Personal Selling & Sales Management Abstracts

Kenneth R. Evans, Editor

Arizona State University

Editorial Staff
Thomas L. Baker Joyce Grahn Bruce Pilling
University of Akron University Minnesota-Deluth Georgia State University

Joseph A. Bellizzi Steven W. Hartley John R. Ronchetto

Arizona State University-West University of Denver California State University,
FuUerton
Robert L. Berl Robert E. Hite
Memphis State University Kansas State University William A. Staples
University of Houston at
John M. Browning Raymond W. LaForge Clear Lake City
University of North Florida James Madison University
R. Kenneth Teas
William Cron Rosemary Lagrace Iowa State University
Southern Methodist University University of South Florida
William A. Weeks
Charles M. Futrell Gary K. Rhoads Baylor University
Texas A&M University Idaho State University

Robin Peterson
New Mexico State University

Abstracts Section Topic Areas

The purpose of this section is to help our readers keep abreast of the current personal selling and sales management
literature. We review our seventy different academic and trade publications containing contemporary sales-related
articles.
Abstracts are classified according to their appropriate topic areas. The surname (in brackets) at the conclusion of each
abstract identifies the staff member who prepared the summary. The topic areas used to categorize abstracts are:

Budgeting and Expenses Recruiting and Selection

Buyer Behavior Sales and Cost Analysis
Compensation Selling Process
Forecasting Social Responsibility and Ethics
General Sales Management Supervision
Motivation (Non-financial) and Time and Territory Management
Job Satisfaction Training
Quotas

Articles summarized in the Abstracts Section are not available from any member of the Editorial Staff or from JPSSM. Any
other correspondence regarding the Abstracts Section should be sent to the Abstracts Section Editor.
 88
Buyer Behavior
Cohen, Edith (1990), "A View from the Other Side," Sales
and Marketing Management, 142 (June), 108-110.
[Rhoads]
How do purchasing agents today view the role of the
salesperson? The author asks six purchasing agents how
they view the seller/purchaser relationship. In short,
purchasing agents want salespeople who have a thorough
knowledge of what their customers are purchasing, can
offer insights into helping them make things more effi-
ciently, can act as a bridge between all the various de-
partments at both companies and are concerned with
service and follow-up. The views of the purchasing agents
provide interesting insights into what purchasing agents
think about when a salesperson asks for a few minutes of
their time.
Forrester, William B., Jr. and William B. Locander (1990),
"Effects of Mood and Arousal on Industrial Buyer
Evaluation of Salesperson, Sales Presentations, and
Vendors," in Developments in Marketing Science, Vol.
13, B. J. Dunlap, ed., Cullowhee, NC: Academy of
Marketing Science, 98-102. [Baker]
This paper reports a field experiment designed to deter-
mine the effect of (1) mood states (defined as "low inten-
sity generalized affect states that are temporary and can
be distinguished from other types of feeling states such
as emotions") and (2) arousal level on industrial buyers'
evaluations of salespersons, sales presentations, and
vendors. The results indicate that the industrial buyers'
evaluations are influenced by the buyers moods and that
the effects of moods are dependent upon arousal. Aroused
buyers in positive mood states evaluated salespeople more
favorably than did highly aroused buyers in less positive
mood states.
Goodwin, Cathy and Ivan Ross (1990), "Consumer Evalu-
ations of Responses to Complaints: What's Fair and
Why," The Journal of Consumer Marketing, 7:2
(Spring) 39-47. [Hite]
Sales managers should develop policies for handling cus-
tomer grievances and effectively train their sales staffs
to utilize such approaches. Established complaint-han-
dling procedures not only prepare the salesperson but
also lead to customer perceptions of situational fairness.
The authors set forth several complaint-handling strate-
gies based on the psychological theories of equity, dis-
tributive fairness, procedural fairness, and interactional
fairness.
The study reveals that customers receiving tangible com-
pensation are more likely to feel justly rewarded and
thus return to the business in question. Intangible ben-
efits not accompanied by tangible benefits are often seen
Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management
as obligatory, or a "fluke." Finally, when outcomes of
grievances are positive, customers are more likely to feel
they played a major role in such an event.
Morgan, James P. and Susan Zimmerman (1990), "Sta-
tus Report: Building World-Class Supplier Relation-
ships," Purchasing, Vol. 102, No. 2 (Aug. 16, 1990),
69-70. [Ronchetto]
This article suggests that a growing number of world-
class supplier firms are actively seeking quality-oriented,
innovative customers that are committed to becoming
leaders in their fields. The Director of Sales and Mar-
keting for Morton & Company provides six characteristics
that are repeatedly found within world-class customers.
They are: total commitment, open and consistent com-
munication with suppliers, comprehensive qualification
program in place for evaluating and selecting suppliers,
long-term commitment to suppliers, an understanding of
total cost concepts, and a "can-do" attitude.
Compensation
Berger, Paul D. and Mark M. Davis (1990), "Directing
Salesforce Efforts in a Multi-Product Environment,"
in Proceedings 1990 Annual Meeting Decision Sci-
ences Institute November 19-21, K. Roscoe Davis,
Program Chair, Volume 2, 1917-1919. [Pilling]
This paper describes an approach for modifying an exist-
ing compensation structure to accommodate a new prod-
uct introduction. Specifically, the problem is one of de-
signing an optimal commission structure for a range of
products with different profit margins. A partial appli-
cation is provided.
Cespedes, Frank V. (1990), "A Preface to Payment: De-
signing a Sales Compensation Plan," Sloan Man-
agement Review, 32 (Fall), 59-69. [Rhoads]
Designing a sales compensation plan that can motivate
effective salesperson performance consistent with mar-
keting strategies is an age-old important issue. The au-
thor discusses a step by step process for developing and
implementing a sales compensation plan which recognizes
the link between sales compensation, evaluation and mo-
tivation. Several issues are discussed: (1) the analysis of
the sales tasks and the role of sales management in in-
fluencing types of selling behavior; (2) how the salary-
incentive mix should be structured; (3) how the incentive
component should be designed; and (4) the importance of
setting goals and rewarding results. The article con-
cludes by developing a framework which links sales force
compensation to sales force control systems, sales force
environment, sales personnel behavior and tasks, mar-
keting strategy and market/account characteristics.
Winter 1991
Keenan, William, Jr. (1990), "Executive Pay: The Good
News (and the Bad)," Sales and Marketing Manage-
m.ent, 142 (November), 38-48. [Rhoads]
The bad news: pay increases for sales and marketing
executives climbed 9.2% in 1990, which is considerably
short of the 10.9% gain posted last year. The good news is
that compensation gains for sales and marketing posi-
tions are still much higher overall than other executives.
This article discusses the results of a national survey
regarding sales executives' pay.
Washburn, Steward A. (1990), "Follow the Money,"
Business Marketing, September, 68-70. [LaForge]
The development of continuing incentive programs to
produce consistent performance from sales representa-
tives is discussed. The key decision areas in developing
continuing incentive programs include the size of the
incentive, the criteria for receiving the incentive, payoff
periods, how to make changes in the program as conditions
change, and the administration of the program. Two
prototype incentive programs are presented and exam-
ined.
General Sales Management
Bertrand, Kate (1990), "Sales Managers, Reps Disagree
on What Drives Sales," Business Marketing, Sep-
tember, 88. [LaForge]
The results of a study of 979 sales representatives and
242 sales managers by Learning International are pre-
sented. The study examined various methods for in-
creasing sales. The sales representatives reported that
market strategies and sales support were the best ways
to increase sales. Sales managers, in contrast, reported
that sales gains were best achieved by increasing the
selling skills of salespeople. The implications of these
differences in perceptions are discussed.
Cauthem, Cynthia R. (1990), "Moving Technical Support
into the Sales Loop," Sales and Marketing Manage-
ment, 142 (August), 58-61. [Rhoads]
In todays market-place, the company's technical resources
and staff are becoming an integral part of the selling
effort. When appropriately used, technical support per-
sonnel can assist in building long-term buyer/seller rela-
tionships and aid in generating repeat sales. The article
highlights the role of technical support staff and how to
use them as an integral part of the sales team through-
out the selling process.
89
Evans, Kenneth R. and John Grant (1990), "Managing
Sales Performance of Service Personnel," in En-
hancing Knowledge Development in Marketing, Wil-
liam Bearden et al. eds., Chicago: American Mar-
keting Association, 207. [Pilling]
This paper explores the relationships between service
management and customer satisfaction by examining the
influence of managerial performance measures on ser-
vice quality and subsequently on customer satisfaction.
A key issue is the extent to which a sales incentive strategy
for the service provider has an impact on the customer's
perceived satisfaction with the service provider. Findings
suggest that the relative level of sales performance of
contact personnel is not negatively correlated with cus-
tomer perceptions of service quality and satisfaction.
Fried, Lisa J. (1990), "When AIDS Strikes the Office,"
Management Review, 79 (February) 12-18. [Grahn]
Experts representing the legal profession, AT&T, and
IBM discuss legal ramifications and how they responded
to AIDS-related situations similar to those presented in
the article. Information indicates AIDS will be an in-
creasing challenge in the workplace.
Keitt, John K. Jr. (1990), "Pitfalls and Promises of For-
eign Distributors," Management Review, 79 (May), 16-
19. [Grahn]
Foreign distributorships and agents are two alternatives
that may provide companies with early market penetra-
tion at a lower cost. However, there are risks to be
considered. A check list to aid in appropriate distribu-
torship arrangement is included. Nine common misun-
derstandings and precautions and suggestions are also
discussed.
Kennedy, Ellen J. and Leigh Lawton (1990), "Men and
Women in the Industrial Sales Force: A Longitudi-
nal Study," in Enhancing Knowledge Development in
Marketing, William Bearden et al. eds., Chicago:
American Marketing Association, 200. [Pilling]
This study examines men's and women's socialization to
industrial sales forces and assesses gender-based differ-
ences to this process. The sample was studied shortly
after beginning in their sales jobs and then were followed
up one year later to look at changes in motivation and
satisfaction with the profession. The first phase of the
study was comprised of 112 salespersons, with 71 com-
pleting phase 2. The Fledman model of organizational
socialization was used to assess the process new hires go
through as they learn the ropes in their new jobs. The
model was found to be overly restrictive. Anticipatory
socialization and accommodation each affected success-
ful adaptation to the job. Women tended to score lower
90
than men on anticipatory socialization and on job satis-
faction and ability to influence outcomes on the job.
Langford, Barry E. and Danny R. Arnold (1990), "What
High Performance Salespeople Want In a Job," in
Progress in Marketing Thought, Louis M Capella,
Henry W. Nash, Jack M. Starling, and Ronald D.
Taylor, eds. Mississippi State, MS: Southern Mar-
keting Association, 405-408. [Baker]
The premise of this paper is that since successful sales-
people best understand the determinants of their success,
a better understanding of the factors which would induce
them to move to another company should give some indi-
cation of the determinants of their past success. Accord-
ingly, these factors can then be used to recruit sales-
people. The authors develop a model of salesperson per-
formance and present propositions which relate perfor-
mance to (1) job satisfaction, (2) role ambiguity, (3) role
conflict, (4) personal variables, (5) leadership behaviors,
and (6) job dimensions.
Ormsby, Joseph G., Geralyn McClure Franklin, Robert
K. Robinson, and Alicia B. Gresham (1990), "AIDS in
the Workplace: Implications for Human Resource
Managers," SAM Advanced Management Journal,
55:2 (Spring) 23-27. [Hite]
As the number of cases of Acquired Immune Deficiency
S3mdrome (AIDS) continues to rise, the legal implications
for managers become increasingly complex. As the U.S.
currently has no specific legislation regarding the em-
ployment rights of those with AIDS, the authors suggest
that management implement a corporate AIDS policy.
One such policy is submitted as an example. In addition
to a formal policy, a company should have a corporate-
wide educational program designed to dispel myths about
the disease.
Motivation (Non-Financial) and Job
Satisfaction
Bodovick, Gordon J. (1990), "Emotional Reactions and
Salesperson Motivation: An Attributional Approach
Following Inadequate Sales Performance," Journal of
the Academy of Marketing Science, 18 (Spring), 123-
130. [Peterson]
This article presents the results of an inquiry which ex-
amined the effect of emotional reactions on the motivation
of sales representatives. Employing Weiner's attribution
theory of motivation and emotion, an inquiry was un-
dertaken to ascertain how emotional reactions impact
upon the motivation of sales representatives after failure
to reach a sales quota. The research indicates that a
Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management
variety of emotional reactions exert different effects on
both motivation and expectations of future success.
Johnson, Mark W., A. Parasaraman, Charles M. Futrell,
and William C. Black (1990), "A Longitudinal As-
sessment of the Impact of Selected Organizational
Influences on Sales people's Organizational Com-
mitment During Early Employment," Journal of
Marketing Research, 27 (August), 333-344. [Lagace]
Using a sample of consumer goods salespeople, the au-
thors examined the antecedents of commitment and the
relationship between commitment propensity to leave
and actual turnover. The early employment stage sales-
people were studied at time 1, seven months later at time
2, and actual turnover was assessed one year after time
2. Organizational influences (leadership behaviors, role
conflict and ambiguity, and job satisfaction) were studied
as opposed to personal or nonorganizational influences
on commitment. Residual change scores were used in the
structural equation model. Role ambiguity and job satis-
faction had direct effects on commitment, whereas lead-
ership behaviors did not. Changes in organizational
commitment accounted for 53% of the variation in pro-
pensity to leave. The results show role ambiguity —> job
satisfaction —> organizational commitment —> propen-
sity to leave —> turnover. The authors offer implications
for managers and discuss several research issues.
Lee, Keun S. and Brian J. McNeely (1990), "Salesperson
Job Involvement: It's Relationship to Role Clarity,
Effort, and Propensity-To-Leave," in Enhancing
Knowledge Development in Marketing, William
Bearden et al. eds., Chicago: American Marketing
Association, 190-195. [Pilling]
This article examines the relationship of salesperson job
involvement with role clarity, effort and turnover inten-
tion. Data were collected from 239 sales personnel. It is
reported that role clarity had a positive impact on both
job involvement and salesperson effort. Positive results
are also reported for the impact of job involvement on
salesperson effort and the negative effect of job involve-
ment on propensity-to-leave.
Washburn, Steward A. (1990), "Fire Up Your Sales
Force...," Business Marketing, J\i\y,b2-5A. [LaForge]
The use of various motivators, in addition to the basic
compensation program, are discussed. Specific non-
compensation motivators addressed include pride, self-
confidence, two-way communication, procedures, job en-
richment, contest and one-time awards, and field super-
vision. The use of a needs versus motivators table is
presented as a way to determine the appropriate ways to
motivate salespeople.
Winter 1991
Williams, Michael R. and Josh Wiener (1990), "Does the
Selling Orientation - Customer Orientation (SOCO)
Scale Measure Behavior or Disposition?" in Enhanc-
ing Knowledge Development in Marketing, William
Bearden et al. eds., Chicago: American Marketing
Association, 239-242. [Pilling]
This article reports the results of an experiment which
examined whether the SOCO scale measures a behavior
or a disposition. Role-playing scenarios were used to test
the impact of (1) managerial directed short-term selling
emphasis and (2) method of pay on the level of customer
orientation. Results suggest that the SOCO scale mea-
sures behavior, based on the finding that a change in the
task environment (by manipulating short-term selling
emphasis and method of pay) produced a significant
change in the level of customer orientation. It is rea-
soned that dispositions are enduring in nature and thus
should not be altered by a simple change in the task
environment.
Wotruba, Thomas R. (1990), "The Relationship of Job
Image, Performance, and Job Satisfaction to Inac-
tivity - Proneness of Direct Salespeople," Journal of
the Academy of Marketing Science, 18 (Spring), 113-
121. [Peterson]
The focus of this article is the extent to which the selling
job's public image, as perceived by direct sales represen-
tatives, influences their tendency to remain active or
become inactive in the sales position.
In addition, relationships between job image, job satis-
faction, and job performance were studied. Sales repre-
sentatives with negative perceptions of the public image
of their jobs manifested lower job satisfaction and more
inactivity, although the strength of these relationships
diverged between high and low performers.
Recruiting and Selection
Bertrand, Kate (1990), "Hiring Tests: Sales Managers'
Dream or Nightmare?," Business Marketing, July, 34-
42. [LaForge]
The advantages and disadvantages of using personality
and other psychological tests in the selection of salespeople
are examined. Of particular concern is the validity of a
specific test. Guidelines for assessing test validity and
using tests to select salespeople are presented, along with
specific company examples of test usage.
Bragg, Arthur (1990), "Checking References," Sales and
Marketing Management, 142 (November), 68-73.
[Rhoads]
91
The author discusses the reasons for checking references
to determine the hidden potential of a new recruit. The
article provides insights into what to check about your
applicant, how to ask questions and who to ask (e.g., the
candidates past customers) about a candidate's potential
for selling. Interesting insights into issues are discussed.
Bragg, Arthur (1990), "Shell-Shocked on the Battlefield
of Selling," Sales and Marketing Management, 142
(July), 52-58. [Rhoads]
The article presents the feelings and experiences of
salespeople who have recently been through the recruit-
ment and training process. In short, the article points
out that most recruits enter the sales job without realis-
tic expectations. Common complaints of new recruits
include: the sales job is more difficult than they expected,
they were not prepared to handle rejection and they did
not clearly understand the hours and frustrations asso-
ciated with the job. Tips for softening the shocks of new
recruits are given.
Casey, Thomas F. (1990), "Making the Most of a Selec-
tion Interview," Personnel, 7 (September), 41-43.
[Bellizzi]
The author of this article believes that selection inter-
views need to assess intangibles that are important fac-
tors for job success. Tangible requirements such as years
of experience or type of college degree are easy to assess,
but the intangibles like cultural compatibility or analytical
skills are much harder to appraise. In this article, Mr.
Casey gives the reader several suggestions regarding his
techniques for assessing a variety of intangibles. His
suggestions include asking candidates about recent
challenges they have had in order to measure what the
interviewees consider a challenge or asking questions
concerning why the candidates feel that they have a
competitive edge over others who will be interviewed for
the job. This latter question is designed to uncover why
the candidates consider themselves unique.
Rollins, Thomas (1990), "How to Tell Competent Sales-
people from the Other Kind, Sales and Marketing
Management, 142 (September), 166+. [Rhoads]
This article outlines a technique called "competency based
selection" for zeroing in on the underlying factors that
make salespeople successful. The goals of competency
based selection are to discover the underlying key factors
or behaviors of outstanding salespeople and to utilize
this information to improve internal selection and train-
ing. Most importantly, through the competency based
selection, even an average salesperson can learn to im-
prove his or her performance thorough "social modeling"
(actual case histories and personal experiences from
outstanding sales representatives are developed so that
 92
the average performers can copy them). A computer
company following the competency based technique re-
ported that average sales/month for all salespeople
climbed 11% and turnover declined by 20%.
Trow, Timothy J. (1990), "The Secret to a Good Hire:
Profiling," Sales and Marketing Management, 142
(May), 44-55. [Rhoads]
Recruiting the successful sales candidate is one of the
most difficult challenges facing a sales manager. The
secret to hiring the "right" salesperson is to use an accu-
rate skill profile for direction and guidance. A skill pro-
file is a composite of traits and skills common to the top
achievers in your particular organization. To construct a
skill profile, it is necessary to follow a six-step process:
the sales manager should write down desirable skills,
summarize the skills into 10 or 12 major categories, rank
the skills in order of importance, determine which skills
can and cannot be taught, detail a written skill profile,
and construct interview questions that will directly un-
cover the desired skills. A sample of a skill profile and its
implementation is demonstrated in the article.
Twible, Jacquelyn L. and Rosemary R. Lagace (1990),
"Student Attitudes Toward a Career in Sales: The
Impact of Perceived Control," in Enhancing Knowl-
edge Development in Marketing, William Bearden et
al., eds., Chicago: American Marketing Association,
142-145. [Pilling]
This paper examines students' perceptions of control over
their career choices by testing the Theory of Reasoned
Action against the Theory of Planned Behavior. Gradu-
ating seniors were sampled concerning their intention to
pursue a sales career. There was no significant differ-
ence in the models, which suggests that perceived control
had no impact.
Sales and Cost Analysis
Morris, Michael H. and Sean R. Aten (1990), "Sales Force
Performance Appraisal: Contemporary Issues and
Practices," in Progress in Marketing Thought, Louis
M. Capella, Henry W. Nash, Jack M. Starling, and
Ronald D. Taylor, eds., Mississippi State, MS:
Southern Marketing Association, 413-418. [Baker]
A survey of a random cross-section of 200 industrial
product and service companies was undertaken in order
to investigate the design and implementation of salesforce
evaluation programs. Results are reported for three major
areas: (1) Dimensions ofthe Sales Force Evaluation, (2)
Management of the Evaluation Process, and (3) Satis-
faction with the Evaluation Process. The results indicate
that in general current evaluation practices rely on mul-
Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management
tiple indicators of performance and use both quantitative
(sales volume in dollars, net profit dollars, and sales
volume compared to the previous year) and qualitative
(salesperson attitude, product knowledge, initiative or
aggressiveness, and ethical behavior) measures of per-
formance. The results also indicate that most sales man-
agers are satisfied with the performance measures being
used.
Smith, Daniel C. and Ravi Sohi (1990), "In Search of
Synergy: The Sales and Cost Effects of Sharing a
Sales Force Among Multiple Product Lines," in En-
hancing Knowledge Development in Marketing, Wil-
liam Bearden et al. eds., Chicago: American Mar-
keting Association, 321. [Pilling]
This study explores the effects of sharing a specific mar-
keting resource (i.e., the sales force) on product-level costs
and sales and also examines the extent to which outcomes
of sharing a sales force are moderated by (1) the period of
time the company has offered the product in question
and (2) this product's stage in its product class life cycle.
Data were collected from 181 product managers. Hy-
potheses predicted that sharing a sales force would be
positively related to sales and negatively related to sell-
ing costs and that the effects of a shared sales force (on
sales and costs) would be greater for new products.
Selling Process
Crosby, Lawrence A., Kenneth R. Evans, and Deborah
Cowles (1990), "Relationship Quality in Services
Selling: An Interpersonal Influence Perspective,"
Journal of Marketing, 54 (July), 68-81. [Staples]
A relationship quality model is advanced and tested that
examines the nature, consequences, and antecedents of
relationship quality as perceived by the customer. The
findings suggest that future sales opportunities depend
mostly on relationship quality (i.e., trust and satisfaction),
whereas the ability to convert those opportunities into
sales hinges more on conventional source characteristics
of similarity and expertise. Relational selling behaviors
such as cooperative intentions, mutual disclosure, and
intensive follow-up contact generally produce a strong
buyer-seller bond.
Eisenhart, Tom (1990), "Going the Integrated Route,"
Business Marketing, December, 24-32. [LaForge]
The use of integrated direct marketing programs to boost
response rates and increase salesforce productivity is
discussed. These integrated direct marketing programs
typically include the carefully planned use of direct re-
sponse ads, direct mail, and telemarketing to increase
the quality and quantity of prospects that are presented
Winter 1991
to the field salesforce for follow-up. Specific company
examples of innovative direct marketing programs are
presented and discussed.
Lukaszewski, James E. and Paul Ridgeway (1990), "To
Put Your Best Foot Forward, Start by Taking These
21 Simple Steps," Sales and Marketing Management,
142 (June), 84-86. [Rhoads]
Twenty-one tips for making a good sales presentation are
given. Overall, the author emphasizes that a successful
sales call involves planning, preparation and careful tim-
ing.
Morris, Linda J. and Rajiv Vaidyanthan (1990), "En-
hancing Sales Force Productivity Through the Use of
Relational Database Management Systems," in En-
hancing Knowledge Development in Marketing, Wil-
liam Bearden et al. eds., Chicago: American Mar-
keting Association, 234-238. [Pilling]
This article describes and defines relational databases
and the capabilities of extracting important sales infor-
mation. As an example, "key identifiers" can be estab-
lished in the database to retrieve information used to
create a personalized greeting for the "approach stage" of
the sales process. The article discusses ways to structure
data within databases to facilitate information retrieval
in a format that will be supportive of the selling function.
Murray, Tom (1990), "Seminar Selling," Sales and Mar-
keting Management, 142 (September), 54+. [Rhoads]
A growing number of companies are beginning to invite
their customers to a series of face-to-face meetings with
company personnel. In seminar selling, the customers
come to you rather than the other way around. Seminar
selling is very beneficial in building a favorable company
image, highly effective in providing companies with a
detailed understanding of customer problems and a tre-
mendous source of qualified leads. To avoid the pitfalls
of seminar selling, experts offer a number of pertinent
tips: pick a convenient time and site, provide a
nonthreatening setting, target the audience, make the
topic timely and focused, make the presentation an in-
teractive affair, follow-up with salespeople and repeat
selling seminars on a regular basis.
Notarantonio, Elaine and Charles J. Quigley, Jr. (1990),
"The Relationship Between Communication Style and
Sales Performance," in Developments in Marketing
Science, Vol, 13, B.J. Dunlap, ed., Cullowhee, NC:
Academy of Marketing Science, 73-76. [Baker]
The paper is a review of communication factors which
impact selling performance. The authors conclude by
presenting a number of questions concerning the impact
93
of the communication style of the salesperson and various
aspects of the sales situation, particularly sales perfor-
mance.
Szymanski, David M. and Gilbert A. Churchill, Jr. (1990),
"Client Evaluation Cues: A Comparison of Successful
and Unsuccessful Salespeople," Journal of Market-
ing Research, 27 (May), 163-174. [Lagace]
Extending the cognitive sales research, the authors in-
vestigated the use of client evaluation cues in the pros-
pecting stage of the selling process. Aspects of the cues
studied included (1) which attributes represent impor-
tant cues, (2) how weights are spread across the cues,
and (3) what level of an attribute is required for evalua-
tion purposes. Fifty-four salespersons from a financial
services firm were included in the analysis. Sales repre-
sentatives had from 1 to 3 years of sales experience with
the company, sold in urban areas, and had no prior sales
experience. Prospects were categorized into good, mod-
erate, or poor prospect and ideal or general prospect. In a
regression analysis, the dependent variable used to
measure success was the average number of plans sold
per quarter. Six cues were used (2 in-depth and 4 surface).
Results indicate that there were differences in the prop-
erties of the cues (use of cues and relative emphasis) but
not in the quantity of cues (sales representatives used
the same knowledge, the same number of categories, and
the same number of cues). The authors suggest reasons
for the findings and offer implications for managers. Di-
rection is given for future research in the cognitive sales
area.
Wiesendanger, Betsy (1990), "Are Your Salespeople Trade
Show Duds?," Sales and Marketing Management, 142
(August), 40-46. [Rhoads]
While trade show selling can be very beneficial to finding
new prospects, top salespeople often exhibit poor perfor-
mances when asked to pull trade show duty. In this
article, trade show experts identify several common er-
rors that exhibit salespeople make. Body language, com-
munication skills, and other factors which contribute to
successful trade show selling are discussed.
Wortruba, Thomas R. and Edwin K. Simpson (1990), "The
Selling Cycle: A Unifjdng Guide for Sales Manage-
ment Decisions," in Developments in Marketing Sci-
ence, Vol. 13, B.J. Dunlap, ed., Cullowhee, NC:
Academy of Marketing Science, 81-83. [Baker]
The paper proposes that the "selling cycle" (the time span
from the initiation to completion of a sale) can be a useful
tool for helping to devise taxonomies and analyzing per-
formance, as well as being a unif3dng concept concerning
sales management policies regarding all major factors
decision affecting the sales force. The authors present a
 94
brief review of the sales cycle and then relate it to sales
management decisions such as recruiting and selection
training, compensation, and quotas and performance
evaluation. Finally, some broad generalizations are of-
fered concerning managing long-cycle versus short-cycle
salespeople.
Social Responsibility and Ethics
Sonnenberg, Frank K. (1990), "Marketing with a Con-
science," Management Review, 79 (September), 47-
50. [Grahn]
Frank Sonnenberg argues for a mindset that returns to
old-fashioned values and ethics that build long-run loyalty
between buyer and seller and employer and employee.
Clients should be viewed as long-term assets. Customer
service should be well managed at every level in the
organization. Vision, values, and beliefs need to be well
thought-out in advance for American business to remain
in the global marketplace.
Supervision
Bush, Robert P., Alan J. Bush, David J. Ortinau, and
Joseph F. Hair, Jr. (1990), "Developing a Behavior-
Based Scale to Assess Retail Salesperson Perfor-
mance," Journal of Retailing, 66 (Spring), 119-136.
[Baker]
According to the authors, one of the last ways a retailer
can truly differentiate itself is by providing customer
service via the retail salesforce. Unfortunately, little
work has been conducted which assists retail managers
in the assessment and improvement of retail salesperson
performance. The authors present a study designed to
develop a multiple-item scale to be used to assess retail
salesperson performance in the fashion/fashion accessory
area. By conducting over 80 hours of focus group inter-
views and testing the instrument vsdth the employee ap-
praisals of 750 retail salespeople, the authors develop a
reliable and valid scale containing five components and
22 items. The five components are: (1) Merchandise
Procedures, (2) Customer Service Ability, (3) Sales Abil-
ity, (4) Product-Merchandise Knowledge, and (5) Store
Policy. The scale is presented in the article.
Frierson, James G. (1990), "How to Fire Without Getting
Burned," Personnel, 67 (September), 44-48. [Bellizzi]
The author of this article claims that there are consider-
ably more wrongful discharge cases currently pending
than there were a decade ago. Mr. Frierson believes the
success in dealing with wrongful discharge and related
Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management
claims cannot be judged by how many cases are won, but
rather by how many are avoided. The article describes a
variety of techniques that can greatly reduce the chance
of ex-employees filing complaints in the first place. Mr.
Frierson's suggestions cover areas such as interviewing,
pay, promotion, job descriptions, evaluation, discipline,
supervision, and, of course, termination notification.
Helgeson, James G., John Mager, and Donald F. Harvey
(1990), "Multiple Respondent and Measurement Re-
lationship Approach to Measuring Industrial Sales-
person Performance," in Developments in Marketing
Science, Vol. 13, B.J. Dunlap, ed., Cullowhee, NC:
Academy of Marketing Science, 68-72. [Baker]
This paper is concerned with the assessment of salesper-
son performance. After reviewing the literature pertain-
ing to assessing, improving, and predicting salesperson
performance, the authors propose a model for salesperson
measurement. The authors conclude that (1) multiple
performance appraisal measures and multiple determi-
nants of performance should be included when assessing
performance, (2) multiple sources (i.e., sales managers,
self reports, peers, customers) of the performance ap-
praisals should be obtained, and (3) there should be con-
gruence between the appraisals obtained and more ob-
jective outcome measures.
Training
Tubridy, Gary S. (1990), "Stay on Top of the Bottom
Line," Sales and Marketing Management, 142 (May)
56-60. [Rhoads]
There may be better ways to improve sales profitability
than cutting sales expenses or the size of the sales force.
Before sales profitability can be increased, it is important
for companies to size up their profit improvement oppor-
tunities. Companies can increase sales profitability by
many ways which include: selling more of the higher
profit products, reducing the discounts, allowances and
other price concession made on each sale, focusing on
certain customers which produce more profit, and target-
ing territories that are most profitable. Which strategies
are more profitable depends on a company's particular
situation. Once the organization has identified the best
ways to increase sales profitability, the next step is to
encourage salespeople to focus on the bottom line.
Guidelines for doing this include: attaching significant
compensation packages and recognition to improving
profit, utilizing profit performance reviews, and training
salespeople in value-added selling. Companies cited in
this article have increased gross margins by as much as
25% in one year by focusing on t h e above
strategies.
Winter 1991
Bertrand, Kate (1990), "Lights, Camera, Training!,"
Business Marketing, December, 16-18. [LaForge]
The use of video technologies, such as interactive com-
puter-based video systems, to teach salespeople sales ne-
gotiation, presentation finesse, basic sales techniques,
and trade show selling skills is discussed. Determining
the appropriate use of specific video technologies requires
that sales managers evaluate the message they want to
convey, the sales training budget, and in-house video
production resources. For some types of sales training
(e.g., simple product training), videotape demonstrations
of the product might suffice. For sophisticated skill de-
velopment, more complex video technologies (e.g., lec-
tures, role pla3dng) might be required. Specific company
examples of the use of video technologies in their sales
training programs are also presented.
Peterson, Robin T. (1990), "Sales Managers' Evaluation
of the Effectiveness of Various Sales Training Meth-
ods," in Enhancing Knowledge Development in Mar-
keting, William Bearden et al., eds., Chicago:
American Marketing Association, 196-199. [Pilling]
95
This paper reports the results of a study in which sales
managers evaluated the effectiveness of the more widely
used training methods. Comparisons were made between
large and small firms and through various stages of the
sales representative career life cycle. The sample was
comprised of 296 sales managers. Five methods of training
were examined: on-the-job, role pla3ring, coaching by sales
managers, lecture, and home study. Differences between
large and small firm sales managers and also differences
across career life cycle stages are discussed.
Rottenberger, Kerry J. (1990), "Sales Training Enters
the Space Age," Sales and Marketing Management,
142 (October), 46-50. [Rhoads]
The advantages and disadvantages of satellite-based
training are discussed. The ability to interact and imme-
diately receive viewer feedback is one of the primary
benefits of satellite-based training.