This study explored the usefulness of market orientation in an agricultural value chain in an emerging economy: Vietnam. Drawing on data from 190 actors in a beef cattle value chain in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, the study examined the relation-ship between market orientation and innovation. The findings indicate that there is no significant relationship between market orientation and performance. How-ever, customer orientation and inter-functional coordination are positively related to innovation, and there is a positive relationship between innovation and financial performance. The findings provide insight into the relationships among market orientation,innovation, and performance in agricultural value chains in emerging economies.