(Re) defining salesperson motivation: current status, main challenges, and research directions

The construct of motivation is one of the central themes in selling and sales management research. Yet, to-date no review article exists that surveys the construct (both from an extrinsic and intrinsic motivation context), critically evaluates its current status, examines various key challenges apparent from the extant research, and suggests new research opportunities based on a thorough review of past work. The authors explore how motivation is defined, major theories underpinning motivation, how motivation has historically been measured, and key methodologies used over time. In addition, attention is given to principal drivers and outcomes of salesperson motivation. A summarizing appendix of key articles in salesperson motivation is provided

The Complete Guide to Accelerating Sales Force Performance

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The 2004 ISMS Practice Prize Winner—Sales Territory Design: Thirty Years of Modeling and Implementation

Sales territory alignment is the assignment of accounts and their associated selling activities to salespeople and teams. Models, systems, processes, and wisdom have evolved over 1,500 project implementations for 500 companies with 500,000 sales territories. Optimization models have evolved over time to explicitly consider travel time along road networks and customer disruption. Personal computers with continually increasing speeds and storage capabilities, the Internet, and mapping databases have enabled the development of systems that communicate alignments visually to sales managers. Because of their combinatorial complexity, multiple conflicting objectives, and personnel aspects that touch everyone in the salesforce, the alignment models were unable to completely solve the sales territory alignment issues faced by companies. Consequently, processes that add local managerial knowledge were used to communicate and enhance model-derived solutions, while achieving very high implementation rates. The territory alignment team gains knowledge with every sales territory alignment. Alignment insights get codified. Alignment experts improve every model-derived solution. This wisdom becomes part of subsequent alignments and triggers further innovation. Over time, the role of processes and wisdom becomes larger than the role of the models and systems.salesforce, sales management, sales territory alignment, segmentation, change management, model implementation, pharmaceuticals

Sales Territory Alignment: A Review and Model

The sales territory alignment problem may be viewed as the problem of grouping small geographic sales coverage units into larger geographic clusters called sales territories in a way that the sales territories are acceptable according to managerially relevant alignment criteria. This paper first reviews sales territory alignment models which have appeared in the marketing literature. A framework for sales territory alignment and several properties of a good sales territory alignment are developed in the course of the review. A general sales territory alignment model which accommodates these properties is developed. A solution procedure for the general model is presented. Finally, an actual implementation of the general model is described. The implementation provides a comparison of the general model with a similar model which has been frequently cited in the marketing literature.marketing models, sales force planning, mathematical programming application

The Complete Guide to Accelerating Sales Force Performance

Every firm\u27s sales force combines the distinctive personalities of its members with the complex issues of size, pay structure, incentives, performance evaluation, and effective uses of new technology. And while underrepresented in most marketing texts, the success of the sales force is a major component in the overall success of most companies. The Complete Guide to Accelerating Sales Force Performance develops an effective, innovative framework for evaluating and improving the performance of any sales force. This book identifies and describes the key factors for creating a fast-track, go-to-market strategy. It\u27s loaded with proven ideas for improving such ""success drivers"" as: culture * sales force structure * hiring * sales manager selection * training * compensation * technology * sales territory design * goal setting * performance management. Packed with valuable insights and real-life examples, this guide is an excellent source of practical ideas for sales and marketing managers in all industries

Optimal regional distribution of petroleum products

An economic model is presented which applies linear programming to determine the most efficient distribution of petroleum products among industries and regions. The model maximizes employment while (1) ensuring a balanced economy via input-output relationships, (2) maintaining at least the minimum production of basic goods and services necessary to prevent abnormally high inflation which could be caused by shortages, (3) ensuring that regional economies do not become severely depressed due to energy unavailability for their industrial base, (4) making sure that the industry capacity in each region is not exceeded, and (5) allowing policy makers control over the balance of payments. The model utilizes an input-output framework at both the national and regional level and makes adjustments for regional differences by incorporating regional multipliers.

Weighted Assignment Models and Their Application

This paper defines the components and characteristics of an important class of models called weighted assignment models and identifies these elements in a number of existing and potential applications. The weighted assignment model represents problems with the following characteristics: A set of tasks must be divided among a set of agents, and each task must be completed by only one agent. Tasks may be completed at one of several predetermined levels. When an agent completes a task at some level, a resource possessed by the agent is consumed and a system disutility is incurred. The weighted assignment model may be used to determine the best assignment of tasks to agents and the task completion levels so as to minimize total system disutility while satisfying the agent resource constraints. In the first part of the paper, a general formulation is presented, and its relationship to assignment models, transportation models, knapsack models and various fixed charge models is established. In the second part of the paper, a number of applications are described which demonstrate the usefulness of weighted assignment models. These applications include machine loading problems, personnel assignment problems and districting problems. Computational results for several of the applications are presented to document the tractability of the models.networks/graphs: applications, programming: integer, applications, programming: integer algorithms

An Allocation Model for Catalog Space Planning

Deciding which items to include in a sales catalog and how much space should be allocated to each item is a major planning problem facing many large retailers and catalog firms. The steps in the catalog planning process include compiling a list of candidate items, developing one or several ad size "strategies" for each item, estimating the sales and contribution which would be realized as a result of each strategy, and then selecting a set of strategies which effectively allocate the space available in the catalog to some subset of items. This paper describes the planning process in detail. An integer programming model is presented which incorporates merchandising policy constraints in optimally choosing the items and ad strategies to be included in the catalog. The organizational implications of using such a model are also explored. A simple example of the application of the model to planning the tennis equipment lines of a major mass merchandiser appears as an appendix.marketing, programming: integer, applications, industries: retail