TY - JOUR
T1 - Unpacking the relationship between sales control and salesperson performance
T2 - A regulatory fit perspective
AU - Katsikeas, Constantine S.
AU - Auh, Seigyoung
AU - Spyropoulou, Stavroula
AU - Menguc, Bulent
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, American Marketing Association.
PY - 2018/5
Y1 - 2018/5
N2 - The literature examining the effect of sales control on salesperson performance is, at best, equivocal. To reconcile inconsistencies in empirical findings, this research introduces two new types of salesperson learning: exploratory and exploitative learning. Drawing on regulatory focus theory, the authors conceptualize exploratory learning as promotion focused and exploitative learning as prevention focused and find that salespeople exhibit both exploratory and exploitative learning, though one is used more than the other depending on the type of sales control employed. The results also suggest that the fit between salesperson learning type, customer characteristics (i.e., purchase-decision-making complexity), and salesperson characteristics (i.e., preference for sales predictability) is critical to salesperson performance and that salesperson learning mediates the relationship between sales control and salesperson performance (Study 1). Study 2 corroborates the findings using new panel data collected over two waves. The results of this research have important implications for integrating sales control, salesperson learning, and salesperson performance.
AB - The literature examining the effect of sales control on salesperson performance is, at best, equivocal. To reconcile inconsistencies in empirical findings, this research introduces two new types of salesperson learning: exploratory and exploitative learning. Drawing on regulatory focus theory, the authors conceptualize exploratory learning as promotion focused and exploitative learning as prevention focused and find that salespeople exhibit both exploratory and exploitative learning, though one is used more than the other depending on the type of sales control employed. The results also suggest that the fit between salesperson learning type, customer characteristics (i.e., purchase-decision-making complexity), and salesperson characteristics (i.e., preference for sales predictability) is critical to salesperson performance and that salesperson learning mediates the relationship between sales control and salesperson performance (Study 1). Study 2 corroborates the findings using new panel data collected over two waves. The results of this research have important implications for integrating sales control, salesperson learning, and salesperson performance.
KW - Exploitative learning
KW - Exploratory learning
KW - Regulatory focus theory
KW - Sales control
KW - Salesperson performance
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85045878838&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85045878838&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1509/jm.16.0346
DO - 10.1509/jm.16.0346
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85045878838
SN - 0022-2429
VL - 82
SP - 45
EP - 69
JO - Journal of Marketing
JF - Journal of Marketing
IS - 3
ER -