Final answer:
A firm with a marketing philosophy has an external orientation, focusing on satisfying customer needs and wants by looking outside the company to guide business decisions and strategies.
Step-by-step explanation:
A firm that embraces marketing as a philosophy will have a c) external orientation.
When we mention a firm that embraces marketing as a philosophy, we refer to the concept of marketing being core to the firm's mission and strategic approach. Such firms prioritize understanding and satisfying customer needs and wants, as opposed to being primarily focused on the product or internal operations. As a result, these companies adopt an external orientation.
This orientation means the firm consistently looks outside itself to the market to guide decisions and strategies. By concentrating on customer insights, market trends, and competitor actions, firms with a marketing philosophy strive to create value for their customers, thus building strong brand loyalty and market position. In other words, the marketing approach centers the business direction around the external environment, precisely the opposite of an internal, technology, finance, or operations orientation.