Purpose: The paper aims to analyse the relationship between market orientation (MO) and results in the field of higher education, considering the importance of university teaching staff MO in relation to satisfaction and establishing that this orientation is directly and positively affected by the MO of the upper hierarchical levels. The focus is on a university in a developing country. Design/methodology/approach: The information was gathered from a convenience sample using a self-administered questionnaire (219 teacher staff valid questionnaires and 34 directors, secretaries and head of course's questionnaires). Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation analysis. Findings: The results show that campus MO has a positive significant impact on the schools MO but not on the teaching staff. Likewise, the schools MO does not affect teaching staff MO. However, teaching staff MO does impact job satisfaction (JS). Research limitations/implications: The study was carried out in a single university and therefore other Mexican universities may have particular characteristics which were not found here. Furthermore, this is the first application of the MO scale in another context. In addition, the study is centred on the administrative authorities and teaching staff from a personal point of view, self-evaluation. Practical implications: University administrators should take measures to increase and maintain MO in the teaching staff and consequently their JS. In order to join forces in a common goal, an atmosphere of cohesion must be developed and a system of incentives put in place to motivate market-oriented behaviour and the adoption of an internal marketing focus. Originality/value: Even some studies have examined MO in higher education institutions, almost all of them are in developed countries. This present paper therefore examines the application of MO, in a state education institution in a developing country. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)