Salesperson behaviors and orientations: Firm and sales manager influences
Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess the significance of the influence that the firm and sales manager have on salesperson behaviors and orientations. The selected behaviors and orientations have been identified as important to salesperson performance and effectiveness. In turn, the effectiveness of a firm's salesforce is important to the profitability and survival of the firm.
The sampling frame for this research was a national, random sample purchased from Dun and Bradstreet consisting of industrial sales professionals. The survey research method used was paper-and-pencil questionnaires mailed to the respondents' places of work. The mailing produced 241 cases, resulting in a response rate of 10.39 percent. The primary method of statistical analysis for the data collected was ordinary least squares regression. The framework developed for the study resulted in two sets of regressions. One set of regressions analyzes the sales manager variables--customer orientation, long-term orientation, and adaptive selling behavior--as a function of the firm variables--market orientation and long-term orientation. In the other set of regressions, the sales manager variables become independent variables along with the firm variables in an estimation of the degree of the salesperson's customer orientation, long-term orientation, and adaptive selling behavior.
The statistical analysis revealed that (1) the salesperson's customer orientation is influenced by the sales manager's customer orientation and the firms's market orientation, (2) the salesperson's adaptive selling behavior is influenced by the sales manager's adaptive selling behavior, (3) the salesperson's long-term orientation is influenced by the sales manager's long-term orientation, (4) the sales manager's customer orientation is influenced by the firm's market orientation and long-term orientation, (5) the sales manager's adaptive selling behavior is influenced by the firm's market orientation and long-term orientation, and (6) the sales manager's long-term orientation is influenced by the firm's long-term orientation.
The managerial implications of these research findings were discussed, and suggestions for future research were provided. Finally, contributions of the study to marketing were listed.