The State of Research Methods in Personal Selling and Sales Management Literature

Abstract

This study examines the state of research methods in the personal selling and sales management (SALES) literature and assesses the trends and changes in these methods that have taken place in recent decades. The authors examine the research methods described by 1,346 sales articles published in 15 prominent journals over a 29-year period (1980–2008). They compare articles published in Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management with the aggregate of sales articles published in other journals as well as with articles published in Industrial Marketing Management to reveal any common trends or differences. The results indicate some important shifts in the use of research methods in SALES literature as well as significant differences in the research methods published across different research outlets. This paper outlines the implications of the findings and offers suggestions for how the discipline might improve its use of various research tools.