Abstract:
The pervasive use of performance measurement frameworks, such as the balanced
scorecard, coupled with the growing complexity of today’s B2B sales role is increasing
the need for greater levels of measure diversity to evaluate the performance of the
modern salesperson. Yet very little is known regarding the behavioural impacts of using
more balanced and diverse measures to evaluate individual salesperson performance.
This research investigates the relationship between the use of diverse measures
of performance and the customer-oriented selling behavior of B2B salespeople. Based
on data collected from 274 business-to-business salespeople from Canada, the United
States and the United Kingdom and using partial-least squares, structural equation
modelling, the author finds that measure diversity is positively associated with
salesperson customer-oriented selling behaviour and that this behaviour is fully mediated
through salesperson attitudes towards customer-oriented selling. Findings also suggest
that measure diversity within a sales performance measurement system is positively
associated with increased levels of supervisory sales coaching activity.
