Forms of market orientation among primary and secondary school teachers in Israel

This chapter presents an analysis of data gathered from Israeli primary and secondary schoolteachers that tested the degree of market orientation in the Israeli State Education System, the largest system in Israel that is based on grade configuration of primary education (1-6) and secondary education (7-12). It was found that the Israeli teachers are more positive about student orientation (SO) than about competitor orientation and interfunctional coordination, i.e., they are more likely to be positive toward the elements of SO that are emotion embedded and represent teachers' concern toward and relations with their students. They can identify with elements of SO that represent teachers' strong emotional commitment toward students, which in turn leads them to change their teaching methods, be attentive and responsive to parents' interest in the learning of the child, and improve their own teaching. In doing so, the teachers are engaged unconsciously with relationship marketing that might promote their school's market share and image.