Relationship marketing through error management and organisational performance does it matter?

The current environment VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) imposes great challenges and constant changes in the business environment, requiring organisations to perform better and better. Companies must constantly reinvent themselves in search of distinguishing competitive advantages, which can often rise from their own internal management processes. Managing mistakes can be therefore important and strategic. Errors are inseparable from human nature itself, systemic organisational factors and the interaction of both. As the systemic environments are “alive”, inevitably errors occur on a daily basis. So, it is crucial to understand how organisations deal with errors. There is the need for organisations to understand that errors allow, through their management, a permanent reorganisation that triggers complexity and facilitates progress, resulting from the intrinsic benefits such as learning, exploration, creativity and innovation and, therefore, better results. The main purpose of this study is to understand the influence of the error management process on the organisational performance. A hybrid research methodology was used. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected. An exploratory study in a form of semi-structured interviews was conducted to develop the survey instrument. A total of 326 valid questionnaires were obtained. Data were collected in a large Portuguese economic group. Data were analysed through correlation analysis and the linear regression models. The results showed the existence of a statistically positive and significant influence between the process of error management and organisational performance. The adoption of an error management process in companies would allow managers to detect, minimise and prevent the error to happen. The faster they do it, the faster the companies will produce better results.