Salesperson's Karma Orientation: A Conceptual Framework and Research Propositions

Abstract

Facing a role that is dominated by stressful customer engagements, and chasing sales quotas, salespeople are likely to be guided by their own personal values and organizational environment, and in the long term are likely to develop spiritual thoughts that allow them to view their work with a sense of duty that brings more joy, commitment, satisfaction to their job . Indian philosophy of life views all individual actions having latent power to bring joy if the action is good, or sorrow otherwise and popularly known as an individual’s karma. In this paper, we propose a new construct, salesperson’ Karma Orientation, conceptualized at the individual salesperson’s level. Karma orientation of salespeople influences their ability and willingness to perform sales related tasks. Such clarity on self-awareness is essential in relationship development with customers and enhances their selling effectiveness, ethical behaviors, and spiritual well-being, providing the salespersons with a sense of duty towards their work. Karma orientation motivates an individual to make efforts towards work with detachment to work, and no expectation of rewards in return. Personal Values, organizational values, ethical climate, supervisory behaviors are proposed as antecedents of karma orientation.