1.

The purpose of this study is designed to be a problem solving problem that occurs from the
challenges in recruiting and maintaining high-quality salespeople, which this research wants
to analyze how to map the student's decision-making process with their intention to pursue a
sales career by means investigating the interactive relationship of four interrelated things
(sales knowledge, sales ethics, sales force, and salesperson's profession) so that it can be
drawn in a straight line that the main objective of this study is to test whether the strength of
the direct path can be pursued, and thus the retrieval process. The decision itself can change
before versus post-exposure to a sales expert.

2. The theory used in this study is The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) which offers the
potential to explain complex decision-making processes (Ajzen 2015). TPB is based on the
idea that the intention to carry out a behavior is predicted by attitudes, subjective norms, and
perceived behavioral control (Ajzen 1991). In general, TPB is an expectation value model
based on the belief that human behavior is influenced directly by behavioral intention and
indirectly through attitude formation (Ajzen 1991; Ajzen and Fishbein 1977). TPB argues
that these psychosocial elements coexist and interact, which in turn influences the target's
behavior and outcomes. It was also found to explain intentions and behavior across a wide
variety of contexts (Michaelidou and Hassan 2014). So it can be seen that the TPB is very
useful for developing a decision-making framework that investigates the mechanisms for
explaining high-risk and deliberate career choices (Gorgievski et al. 2018). On the basis of
this understanding, the theoretical basis of TPB is used which is relevant to the current study,
this is because TPB has been used to explain career choices across disciplines which include
entrepreneurship (Gorgievski et al. 2018).
In addition, the theory used is also related to the empirical development of the ITPSC scale
validation with four sub dimensions (perceived sales knowledge, perceptions of sales ethics,
perceptions of salespeople, and perceptions of the sales profession) and a four-item measure
of intention regarding career sales pursuits. Relevant to the TPB and the model that has been
proposed, the dimensions of perceived sales knowledge are aligned with the self-efficacy of
students regarding performance expectations and behavioral control felt by students
(Gorgievski et al. 2018). Therefore, the theoretical basis of the TPB is used with the use of
the measurement scale from the ITPSC so that we can know how the results of solving
research problems can be measured empirically.

3. The variables used for the measurement of the study include the dependent variable Intent to
Pursue a Sales Career ITPSC, which uses two items namely EFA and CFA which directly
measure the likelihood of getting a sales position immediately after graduating with the
option "Acquiring a position in sales is a priority for me after graduation" or "I'm interested
in pursuing a sales position when I graduate."

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4. Respondents who were used to carry out this research were students in the marketing class at
Midwestern universities who, in terms of profile, had basic sales because they studied the
sales education pathway.

5. To measure and collect data, questionnaires were distributed before and after the
intervention, the process was that students would receive the ITPSC scale by email three
days before the class intervention and before the course or textbook coverage on sales. A
total of 259 students participated in the pre-intervention survey. Post-intervention data were
collected 24 to 48 hours after expert sales intervention. A total of 249 of the 278 students
who served in class during the sales expert intervention completed the post-test survey
(response rate 90%).

6. The data processing method used in determining the analysis of the results of the
questionnaire that has been carried out is by managing data for ITSPC, the items used in this
study are included in the exploratory factor analysis using the principle of axis factoring and
varimax rotation on the pre and post-test data aggregate. With factor analysis was also
performed on individual data before and after the test, each with similar results.

7. After the measurement is made by data collection and processing, the researcher will analyze
how the results of the study are empirically according to the plan that has been prepared
based on table 1 showing the factor analysis carried out on individual data before and after
the test, each with similar results, namely It shows that the five of them have the ITPSC
dimensions as expected, then the results of the exploration factor analysis processing are in
Table 2. Correlation matrix and CFA reliability and validity measures ITPSC scale items are
then subjected to confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using aggregate data before and after
the intervention. In particular, the models are estimated to make their a priori the factors
determined with each factor being allowed to correlate with the other factors. The
measurement model was estimated using AMOS 25. After examining the modification index,
3 of the 24 independent variable items from the original ITPSC scale were eliminated to
improve model fit: "Salespeople are more unethical than people in other business areas"
(ethical sales perceptions), "salespeople admired. by others "(perceptions of salespeople),
and" A sales career is valuable "(perceptions of career sales).
All final model suitability statistics exceeded Hu and recommended thresholds indicating
excellent overall data fit (CMIN / DF ¼ 1.4; CFI ¼ 0.98; GFI ¼ 0.95, NFI ¼ .96; TLI¼.98;
RMSEA¼ 0.026; v2 ¼ 563, df¼334, p <0.001). If table 1 presents the regression item
loading standard for CFA then the next step, two tests are carried out to assess convergent
validity. First, all item indicators loaded on the expected latent factor at p <.001, with
standard regression loading ranging from 59 to 94. Second, the mean value of extracted
variance (AVE) for each construct. Exceeds Fornell and Larcker threshold criteria of 0.5. The
square root of the AVE exceeds all paired correlations shown in the diagonal correlation
matrix in Table 2. Finally, the Chronbach's alpha (intra-item correlation for two item scales)
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and composite reliability scores are shown in Table 2 and all exceed .7. Separate CFAs were
performed on the pre- and post-intervention samples, all resulting in the same ITPSC to
construct a correlation matrix for the combined pre- and post-samples and the CFA reliability
and validity measures are presented in Table 2.
After the results of the analysis are carried out with various factors that are continuous with
the research carried out, the results of the hypothesis testing on the questionnaire before and
after the intervention that have been carried out are:
 Results of the Analysis of the Pre-Intervention Model
The results of the hypothesized test (H1-H10) for the pre-intervention basic model shown in
Figure 1 using structural equation modeling (SEM) estimated in AMOS 25. All model fit
statistics exceeded the Hu and Bentler thresholds, which showed excellent overall data fit
(CMIN / DF ¼ 1.2; CFI ¼ 0.99; GFI ¼ 0.93, NFI ¼ .93; TLI¼.98; RMSEA¼.02; v2 ¼ 398,
df¼328, p <0.01).
The direct path (H1 - H4) as shown in Table 3, the results of three tests of the four direct
hypotheses to be pursued are significant and in the hypothesized direction, including:
1) Sales knowledge (H1: std b ¼ .379, t¼3.6 , p <.001)
2) Perceptions of sales ethics (H2: std b ¼ .207, t ¼ 2.4, p <.05)
3) Perceptions of the sales profession (H4: std b ¼ .707, t¼3.5, p <0.001)
The indirect path (H5 - H10) as shown in Table 3, test results for five of the six significant
indirect paths, including:
1) Perceived sales knowledge with perceptions of sales ethics (H5: std b ¼ .212, t ¼ 2.9 , p
< 01)
2) Sales knowledge as perceived by the salesperson's perception (H6: std b ¼ .390, t¼4.5, p
< 001)
3) Sales knowledge which is for the perception of the sales profession (H7: std b ¼. 174,
t¼3.4, p < 001)
4) Perceptions of sales ethics on perceptions of salespeople (H8: std b ¼ .344, t ¼ 4.2, p <
001)
5) Perceptions of salespeople on perceptions of the sales profession (H10: std b ¼. 295,
t¼4.6, p < 001)
 Results of post-intervention Model Analysis
After testing the results of the analysis before the intervention, the H1 to H10 tests were also
carried out for the post-intervention baseline, according to the interpretation results in table 3.
All model fit statistics exceed Hu and show very good overall data compatibility (CMIN / DF
¼ 1.4; CFI ¼ 0.98; GFI ¼ 0.92, NFI ¼ .93; TLI¼.97; RMSEA¼.03; v2 ¼ 472, df¼328, p
<0.001). Neither of these alternative models fits the theory better or has superior explanatory
power.

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 The direct hypothesis (H1-H4) as shown in Table 3, the results of three of the four direct
hypotheses to be pursued are significant in the hypothesized direction, including:
1) Perceived sales knowledge (H1: std b ¼ .806, t¼5.5, p < 001)
2) Perception of sales force (H3: std b ¼ .261, t¼2.1, p < 05)
3) Perception of the sales profession (H4: std b ¼ .476, t¼2.8, p < 01)
The indirect hypothesis (H5-H10), as shown in Table 3, results in a test of five of the six
significant indirect paths, including:
1) Sales knowledge as perceived by the salesperson's perception (H6: std b ¼ .318, t¼3. 4, p
<.001)
2) Sales knowledge perceived by the perception of the sales profession (H7: std b ¼ .286,
t¼4.3, p <.001)
3) Perceptions of sales ethics with the perception of salespeople (H8: std b ¼ .292, t ¼ 4.8, p
<.001)
4) Perceptions of sales ethics on perceptions of the sales profession (H9: std b ¼ .118, t ¼,
2.9, p <.01)
5) Perceptions of salespeople on Perceptions of the Sales Profession (H10: std b ¼ .397,
t¼6.2, p <.001).
The final results of the questionnaire analysis before and after the intervention, it is stated
that the results of the analysis in table 4 contain the comparison of the mean before and after
for each individual subscale item, as well as the average score for the average that is summed
from each dimension of the ITPSC subscale. As expected, students' perceptions of each item
subscale and the aggregate were positively influenced after exposure to sales experts. The
greatest advantage associated with the independent variable was for the mean aggregate
perception of ethical selling (reverse code), which had a change score of 0.46 (before ¼ 1.62
vs post 2.08). Aggregate mean intent to pursue a sales career increased by 0.46 (before ¼
2.39 vs. ¼ 2.85). Thus, it can be seen if the results of this study show support that the
interventions carried out are quite effective in creating significant changes.

8. Analysis of the conclusions after all research studies on the calculation of the research
method are made by comparing the hypothesis of sales knowledge perceived by students
(H11a), perceptions of sales ethics (H11b), perceptions of salespeople (H11c), perceptions of
the sales profession (H11d), and The intention to pursue a sales career (H11e) will increase
after being exposed to professional salespeople in the class. With the results of research from
H11a to H11e which contain comparisons of the before and after averages for each individual
subscale item, as well as the average score for the mean – the summed average of each
dimension of the ITPSC subscale. Showed the same results as predicted, students'
perceptions of each item subscale and the aggregate were positively affected after exposure
to sales experts. The greatest advantage associated with the independent variable was for the
mean aggregate perception of ethical selling (reverse code), which had a change score of 0.46
(before ¼ 1.62 vs post 2.08). Aggregate mean intent to pursue a sales career increased by
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 0.46 (before ¼ 2.39 vs. ¼ 2.85). Based on the research results that have been written in detail
by the author in the results section of the writing analysis based on the evidence of the
research results that have been compared with the theory used and the appropriateness of the
variables and the use of research sub-factors that show the results of the research are in line
with expectations and the research questions have been answered if intervention can increase
the flow of changes in sales activeness, it is concluded if this study provides support that the
intervention method that has been implemented is quite effective in creating significant
changes, especially to show improvement in the main criteria for assessing the usefulness of
TPB.
An important benefit of this paper is for a comparison of the decision making of both naive
students (without educational exposure to sales in a college setting) and the choice of
informed students to pursue a sales career.
The theoretical benefit of the results of this study is that it offers theoretical guidance on how
salespeople influence' intentions to pursue sales careers from an studentsearly age. Business
education when the magnitude or concentration is likely to change. This contribution is
important for businesses hoping to understand why students choose to pursue, or avoid, sales.
The managerial benefit of the results of this study is that it shows that sales staff can
effectively function as agents of change in the classroom, leading to increased perceptions of
the sales profession and the pursuit of sales careers. Attracting students to sales through
salesperson-led recruitment activity can reduce sales stigma, push past and other surface-
level conceptions stereotypes. In just one classroom-based intervention, experienced sales
staff influenced all aspects of pursuit intention, decreased negative perceptions, and increased
students' intentions to pursue a sales career.

9. A review of research conducted by Shannon Cummins & James W. Peltier on Understanding

students' decision-making process when considering a sales career: a comparison of models pre- and
post-exposure to sales professionals in the classroom is basically not too much. negative reviews
because based on research planning that has been designed properly and appropriately starting from
data collection, data processing, to the data interpretation stage, but there may be a few reviews about
the exposure to benefits and their application in everyday life, how research can encourage the level
of desire the achievement of a sales career in several different aspects, so it can be explained whether
research is very influential on the sales presentation of the organization. In addition, a review that
may be a little related to how research sampling will be better if the sample used can be explained in
detail the characteristics and profiles that describe the interpretation of this study, so that readers can
better understand and conceptualize the benefits of this study with all the complete sub-components. .

 
 
 
 
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