Steering the Sales Force for New Product Selling

  • This study investigates how to direct and assemble the sales force for new product selling. In a first step, the authors draw on self‐determination theory to explore and empirically test a threefold conceptualization of motivation. Results provide insights into why sales force steering works differently in the new product selling context. Specifically, results show that for new products’ financial performance, internalized new product selling motivation is more important than intrinsic and controlled motivation. In a second step, the authors show how firms can motivate different sales reps to achieve higher financial performance of new products. In doing so, they examine the interaction effects of sales reps’ predispositions and widespread firm‐steering instruments on new products’ financial performance. Results reveal that the new product sales orientation of the bonus strengthens the positive relationship between sales reps’ performance predisposition and new product financial performance but weakens the relationship between salesThis study investigates how to direct and assemble the sales force for new product selling. In a first step, the authors draw on self‐determination theory to explore and empirically test a threefold conceptualization of motivation. Results provide insights into why sales force steering works differently in the new product selling context. Specifically, results show that for new products’ financial performance, internalized new product selling motivation is more important than intrinsic and controlled motivation. In a second step, the authors show how firms can motivate different sales reps to achieve higher financial performance of new products. In doing so, they examine the interaction effects of sales reps’ predispositions and widespread firm‐steering instruments on new products’ financial performance. Results reveal that the new product sales orientation of the bonus strengthens the positive relationship between sales reps’ performance predisposition and new product financial performance but weakens the relationship between sales reps’ learning predisposition and financial new product performance. Moreover, results reveal that the new product sales orientation of the periodic review strengthens the positive relationship between sales reps’ learning predisposition and financial new product performance. A post hoc analysis shows that a differentiated steering approach that matches appropriate steering instruments with sales reps’ varying predispositions substantially enhances reps’ financial new product performance.show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author:Christian HomburgORCiD, Sebastian Hohenberg, Alexander HahnORCiD
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/jpim.12476
ISSN:0737-6782
Parent Title (English):Journal of Product Innovation Management
Subtitle (English):Why Is it Different, and How Can Firms Motivate Different Sales Reps?
Publisher:Wiley
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of first Publication:2018/10/04
Reviewed:Begutachtet/Reviewed
Release Date:2025/01/23
Volume:36
Issue:3
Pagenumber:23
First Page:282
Last Page:304
institutes:Fakultät Betriebswirtschaft
Research Themes:Digitalisierung & Künstliche Intelligenz
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