Designing a Data-Driven Market Orientation Framework for Enhancing Competitive Advantage in the Iraqi Banking Sector: Evidence from Al-Rasheed Bank

Naseem  Hussein Ali; Ali  Souri; Ezatollah Abbasian

Authors

Naseem Hussein Ali Ph.D Student in Finance– Banking, Aras International Campus, University of Tehran, Jolfa, Iran, and Ministry of Education– Iraq. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7023-2670
Ali Souri Associate Professor of Theoretical Economics, Faculty of Economics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2702-3646
Ezatollah Abbasian Professor of Financial Economics, Department of Financial Engineering, Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8364-6461

Keywords:

Market Orientation, Banking Performance, Digital Banking, Iraq Banking Sector

Abstract

This study aimed to design and empirically validate a data-driven market orientation framework for enhancing competitive advantage in the Iraqi banking sector, with particular emphasis on Al-Rasheed Bank. The study employed a causal-explanatory, longitudinal mixed-method design centered on quantitative panel-data analysis and supported by qualitative expert validation. The quantitative dataset comprised 327 bank-year observations from 24 licensed Iraqi commercial banks over 2010–2024, with Al-Rasheed Bank serving as the focal institutional case. Market orientation, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, digital engagement, operational efficiency, competitive advantage, and financial performance were derived from audited financial statements, Central Bank of Iraq reports, and recognized financial databases, while macroeconomic controls included GDP growth, inflation, exchange-rate volatility, and oil-price changes. Fixed Effects, Random Effects, and System GMM models were estimated, complemented by mediation, moderation, Random Forest, and Gradient Boosting analyses. Eighteen banking and regulatory experts provided contextual validation. Fixed Effects results showed that market orientation significantly predicted competitive advantage (β = 0.283, p < .001), followed by operational efficiency (β = 0.224, p < .001), customer satisfaction (β = 0.176, p < .001), customer loyalty (β = 0.152, p < .001), and digital engagement (β = 0.118, p = .002). System GMM confirmed these effects, with market orientation remaining significant after controlling for lagged competitive advantage (β = 0.241, p < .001). The total effect of market orientation on competitive advantage was significant (β = 0.431, p < .001), with a significant total indirect effect (β = 0.224, p < .001). Digital engagement positively moderated the market orientation–competitive advantage relationship (β = 0.137, p = .001). Gradient Boosting achieved the strongest predictive performance (test R² = 0.779), and market orientation ranked as the most influential predictor. Competitive advantage in Iraqi banking is strengthened when market orientation is integrated with customer-centered capabilities, digital engagement, and operational efficiency, indicating that Al-Rasheed Bank can improve strategic performance through an enterprise-wide, analytically supported market intelligence system.

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