The Effects of Environment Dynamism and Heterogeneity on Salespeople\u27s Role Perceptions, Performance and Job Satisfaction

This article develops a structural equations model which examines the effects of environmental dynamism and heterogeneity on salespeople’s role conflict, role ambiguity, performance and job satisfaction. The model is tested with EQS, using data collected from 230 salespeople in multiple companies and industries. Indicates that environmental dynamism reduces satisfaction and performance, and increases role conflict and ambiguity. Notes that environmental heterogeneity also reduces performance and increases role conflict, but does not have a significant effect on role ambiguity

The curvilinear and conditional effects of product line breadth on salesperson performance, role stress, and job satisfaction

The impact of how product line breadth affects a salesperson is unclear in the existing literature. While numerous product lines can provide certain benefits to the salesperson, they may also have a dark side. This research examines the impact of number product lines handled by the salespeople on their performance, role stress, and job satisfaction. Based on role and schema theories, we test a series of curvilinear and conditional effects, using data collected from salespeople across multiple industries. Our analysis indicates non-linear relationships between number of product lines handled by the salesperson and salesperson performance and role stress. Further, these relationships are contingent on the complexity of products, complementarity of product lines, and lines acquired through mergers and acquisitions. These results show the complex effects of product lines on the salesperson and recognize both the benefits and drawbacks of product line breadth

Interest Domination as a Framework for Exploring Channel Changes in Transitional Economies

Changes in political and economic power can affect channel structures and decisions. Western channel models may not be useful for understanding the process of change in Central and East European transforming economies. This discussion suggests that channels in transforming economies may be controlled by groups or networks of people with mutual interests, a phenomenon the authors call interest domination. The article examines interest domination by managers, Communist cadres, and other party elite in two transforming economies and describes how structural and behavioral components of command economies might be conducive to interest domination of marketing channels. Propositions for explaining the political, social, and economic factors that sustain interest domination and contribute to change in interest-dominated channels are offered. Examples from Hungary and Tajikistan are used to provide context for the discussion

Interest Domination as a Framework for Exploring Channel Changes in Transitional Economies

Changes in political and economic power can affect channel structures and decisions. Western channel models may not be useful for understanding the process of change in Central and East European transforming economies. This discussion suggests that channels in transforming economies may be controlled by groups or networks of people with mutual interests, a phenomenon the authors call interest domination. The article examines interest domination by managers, Communist cadres, and other party elite in two transforming economies and describes how structural and behavioral components of command economies might be conducive to interest domination of marketing channels. Propositions for explaining the political, social, and economic factors that sustain interest domination and contribute to change in interest-dominated channels are offered. Examples from Hungary and Tajikistan are used to provide context for the discussion

Sales profession and professionals in the age of digitization and artificial intelligence technologies: concepts, priorities, and questions

Recognizing the rapid advances in sales digitization and artificial intelligence technologies, we develop concepts, priorities, and questions to help guide future research and practice in the field of personal selling and sales management. Our analysis reveals that the influence of sales digitalization technologies, which include digitization and artificial intelligence, is likely to be more significant and more far reaching than previous sales technologies. To organize our analysis of this influence, we discuss the opportunities and threats that sales digitalization technologies pose for (a) the sales profession in terms of its contribution to creating value for customers, organizations, and society and (b) sales professionals, in terms of both employees in organizations and individuals as self, seeking growth, fulfillment, and status in the functions they serve and roles they live. We summarize our discussion by detailing specific research priorities and questions that warrant further study and development by researchers and practitioners alike

Positive Psychology in Sales: Integrating Psychological Capital

As positive psychology moves into the workplace, researchers have been able to demonstrate the desirable impact of positive organizational behavior. Specifically, psychological capital (PsyCap) improves employee attitudes, behaviors, and performance. Advancing PsyCap in sales research is important given the need for a comprehensive positive approach to drive sales performance, offset the high cost of salesperson turnover, improve cross-functional sales interfaces, and enrich customer relationships. The authors provide an integrative review of PsyCap, discuss its application in sales, and advance an agenda for future research. Research prescriptions are organized according to individual-level, intra-organizational, and extra-organizational outcomes pertinent to the sales field

Salesforce automation and the adoption of technological innovations by salespeople: Theory and implications

Focuses on factors that can influence the adoption and implementation of salesforce automation systems (SFA). Automatization of a salesforce; Information on the dual adoption concept; Discussion of the adoption of SFA systems by individual salespeople; Why the adoption of technological innovations is likely to be in industries operating in an oligopolistic environment; Concluding remarks on managerial implications. This paper is concerned with the adoption of salesforce automation (SFA) systems by organizations and their salesforces. SFA systems consist of centralized database systems that can be accessed through a modem by remote laptop computers using special SFA software (which is often company specific). The modem can be connected to either a conventional phone line or a cellular phone line. Thus, in an SFA system, a salesperson can access a centralized database system at any time through their laptop computer to get constantly refreshed information regarding various facets of the job, e.g. contact information, inventory and shipping statistics (to avoid backorders), customer service information, transportation logistics, and even immediate access to commission figures (Blodgett, 1995a). An SFA system also enables a salesperson to file regular reports electronically without having to travel to the central office in person. The result is greatly improved efficiency and productivity (Colombo, 1993; McLachlan, 1992; Swenson and Parrella, 1992; Taylor, 1993a, 1994)