, we can consider this research as an exploratory one than
   confirmative one. In collecting research data, we tried to take managers and expert’s opinion
   that were familiar with Supply chain issue and its component. The studied industry in this
   research was chemical industry which had a very few research of this industry in Supply
   chain and marketing strategy.
   Since this industry is hyper competitive in the studied field and many companies tries to
   archive a big share of this market, so investigation in this area could analyze this industry in
   the field of marketing strategy and Supply chain and expend a new area in literature of this
   field. Since Performance evaluation especially Supply chain Performance always faced with
   some ambiguity, we tried to design a proper questionnaire which able to evaluate research
   variables, and the variables of the research literature models which were presented by
   conth, et al, co-ordinates with variable of this research, so with the localization of this
   questionnaire in the studied industry and by doing Validity and Reliability, the accuracy and
   correctness of this research were confirmed to evaluate variables.
   British Journal of Economics, Management & Trade, 4(9): 1356-1375, 2014
   1372
   The present research confirms Supply chain management implication which was discussed
   less. Though most organizations understand Supply chain management Practice, because
   they don’t know the component of Supply chain management so good, they don’t know what
   should be executed. The current research can present some practical steps by suggestion
   and expansion and validation of an operational multi-dimensional model as well as
   expressing its efficiency in Increasing Supply chain Performance and improving
   organizational competitive advantageous to help organization problems [28].
   In this research there are 5 important steps that most researches in this area confirm it and
   results of this research discuses about Supply chain management Practice.
   The importance of considering competition changed from a concept between organizations
   to competition between Supply chains, many organizations look for Supply chain
   management to decrease Supply chain costs. The findings of this research confirm the
   inevitable function of Supply chain management Practice on Supply chain Performance.


7. SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER RESEARCHES
   In future researches we can expand model by adding related variables to organization and
   its concept like organization size, organization instruction, Supply chain instruction and other
   variables. Since the concept of Supply chain management is complicated and its accurate
   evaluation required investigating the total chain which has a function in Supply and
   delivering productions. So it is suggested in future researches, the total chain analyze.
   Considering the limitation of the studied scope and other limitations in research, high data
   collection was not possible, so it is suggested that in future researches more data will be
   collected to evaluate variables better and also more reliability achieves.
   In future researches we can expand Supply chain management area and other variables
   such as on time production ability, variables related to Supply chain quality like six sigma,
   excellent organizational models, etc., coordination between duties, logistic unity and
   other variables. Considering its wideness, placing these variables in this research was
   avoided [28].
   COMPETING INTERESTS
   Authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
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