Understanding why and when sales role focus affects salesperson turnover: Do career aspirations and age play a role?

Abstract

Sales force turnover has been identified as one of the top issues in sales organizations by sales researchers and practitioners. The present research examines the role of two under-investigated factors: sales role focus (i.e., hunting focus versus farming focus), and salespeople’s career aspirations in understanding turnover. Analysis of survey data from 263 salespeople showed support for sales role focus as a factor associated with salespeople’s turnover intention and career aspirations, and the influence of salespeople’s age on the supported relationship. The current research extends the sales literature by demonstrating how salespeople’s age moderates the relationship between sales role focus and turnover intention through career aspirations. The findings of the research will help sales managers hire and retain the right salespeople.