Sales Professionals Research Articles

Exploring Gendered Ethical Decision-making Among Sales Professionals in India

Humans’ abject failure to uphold moral behaviour within workplace relationship calls for ongoing investigation of the complicated challenges brought on by the imbalance between productivity and commitment among employees. This current article is based on studying the gender differences in ethical decision-making among sales professionals in India and understanding under what circumstances the decision-making among the genders differ. The major findings show that no such decision-making difference between males and females exists. The research was conducted with a sample size of 10, but the data saturated at eight participants, wherein four were males and four were females. It is a qualitative study, and still, factors like incentives (money) and the experience level tend to deflect the ethical decisions of the individuals.

Salesperson intra-career mobility perceptions: Exploring the role of professional versus organizational identities

Salesperson career paths have evolved from traditional to boundaryless models, as salespeople are moving between sales organizations with greater frequency. In this new landscape, it is crucial to consider how salespeople’s perceptions of their employers and the sales profession impact their mobility. While previous research has focused on salesperson identification with their organization, identification with the profession remains largely unexplored. To address this gap, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 57 sales professionals to better understand their work identities. They offer a theoretical model illustrating how professional and organizational identities become more or less salient, influencing intra-career mobility (i.e., job movement within the sales profession). When salespeople experienced a mismatch between their work realities and desired identities, they redefined their sales roles around a core work value. This process shifted their focus towards their professional identity over their organizational identity, affecting their perceptions of mobility within the sales profession.

MASTERING THE COMPETITIVE ARENA: DEVELOPING COPING SKILLS FOR SALES REPRESENTATIVES

This paper explores the critical role of coping mechanisms in the daily work life of sales representatives, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence and problem-solving strategies. The study demonstrates that utilizing problem-focused coping strategies can significantly enhance both job satisfaction and overall life satisfaction. In contrast, emotion-focused coping is associated with decreased satisfaction and performance. Additionally, the paper highlights the importance of empathy in sales, which facilitates better understanding between salespeople and customers, fostering confidence and trust. Key coping skills identified include stress management, emotional resilience, motivation, time management, problem-solving, and effective communication and negotiation. These skills are essential for maintaining composure, navigating challenges, and achieving success in a competitive sales environment. The paper suggests that organizations can benefit from training programs that enhance these coping skills, creating a supportive work environment that promotes resilience and adaptability among sales teams. The findings underscore that continuous self-reflection and a growth mindset are crucial for the ongoing development and high performance of sales professionals. Ultimately, mastering these coping skills enables sales representatives to thrive, improving organizational processes, workplace efficiency, and customer satisfaction. This study provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and developing effective coping strategies in the sales profession.

A STUDY ON THE PERCEPTION OF STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS TOWARDS PERSONAL SELLING AS A CAREER

This study pursues as in depth and empirical exploration of student attitudes and perceptions of Future employment in sales at higher education institutes through regression analysis using multiple variables. Through the combination of attributes that defines successful sales professionals. Example: communication intellect, Emotional Intelligence, resilience and strategic perspective; the research intends to uncover multitude of factors of career that are behind the students, view of selling as an attractive career choice. We critically analyzed the empirical data of cross-sectional study of the students with varied backgrounds to explain the complex relationship between personal traits societal influences and career choices. This study serves several key actors including students, recruiters and industry stakeholders. The study’s results are envisaged to contribute to the Development of tailored programs and activities, which should lead to a more advanced imagination of the sales profession as a career choice and improved personnel recruitment and retention within sales industry.

Consumer Preference towards Organised Retail Stores

This research article explores the rise and impact of organized retail stores in the modern market. Organized retail, characterized by standardized operations, large-scale management, and diverse product offerings, has revolutionized the shopping experience for consumers.The article highlights the various formats of organized retail stores, including supermarkets, department stores, and specialty stores. These stores offer convenience, a wide range of products, and professional sales techniques, attracting customers through strategic marketing and promotions.However, organized retail also faces challenges like intense competition, evolving consumer behavior, and high operational costs. To thrive, these stores must adapt by providing personalized services, incorporating new technologies, and offering unique products.Furthermore, the article examines the impact of organized retail on the broader economy. It creates job opportunities, generates tax revenue, and fosters economic growth. However, concerns regarding the impact on traditional small businesses and local communities require consideration.In conclusion, organized retail stores offer a multitude of benefits for consumers, businesses, and the economy. By acknowledging the challenges and fostering a balanced approach, this sector can ensure its continued success while minimizing potential drawbacks.

Adaptive selling, anxiety and emotional exhaustion among salespeople

ABSTRACT The need to constantly adapt to the changes in the business environment and selling situations places enormous demands on salespeople. Applying the Job Demands-Resources theory, this study examines the negative impact of adaptive selling on salespeople. Using survey data from 384 sales professionals in different industries in an emerging market, we find that adaptive selling directly increases cognitive anxiety among salespeople. Furthermore, our research suggests that cognitive anxiety mediates the relationship between adaptive selling and emotional exhaustion. However, our study did not find support for the direct impact of adaptive selling on emotional exhaustion, suggesting that in some instances, the need to practice adaptive selling by itself might motivate salespeople to get more involved. Our study also demonstrates that salesperson perseverance reduces the negative impact of adaptive selling on cognitive anxiety, suggesting a moderating effect. The study concludes by providing theoretical and practical implications.

Navigating the Learning Landscape: Social Cognition and Task-Technology Fit as Predictors for MOOCs Continuance Intention by Sales Professionals

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have gained popularity among sales professionals who use them for self-directed learning and upskilling. However, research related to their intentions to continue learning is scarce. Drawing from the social cognition theory, this research aimed to address this gap by investigating the role of task-technology fit, self-development, and social recognition in sales professionals’ continued use of MOOCs. The study hinged on empirical research and used a survey to collect data from 366 sales professionals. The results suggest that task-technology fit, self-development, and social recognition play a significant role in sales professionals’ continued use of MOOCs. The study has practical implications for organizations promoting employee learning and development. The findings provide valuable information for MOOC designers and providers to develop more effective courses that meet the needs of sales professionals.

When not hitting your sales target is 'the end of the world': Examining the effects of rational emotive behaviour therapy on the irrational beliefs and emotional reactivity of UK-based sales professionals.

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, workplace wellbeing is a key priority for employers. Severe market and health conditions continue to bring inevitable problems that could be reduced with the application of psychological interventions to prevent mental and physical health issues, making this study a highly pertinent and valuable contribution to the field. This paper reports the effects of a rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT) programme on the irrational beliefs and emotional reactivity of 56 office-based sales professionals located in the northwest region of the UK. A pre-test, post-test experimental design was utilised, and a mixed model ANOVA (repeated measures) was adopted to assess changes in mean differences concerning irrational beliefs and emotional reactivity at pre and post-test stages for the intervention group, in comparison to a control group. Results indicate that those in the REBT group reported significant reductions in irrational beliefs and emotional reactivity, whilst those in the control group reported no such changes. It is recommended that future research studies consider utilizing a mixed methods design and focus on a strategic collaboration of organisational and individual level interventions for improving the psychological wellbeing and performance of sales personnel.

The early-tenure salesperson: sales effort and sales growth during the ramp-up period

The challenges encapsulated in the ‘War for Sales Talent’ are symbolic of the struggles inherent in the recruitment, nurturing, and retention of sales professionals. While extant research provides valuable insights into facets like hiring practices, selection criteria, coaching, and training strategies, a noticeable void persists in guiding salespeople as they navigate beyond the initial ramp-up period in a new role. By interconnecting survey responses from a cohort of 200 service salespeople with 18–24 months of tenure, this investigation brings to light the facets of effort—encompassing prospecting, conversion, retention, and growth—that exert an influence on the change in year-over-year revenue following a salesperson’s first complete sales cycle post-onboarding. The results underscore the significance of conversion and growth efforts, revealing their robust impact on the net change in sales revenue. In challenging existing paradigms, this study proposes a conceptual shift in understanding sales effort. Rather than adhering to the prevailing unidimensional viewpoint, the findings advocate for recognizing sales effort as a multi-dimensional construct with competing demands. This nuanced perspective contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing revenue growth for salespeople transitioning from the ramp-up period toward a sustainable, growth-oriented trajectory.

Emotions, norms, and consequences as the forces of good and evil: An investigation on sales professionals

AbstractTraditionally, the consequences of employees' behavior (teleology) and the norms attributed to the behavior (deontology) have been two familiar determinants of ethical decision making (EDM). More recently, emotions have also gained considerable attention for their ability to affect EDM. Marketing ethics literature overlooks how emotions are related with norms and consequences. Hence, this study investigates how normative, consequentialist, and emotional factors interactively influence EDM in a sales ethics context. Using scenarios with a 2 × 2 between‐groups factorial design, we collected data online from 303 sales professionals. Then we used independent samples t tests and hierarchical regression models to analyze the hypothesized relationships. Results indicate that violation of and obedience to deontological norms stimulate negative and positive anticipated emotions, respectively, leading to stronger EDM. However, to a lesser extent, when violation of and obedience to deontological norms do not stimulate anticipated emotions, those emotions lead to weaker EDM. Moreover, consequences do not stimulate any anticipated emotions. Instead, consequences moderate the relationship between anticipated emotions and EDM. In addition, deontological and teleological evaluations mediate the relationship between anticipated emotions and EDM. These findings highlight the importance of considering the interplay between normative, consequentialist, and emotional factors in the formation of ethical judgments and intentions. The article discusses the implications of these results for sales professionals and organizations and suggests future research directions.

Unveiling Medical Sales Professionals' Insights On Corporate Social Responsibility: An Exploratory Study

Unveiling Medical Sales Professionals' Insights On Corporate Social Responsibility: An Exploratory Study

Insider Perspective: Streamlining Life Science Corporate Training by Embracing AI

In this dynamic exploration of the transformative impact of generative AI in the field of adult learning and employee education, the author, a seasoned professional at MilliporeSigma, sheds light on the rapidly evolving landscape of biotechnology. Emphasizing the pivotal role of employees, the article outlines the challenges faced by commercial sales professionals in keeping abreast of the ever-expanding knowledge landscape. The introduction of generative AI, represents a step change in creating efficient training materials at enterprise scale by enabling a shift in the role of high-value SMEs from content creators to reviewers.

Inclusive Social Marketing: Representation and Diversity in Brand Campaigns

Over the past two decades, many marketing strategies have emerged around the world, as sales professionals have been searching for a universal language that millions of potential buyers can understand. Inclusive marketing has become a real breakthrough in this area, combining the social and consumer needs of the target audience in advertising campaigns. That is why today companies use inclusive marketing tools in order to attract the attention of various audiences and form a friendly target audience. The purpose of the study was to substantiate the peculiarities of inclusive marketing and to assess the possibilities of using the inclusion to create a positive image of a brand. In the course of the study, it was proved that, a necessary condition for modern companies’ development is the creation of a friendly and inclusive marketing campaign that would take into account the specifics of the entire target audience and allow them paying attention to each potential client. Inclusive marketing has been proven to present products, services, or applications in a context that evokes a deep emotional response from people and makes them feel noticed and understood. It can emphasise or address issues related to ethnic, gender, and socio-cultural differences. The goal of inclusive marketing is to understand and meet the needs of the target audience, attract potential buyers by increasing empathy, and solve life problems. At the same time, each member of the target audience should feel in the centre of attention and feel that their needs can be met, and their wishes can be taken into account, without focusing on their characteristics or disabilities.

Has everything changed or has nothing changed? Students’ perception on sales professionals after the storm

BACKGROUND: The sales stereotype has been studied since the beginning of the last century; in particular, the perceptions held by university students are relevant, because they may be reluctant to consider a career in sales due to common misconceptions about the profession. This is even more relevant as the role of the salesperson has evolved over the years, and companies are interested in hiring this profile from HEI. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the change in sales, and new skills, activities and paradigms are challenging the profession. OBJECTIVE: Aiming to address a potential gap in sales education, this paper examines the perceptions of salespeople among university students, and students’ orientation toward sales careers in a changing sales environment. METHOD: Focus group methodology using a special technique of animal metaphors was used to examine how the most noticeable characteristics of animals are mapped onto salespeople. RESULTS: The pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods seems to confirm the persistence of the overall students’ perceptions of the salesperson but at the same time new competences and skills emerge for a new generation of salespersons. CONCLUSIONS: These findings update and enrich the existing literature with a new work on sales stereotypes that sheds light on students’ perceptions of salespeople after the pandemic.

Drivers of business-to-business sales success and the role of digitalization after COVID-19 disruptions

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the drivers of business-to-business (B2B) sales success and the role of digitalization, in a selling and sales management landscape being disrupted by COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology follows a discovery-oriented grounded theory approach, which consists of a two-stage qualitative study with sales professionals in Chile, and a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).FindingsThis research shows that interfunctional coordination, agility in the selling process and business customer engagement are critical determinants of B2B sales success, whereas digitalization moderates these relationships.Originality/valueThis research responds to a call for more research on the impact of digitalization on business relationships in different contexts and perspectives. The authors study the Chilean context, through a two-stage qualitative study, and a fsQCA analysis, which constitutes a novel combination in this stream of research.

Understanding the enduring shifts in sales strategy and processes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to major sales strategy and process changes as many interactions migrated from face-to-face to virtual environments. The nature of the interactions changed, and sales firms, the sales function and salespeople created new processes to excel in virtual environments. As sales processes evolve further, this paper aims to focus on understanding the enduring shifts in sales strategy and processes. In addition, this study seeks to understand the characteristics of enduring shifts and how they are distinct from temporary shifts.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the sales organizations and salespeople over the period from the start of the pandemic to early 2022. The authors interviewed 66 sales professionals from different countries and industries to better understand the temporary and enduring shifts in sales strategy and processes, adopting ad inductive and narrative approach.FindingsThere are four major findings. First, four key themes emerged: increased digitalization, resistance to digitalization, sales process changes and sales organization transformation. Second, changes are classified as temporary, permanent and accelerated changes. Third, some proposed changes were not supported. Finally, five findings were found that were not discussed in previous literature.Originality/valueThis paper finds distinctive findings that offer additional valuable insights that connect to and extend existing literature. These include emerging themes, classification shifts, unsupported proposed changes and unique findings.

The benefits of training for the development of employees' communication in the commercial sector of organizations

Enhancing knowledge is one of the driving forces behind human beings' pursuit of their best version. In a broad sense, effective communication is a desired skill sought by many, as it opens up significant opportunities in personal and professional life. Investing in individual and organizational growth involves acquiring capabilities that make a difference and facilitate interpersonal interactions. Within this context, the present article addresses communication as a competitive advantage and analyzes issues related to business oratory as a strategy for individual and organizational development, aiming to improve company outcomes. It employs a descriptive design and qualitative methodology, utilizing both primary and secondary sources. The overarching objective is to analyze the main benefits of training in developing employees' communication skills within the commercial sector of organizations. The research concludes that communication is the primary tool in the commercial sector, as knowledge of sales techniques, determination, and drive would be of little use without the ability to communicate effectively. Therefore, training in business oratory is fundamental. It is worth noting that emotional communication is the most challenging yet crucial aspect for establishing a connection between salesperson and customer. Unfortunately, many sales professionals leave substantial potential revenue untapped by disregarding the significance of providing personalized, empathetic, and relatable communication.

Sustainability and professional sales: a review and future research agenda

Sustainability has become a consideration for every firm operating in today’s business landscape. Scholars are tasked with uncovering bridges and barriers to successfully implement sustainability strategies, and the academic community has largely responded. However, while sustainability research has proliferated across business disciplines, it is conspicuously missing from professional selling and sales management. This is partly due to conceptual ambiguity, but also because sustainability generally involves firm-level policies and programs, and therefore domains like consumer behavior, marketing strategy, and supply chain management have occupied the space. This is problematic because while executives develop sustainability strategies, the sales force is responsible for conveying those priorities to external stakeholders. Therefore, the goals of our manuscript are to: 1) organize and refine the definition of sustainability in a professional selling context, 2) review relevant literature that examines sustainability in that context, 3) explore emergent themes from this review that 4) reveal gaps in our understanding, and 5) present a research agenda for sales scholars to bridge these gaps and advance our understanding of the role of sustainability in sales and vice versa.

When sales leaders induce competition among sales employees: a source of motivation or exhaustion?

Many sales leaders support competition among their employees. However, inducing competition among peers may exhibit beneficial, motivating as well as harmful, exhausting effects, and which of the two countervailing effects prevails remains an open question. Drawing on the job-demand resources model and 20 interviews with sales professionals, this study proposes that competition-inducing leadership (CIL) exhibits ambivalent effects on sales employees’ positive stimulation and emotional exhaustion, which depend on the specific combination of employees’ extrinsic motivational orientation and role overload. A cross-national, multilevel dataset from 503 business-to-business sales employees reporting to 131 supervisors of a multinational industrial supplier firm supports these propositions. Thus, this study contributes to sales leadership and interpersonal competition research by empirically clarifying that CIL is a double-edged sword that cannot be one-sidedly categorized as beneficial or harmful.

Investing in resources: An interaction model of personal resources, commitment, and work achievement.

Management practice commonly assumes that the value of a work-goal dictates the nature of motivation processes. We investigate instead how individuals invest resources from the perspective of their own value system. Drawing from Conservation of Resources theory, we explore the valuation process by testing a reciprocal model between work-goal attainment, goal commitment, and personal resources, including self-efficacy, optimism, and subjective well-being. Data were collected in a two-wave longitudinal study among sales professionals (n=793) from France (F), Pakistan (P), and the United States (U). Multi-group cross-lagged path analysis confirmed the reciprocal model across all three countries. Time 1 resources and goal commitment predicted work goal attainment (F=0.24; P=0.37; U=0.39) and (F=0.31; P=0.40; U=0.36) respectively. T1 level of goal attainment also fuelled T2 resources and goal commitment (F=0.30; P=0.29; U=0.34) and (F=0.33; P=0.32; U=0.29). Our reciprocal findings suggest a revised approach on the nature of targets and goals. They indicate an alternative to linear path modeling, as the role of goal commitment is not necessarily that of an intermediary stage linking antecedent resources to attainment purposes. Furthermore, cultural values play a differentiating role in the goal-attainment process.