In pursuit of short-term goals: anticipating the unintended consequences of using special incentives to motivate the sales force

Abstract

Motivating salespeople is one of the core responsibilities of sales managers and a considerable literature has grown around this issue, providing understanding of the processes involved in gaining a motivated sales force. Most of this literature presumes motivation–effort–performance linkages. Recognizing that effort is just one of the possible outcomes of motivation, this study focuses on other potential consequences of motivation, problematic behaviors, i.e., any behaviors discouraged by management due to their portent for harm to the firm. In particular, this study examines the extent that various problematic behaviors are likely to occur under conditions of high motivation to attain short-term targeted goals. Based on a nationwide sample from three multidivisional sales forces ( n=827), the results provide numerous insights including the suggestion that company codes of ethics and values stances may only be effective at reducing highly problematic behaviors while lesser problematic behaviors may be more or less intractable. Also, affective commitment and relationship to supervisor may have dampening effects on tendencies toward problematic behaviors while status aspiration and competitiveness, qualities frequently sought in salespeople, may increase these tendencies.