Interfirm Structure and Buyer-Salesperson Behavior Impact on Relationship Outcomes

The individual level interaction between the buyer and salesperson can best be understood in the broader framework provided by the inter-firm relationship. Very little research has been conducted that examines both firm level and interpersonal level constructs in the context of business relationships. The primary purpose of this study is to design and test a theoretical model that examines the effect of inter-firm structure and buyer-salesperson behaviors on relationship outcomes. The results suggest that in established relationships, the external environment plays a role in determining the how buyer-seller firms structure their relationships. The way in which the relationship is structured plays an important role in determining how the buyer and salesperson interact. Both inter-firm structure and buyer-salesperson behaviors, in turn, influence buyer satisfaction

Modeling DNA Structure, Elasticity and Deformations at the Base-pair Level

We present a generic model for DNA at the base-pair level. We use a variant of the Gay-Berne potential to represent the stacking energy between neighboring base-pairs. The sugar-phosphate backbones are taken into account by semi-rigid harmonic springs with a non-zero spring length. The competition of these two interactions and the introduction of a simple geometrical constraint leads to a stacked right-handed B-DNA-like conformation. The mapping of the presented model to the Marko-Siggia and the Stack-of-Plates model enables us to optimize the free model parameters so as to reproduce the experimentally known observables such as persistence lengths, mean and mean squared base-pair step parameters. For the optimized model parameters we measured the critical force where the transition from B- to S-DNA occurs to be approximately $140{pN}$. We observe an overstretched S-DNA conformation with highly inclined bases that partially preserves the stacking of successive base-pairs.Comment: 15 pages, 25 figures. submitted to PR

Key account buying team members' emotional responses awarding multi-million dollar sales contracts

Key account sales can have a profound impact on firm success. Our research investigates the decision process of members of key account buying teams during the buying decision process of awarding multi-million dollar sales contracts. Much extant key account literature examines what the salesperson and selling organization should do to win these major accounts, studied from the perspective of the selling organization. We examine the decision process of the members of the key account buying team as they determine which of the companies vying to be awarded these large sales proposals should be awarded the contract. We argue that key account buying team decisions are not simply straight-forward, objective, and rational judgements, but instead also incorporate a wide range of strong emotions elicited during the sales process that impact the decisions of the buying team and that therefore impact the decision of which company should be awarded these multi-million dollar contracts. We argue that members of these key account buying teams experience a broad range of emotions that have a definite role in key account proposal selection, that to-date have not been adequately acknowledged in the . These questions are investigated and a conceptual framework and research propositions are offered

Revitalizing Your National Account Program: The NAM Audit

The decision to establish or retain a national account marketing program is one faced by many firms whose product or service is sold through a business-to-business salesforce. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to determine whether the benefits obtained from establishing and/or maintaining a national account program outweigh the costs. This audit provides a structured approach to help firms decide if a NAM program is right for their particular company. Although, because of differences between firms, it is difficult to establish absolute decision rules, the audit can help a company decide whether to establish/maintain a national account marketing program

Mentoring Characteristics and Functions: Mentoring Influence on Salespeople

Purpose: This paper aims to examine a longitudinal study of mentoring functions and their effect on salesperson attitudes and intentions. Design/methodology/approach: The research is based on a multi-year study of salespeople beginning when the salesperson entered the industry being examined. Findings: The level of interaction between the mentor and protégé was found to be the only antecedent examined that related to the perceived quality of mentoring functions. Age, education and length of employment for both parties; the degree of age and education difference; and the length of the mentoring relationship were not significant. Successful mentoring appeared to be based heavily on a mentor’s willingness and ability to interact frequently with the protégé. Originality/value: This study adds to the literature on mentoring, looking at mentoring in a sales context. Research examining mentoring in a sales setting is much more limited than in many other professions, so the findings represent a valuable addition to the sales mentoring literature. Its influence on sales socialization may be very important

Investigating sales approaches and gender in customer relationships

Purpose: The purpose of this research is an examination of three different types of sales approaches (product-, solution- and provocation-based) on relational outcomes. The type of sales approach influences buyer's assessments about the trustworthiness of the salesperson and the conflict with the salesperson. These outcomes of the sales approach affect the customer's economic and non-economic satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach: Using cross-sectional survey data from a sample of 840 organizational buyers, a structural equation model measures the path coefficients of the proposed model and tests the differences in the magnitude based on gender. Findings: The results indicate that sales approaches will differentially influence assessments of trustworthiness and conflict. The magnitude of the influence of the sales approach on outcomes is different between genders. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first empirical study to examine the impact of sales approaches on both genders of organizational buyers

An Investigation into the Antecedents of Organizational Citizenship Behaviors in a Personal Selling Context

The authors report the results of two studies that attempt to model antecedents of organizational citizenship behaviors in a personal selling context. They draw the antecedents from extant research and propose that the willingness to perform organizational citizenship behaviors is related to the job-related perceptions of the degree of organizational fit between the salesperson and his or her firm, level of leadership support, perceived fairness in reward allocation (i.e., distributive justice), and job satisfaction. They hypothesize and test direct and indirect relations with these constructs and organizational citizenship behaviors. Most of these relations were significant across the two studies

An examination of trust dimensions across high and low dependence situations

Purpose: Relationship marketing literature has provided support of a multidimensional trust construct; however, there is little consensus on its structure. This article builds on existing theory to propose and empirically test a three-dimensional trust construct including ability, integrity, and benevolence dimensions. Furthermore, the article examines this conceptualization of the construct across different relationship types as established by dependence form. Methodology: We choose to use a scenario/survey data collection method to replicate specific relationship types for a national purchasing agent sample. This method allows us to obtain adequate sample sizes to compare the relative importance of trust dimensions using structural equation modeling. Findings: We found empirical evidence to support a three-dimensional trust construct for use in further examination of buyer–seller relationships. In addition, we found differential importance of those dimensions across different relationship forms. Research Implications: By providing empirical support for a multidimensional trust construct and further specifying the importance of each dimension in various relationship forms, we hope to provide a strong foundation on which to build further trust research. Practical Implications: In examining trust among purchasing agents, we hope to provide a strong foundation for salespeople to understand how their actions impact their long-term relationships. Understanding that trust in a relationship involves more than simple integrity or completing promises should help boundary spanners develop stronger ties. Contribution: The main contribution of the article is the concept that trust needs to be researched in ways other than simply asking “Do you trust your supplier?

The Effects of Perceived Co-Worker Involvement and Supervisor Support on Service Provider Role Stress, Performance and Job Satisfaction

Clearly, retail employees affect retail performance. Yet, organizational theory shows disproportionately little interest in retail employees. This research addresses key aspects of a retail employee's work environment, or ‘climate,’ and how these perceptions influence work-related outcomes. Specifically, a causal modelling approach tests relationships among front-line service providers. Results suggest that employee perceptions of co-worker involvement and supervisory support can reduce stress and increase job satisfaction. Other results indicate a positive relationship between role conflict and job performance, a positive relationship between job performance and job satisfaction, and that job performance mediates effects of role stress on satisfaction

The role of self-regulatory mode on acquisition-retention ambidexterity

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a theoretical model that posits locomotion-assessment ambidextrous orientation as predictor of salesperson acquisition–retention ambidexterity, which as a consequence increases sales. The authors drawing on regulatory focus theory and self-regulatory for this propose. Design/methodology/approach: Salespeople involved in the study represent different firms selling a wide variety of food and household products to a wholesaler, which resells them to supermarket chains. The authors collected data from 231 industrial salespeople. Findings: First, salesperson assessment focus amplified locomotion’s effect on acquisition–retention ambidexterity. Second, salespeople increased their performance by implementing an acquisition–retention ambidextrous orientation that balances prospecting for new customers and growing existing customers. Third, findings revealed a mediating effect of ambidextrous orientation on the relationship between regulatory mode and sales performance. Finally, outcomes supported the conditional moderated-mediated effect of regulatory mode in explaining performance through ambidextrous orientation. Practical implications: Results suggest that salespeople need to equalize their dual orientations in a complementary way to elaborate their selling strategies according to each customer. For example, in an unbalanced orientation, putting high levels of assessment into a sales encounter can reduce the effective and efficient use of time in interacting with customers. Originality/value: The authors further illustrate the importance of using both locomotion and assessment in attaining sales goals (Pierro et al. 2013). This synergistic effect is known as the complementary hypothesis (Pierro et al., 2006a, 2006b). Each dimension complements the other and has a moderated-mediated effect on performance through acquisition–retention ambidexterity