Impact of salesperson macro-adaptive selling strategy on job performance and satisfaction

Abstract

Drawing on the tenants of the adaptive strategy paradigm and configuration theory in the management and marketing literature, a model introducing the concept of salesperson macro-adaptive selling strategy that considers the overall selling environment, as contrasted with micro-adaptive selling tactics tailored to a specific customer, is introduced and investigated empirically within the context of the financial services industry. Using a widely accepted management theory typology—prospector, defender, analyzer—the model places macro-adaptive selling strategy into the sales performance literature as an expanded more holistic understanding of strategies influencing salesperson performance. Findings indicate significant direct and indirect effects on sales performance and job-related incomes, including job involvement, effort, and job satisfaction, for salespeople using different macro-adaptive selling strategies.