The role of emotional intelligence in B2B customer relationships: An analysis of a Finnish recruitment company

Simple item page
dc.contributorAalto-yliopistofi
dc.contributorAalto Universityen
dc.contributor.authorSimonen, Mia
dc.contributor.departmentMarkkinoinnin laitosfi
dc.contributor.departmentDepartment of Marketingen
dc.contributor.schoolKauppakorkeakoulufi
dc.contributor.schoolSchool of Businessen
dc.date.accessioned2016-08-16T11:36:01Z
dc.date.available2016-08-16T11:36:01Z
dc.date.dateaccepted2016-06-02
dc.date.issued2016
dc.description.abstractThis master's thesis examines the role of emotional intelligence (EI) in business-to-business personal selling in a company that operates in the recruiting industry in Finland. The objective was to discover how EI is manifested and which of its elements are highlighted in the analyzed context. A growing body of research suggests that EI plays a central role in buyer-seller interaction and that it can significantly contribute to sales success, which makes it an important topic to be studied. This study takes a qualitative perspective and an interpretive approach, which is built on the fundamental idea of a shared, subjective reality. My aim was to gain understanding of how salespeople create meanings and intentions when interacting with their customers. I investigated the sales efforts of the chosen company through four personal in-depth interviews, which were followed by a content analysis of the transcribed material. As the basis of my analysis I selected Goleman's (1998) EI framework, which has continued to be one of the primarily utilized EI models and is most applicable to the organizational context. The findings revealed strengths and weaknesses of the studied company's salespeople with regard to their use of EI, as well as some differences in their interaction with new, established, and diminished customers. Strengths included the EI competences of self-confidence, self-control, innovation, and service orientation, as well as two competences that were introduced as new additions into Goleman's framework: enthusiasm and the desire to help. Weaknesses comprised emotional awareness, accurate self-assessment, adaptability, building bonds, and reflection, the latter of which was also suggested as a new addition into the framework in the form of an overarching umbrella competence. Other additions include the umbrella competences of authenticity and trust. Reflection and authenticity can be regarded as crucial elements that enable the objective of trust-building to be reached. Lastly, this research also shed light on some potential downsides that may either reside in an EI competence inherently or result from its exaggerated or inefficient utilization.en
dc.ethesisid14654
dc.format.extent90
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.urihttps://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/21476
dc.identifier.urnURN:NBN:fi:aalto-201609083690
dc.language.isoenen
dc.locationP1 I
dc.programme.majorMarkkinointifi
dc.programme.majorMarketingen
dc.subject.helecontunneäly
dc.subject.heleconemotional intelligence
dc.subject.heleconbusiness-to-business
dc.subject.heleconbusiness-to-business
dc.subject.heleconmyynti
dc.subject.heleconsales
dc.subject.keywordEmotional intelligence
dc.subject.keywordemotional competence
dc.subject.keywordB2B sales
dc.subject.keywordpersonal selling
dc.subject.keywordbuyer-seller interaction
dc.subject.keywordinter-organizational communication
dc.subject.keywordrecruiting industry
dc.subject.keywordcontent analysis
dc.titleThe role of emotional intelligence in B2B customer relationships: An analysis of a Finnish recruitment companyen
dc.typeG2 Pro gradu, diplomityöfi
dc.type.dcmitypetexten
dc.type.ontasotPro gradu tutkielmafi
dc.type.ontasotMaster's thesisen
local.aalto.idthes14654
local.aalto.openaccessyes
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
hse_ethesis_14654.pdf
Size:
1.2 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
Collections
[gradu] Kauppakorkeakoulu / BIZ