Why Are Some Salespeople Better at Adapting to Organizational Change?

Abstract

This study empirically examines the longitudinal influences of salesperson goal orientations on performance trajectories during a planned change intervention that requires learning to answer two questions. First, what is the functional form of salespeople's performance trajectories during a period of change implementation? Second, why are some salespeople better at adapting to change than others? Polynomial growth models show that the average salesperson performance trajectory displays an initial decline, gradual recovery, and eventual restabilization. Salesperson learning orientation is related positively to larger initial declines, steeper recovery slopes, and higher restabilization levels. In contrast, performance orientation is related positively to smaller initial declines, but shallower recovery slopes and lower restabilization levels. The results suggest that successful implementation of planned change interventions largely depends on identifying and appreciating the heterogeneity of individual traits that share meaning with the change. The study has implications on what sales managers should expect in terms of performance losses and gains during change and how managers can predict which salespeople will reap the largest performance benefits from a change intervention.