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Motivating industrial salesforce with sales control systems: An interactive perspective

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  • Miao, C. Fred
  • Evans, Kenneth R.

Abstract

This research examines the interactive effects on industrial salespeople's intrinsic and extrinsic (I/E) motivation of outcome control, activity control, and capability control above and beyond their main effects. I/E motivation are disaggregated into their cognitive and affective dimensions. Moderated regressions using a sample of industrial salespeople find that (1) outcome control and capability control have positive interactive effects on task enjoyment and recognition seeking, (2) outcome control and activity control have a positive interactive effect on compensation seeking but a negative interactive effect on task enjoyment, and (3) activity control and capability control have a negative interactive effect on recognition seeking. Moreover, we find that compensation seeking has a stronger positive effect on sales performance when salespeople deal with more new customers whereas the opposite is true for challenge seeking; compensation seeking appears to elevate job satisfaction only when there is a lower percentage of new customers but the positive effect of recognition seeking on job satisfaction is enhanced when salespeople handle a higher number of new accounts. These findings offer important theoretical and managerial implications by providing compelling evidence that sales control interactive effects should be considered when studying relationships among sales control systems, salesperson motivation, and job outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Miao, C. Fred & Evans, Kenneth R., 2014. "Motivating industrial salesforce with sales control systems: An interactive perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(6), pages 1233-1242.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:67:y:2014:i:6:p:1233-1242
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2013.04.007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Armstrong, J. Scott & Overton, Terry S., 1977. "Estimating Nonresponse Bias in Mail Surveys," MPRA Paper 81694, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Miao, C. Fred & Evans, Kenneth R. & Shaoming, Zou, 2007. "The role of salesperson motivation in sales control systems -- Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation revisited," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(5), pages 417-425, May.
    3. Kevin Bradford & Steven Brown & Shankar Ganesan & Gary Hunter & Vincent Onyemah & Robert Palmatier & Dominique Rouziès & Rosann Spiro & Harish Sujan & Barton Weitz, 2010. "The embedded sales force: Connecting buying and selling organizations," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 239-253, September.
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    5. Cravens, David W. & Lassk, Felicia G. & Low, George S. & Marshall, Greg W. & Moncrief, William C., 2004. "Formal and informal management control combinations in sales organizations: The impact on salesperson consequences," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 57(3), pages 241-248, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zheng, Yaqin & Liao, Hsin-Yi & Schrock, Wyatt A. & Zheng, Yi & Zang, Zhimei, 2023. "Synergies between salesperson orientations and sales force control: A person-organization fit perspective on adaptive selling behaviors and sales performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    2. Erin Adamson Gillespie & Stephanie M. Noble & Son K. Lam, 2016. "Extrinsic versus intrinsic approaches to managing a multi-brand salesforce: when and how do they work?," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 44(6), pages 707-725, November.
    3. Kalra, Ashish & Briggs, Elten & Schrock, Wyatt, 2023. "Exploring the synergistic role of ethical leadership and sales control systems on salesperson social media use and sales performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    4. Yang, Feifei & Shinkle, George A. & Goudsmit, Mirjam, 2022. "The efficacy of organizational control interactions: External environmental uncertainty as a critical contingency," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 855-868.
    5. Locander, David A. & Locander, Jennifer A. & Weinberg, Frankie J., 2020. "How salesperson traits and intuitive judgments influence adaptive selling: A sensemaking perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 452-462.
    6. Lukas Isenberg & Susanne Kreiter & Roland Helm & Christian Schmitz, 2022. "Marketing control in international headquarters-subsidiary working relationships of industrial goods firms: the role of environmental context," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 92(6), pages 1035-1064, August.
    7. Valerie Good & Douglas E. Hughes & Ahmet H. Kirca & Sean McGrath, 2022. "A self-determination theory-based meta-analysis on the differential effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on salesperson performance," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(3), pages 586-614, May.
    8. Miao Li & Luluo Peng & Guijun Zhuang, 2020. "Sales Control Systems and Salesperson Commitment: The Moderating Role of Behavior Uncertainty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-18, March.
    9. Park, Hyewon & Hur, Won-Moo & Kang, Seongho, 2023. "Contribution of sales control in salespeople’s creative selling: Work engagement as a mediator," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    10. Zoha Fatima & Adil Khan & Abdul Saboor Mohammad, 2024. "The Efficacy of Salesforce Control Systems: Their Impact on the Pharmaceutical Industry in India," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 49(2), pages 275-292, May.

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