Sales and Distribution

Management
Group 8 – Section D
Job Performance - Productivity -
Effectiveness - Effort - Failure -
Impact on firm performance
Assigned Topic
 Literature Review
Sr Title Authors Objectives Findings Gaps
No
1. The model assumes that salespeople have
perfect information about the sales target
"Sales effort Salespeople receive a fixed and their own effort level, which may not be
management To develop a model for sales reward only if they meet a realistic in practice
3 by Du, Hu, and effort management when 2. Authors only consider one type of incentive
under all-or- certain sales target, but
nothing Wu (2022) salespeople are subject to an all- receive nothing if they fall (a penalty for not meeting the sales target)
or-nothing constraint and do not explore the effects of other types
constraint" short of the target
of incentives
3. Empirical analysis is based on simulated data
only
Contingent 1. The study only examines the impact of SARA
conditions on the on firm performance and does not explore
effectiveness of To examine the impact of the potential effects on other outcomes such
salesperson salesperson acquisition- The authors propose a as customer satisfaction or employee
motivation-opportunity-
acquisition- Zheng et al. retention ambidexterity (SARA) ability (MOA) framework to engagement
2 retention on firm performance and to 2. Role of salespeople in implementing SARA,
(2022) explain the relationship
ambidexterity: identify the contingent but does not consider the potential role of
the motivation- conditions that determine the between SARA and firm sales managers or other organizational
performance
opportunity- effectiveness of SARA factors that may influence the effectiveness
ability 3. The study is based on data from a single
framework" industry
Sr Title Authors Objectives Findings Gaps
No
HPWS positively contributes to 1. It focuses only on problem focused coping
later productivity as well as the mechanisms, and not emotion focused or
Causality The paper examines the avoidance based strategies
reverse.
Between High- moderating role of The reciprocal relationship
Duckjung Shin, problem focused coping 2. Support from supervisors and co-workers
Performance supports the need to extend
3 Alison M. mechanisms in field jobs, strategic human resource needs to be explored
Work Systems Konrad and talks about the role of
and management theory by 3. The study does not consider other factors
workplace support for considering productivity as an
Organizational successful salespersons that may impact employee well-being, such
Performance antecedent as well as an outcome as individual differences (e.g., personality
of human resource traits), job characteristics (e.g., workload,
management practices job demands), and environmental factors
This research bridges the gap 1. The study focused primarily on the impact of
between past and future research CSR on employee sales target outcomes
and allows us to derive six main
Effect of ethical propositions: (a) personal values 2. Did not explore the role of other potential
leadership and Raiswa Saha, affect EL in the organization; (b) moderators (e.g., individual differences, job
Does ethical leadership
corporate social Shashi, Roberto and CSR activities impact internal and external environment characteristics)
4 responsibility on Cerchione, the productivity of influences the adoption of CSR
firm Rajwinder practices; (c) CSR project costs 3. The study used a cross-sectional design,
employees, which impact negatively affect the adoption of which limits the ability to establish causality
performance: A Singh, Richa overall firm performance
systematic Dahiya CSR practices; (d) EL has a direct
review positive impact on CSR; (e) EL has 4. The study used self-reported measures,
both direct and indirect positive which are subject to response bias and may
impact on FP; and (f) CSR has a not accurately reflect the actual experiences
direct positive impact on FP. of the participants
Sr
No Title Authors Objectives Findings Gaps

Benefits of Training and Development:

Employees are the most
valuable asset of the
organization as they take
The Importance
of Training and responsibility for enhanced
customer satisfaction and
Joel Rodriguez,
5 Development in quality of products and services.
Kelley Walters
Employee (2017) Without proper training and
Performance and
development opportunities,
Evaluation they would not be able to
accomplish their tasks at
their full potential.
1. It increases employees’ morale,
confidence, and motivations. It
lowers production costs because
individuals can reduce waste
2. It promotes a sense of security
which in turn reduces turnover and
absenteeism
3. It increases employees’
involvement in the change process
by providing the competencies
necessary to adjust to new and
challenging situations
4. It opens the doors for recognition,
higher pay, and promotion
5. It helps the organization in
improving the availability and
quality of its staff
1. The study focused primarily on
the impact of CSR on employee
sales target outcomes
2. Did not explore the role of other
potential moderators (e.g.,
individual differences, job
characteristics)
3. The study used a cross-sectional
design, which limits the ability to
establish causality
4. The study used self-reported
measures, which are subject to
response bias and may not
accurately reflect the actual
experiences of the participants
 1. The models currently used in papers assume that salesforce has
perfect knowledge about the target
2. Mistaken assumptions are made that a salesman has perfect
knowledge about his own capabilities
3. Many analysis are based on simulated empirical data from a single
industry
4. Psychological factors like customer emotions and salesforce
Summary of motivation are often taken as for granted in studies
Findings 5. Studies often use self reported responses as the main basis of data
collection, which is subject to bias in order to seem socially correct
6. The potential roles of managers and the organizational policies
that affect sales force performance and motivation is ignored in
studies
7. The impact of customized training plans on salesforce
performance and reaction to failure needs to be explored
What are the factors that influence job
productivity and how do they affect
overall firm performance
Business Problem
To find key individual and organizational
factors that impact productivity at job,
and how these factors affect each other
Research Problem
 Step Description Status
1 Initial review of 5 research papers to Done
establish understanding of topic
2 Identify common gaps in current Done
research papers
3 Establish problem statement Done
4 Read around 10 more research papers
Project relevant to developed problem
statement to review existing variables
Methodology 5
and models
Identify an environment consisting
relevant variables, and the practical
implication of them
6 Develop a model around the variables to
establish the relationship as per problem
statement
 1. Du, L., Hu, M., & Wu, J. (2022). Sales effort management under
all-or-nothing constraint. Management Science, 68(7), 5109-5126.
2. Zheng, Y., Liu, D., Zheng, Y., & Zang, Z. (2022). Contingent
conditions on the effectiveness of salesperson acquisition-
retention ambidexterity: the motivation–opportunity–ability
framework. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 37(5),
1111-1126.

Referencing of 3. Shin, D., & Konrad, A. M. (2017). Causality between high-

performance work systems and organizational
Papers Studied performance. Journal of management, 43(4), 973-997.
4. Saha, R., Cerchione, R., Singh, R., & Dahiya, R. (2020). Effect of
ethical leadership and corporate social responsibility on firm
performance: A systematic review. Corporate Social Responsibility
and Environmental Management, 27(2), 409-429.
5. Rodriguez, J., & Walters, K. (2017). The importance of training
and development in employee performance and evaluation. World
Wide Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and
Development, 3(10), 206-212.
Thank You