International sales interactions in a post-disruptive environment

Abstract

This study examines the impact of a major global disruption on the international sales force. A total of twenty-three qualitative interviews, with eighteen international sales executives, were collected at two points in time. These interviews occurred one year apart (January to March 2022 and January to March 2023), allowing for insights to be developed both during the disruption and after the disruption. The sales executives interviewed had visibility to over $130B in annual global revenue. Findings suggest that previously established success factors, including teams and processes, cultural understanding, and the development and management of local relationships, will remain important in the post-global disruptive sales environment. However, going forward, international sales will involve less travel, due to increased use of technology and local resources, suggesting the need to balance the use of these tools. As a result, this study offers both practical and academic implications, including a set of five propositions, to advance our understanding of international sales interactions after the occurrence of a global disruption.