The Roles of Market-Based Learning and Customer Orientation in Shaping Effective Selling Behavior and Efforts

Abstract

Although previous studies have made significant progress in adaptive selling behavior (ASB), few studies have considered salesperson`s customer orientation (CO) and learning behavior as determinants of effective sales management (ASB and relationship-making efforts), despite the discussion of important roles of these constructs. The authors test not only the relationships of salesperson`s CO and market-based learning behavior to ASB and relationship-making efforts, but also the effects of ASB on relationship-making efforts and performance. The results of the study, which is done with samples of salespeople from Korean companies, indicate that salesperson`s CO and market-based learning behavior are identified as significant determinants of ASB. Moreover, both salesperson`s ASB and relationship-making efforts have significant effects on sales performance. On the other hand, as per salesperson`s relationship-making efforts, salesperson`s CO has a positive effect, but salesperson`s market-based learning behavior and ASB do not influence his or her relationship-making efforts, which suggest a provocative possibility of conceptualization regarding the relationship between ASB and relationship management efforts.