Engaging a product-focused sales force in solution selling: interplay of individual- and organizational-level conditions

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dc.contributorAalto-yliopistofi
dc.contributorAalto Universityen
dc.contributor.authorSalonen, Annaen_US
dc.contributor.authorTerho, Harrien_US
dc.contributor.authorBöhm, Evaen_US
dc.contributor.authorVirtanen, Arien_US
dc.contributor.authorRajala, Ristoen_US
dc.contributor.departmentDepartment of Industrial Engineering and Managementen
dc.contributor.organizationUniversity of Turkuen_US
dc.contributor.organizationTU Dortmund Universityen_US
dc.contributor.organizationIMS Talenten_US
dc.date.accessioned2020-08-12T09:11:04Z
dc.date.available2020-08-12T09:11:04Z
dc.date.issued2021-01en_US
dc.description.abstractThis study explains how manufacturers tackle the critical managerial challenge of transforming a product-focused sales force to undertake solution selling. Through an application of configurational theory, the authors explain how individual and organizational conditions combine to determine salespeople’s engagement in solution selling. Multilevel, multisource data from the sales organization of a global supplier of building solutions represent input from salespeople (N = 184), solution champions (N = 23), and sales managers (N = 26). A fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis reveals no single, optimal way to overcome transformation challenges. Rather, consistent with prior research, solution selling requires certain types of salespeople, because value-based selling is a necessary condition for successful engagement. Beyond this foundational condition, a heterogeneous sales force can be engaged, as long as the organization provides appropriate support that is tailored to individual salespersons’ needs. The findings affirm that this viable support can come from either sales managers or solution champions.en
dc.description.versionPeer revieweden
dc.format.extent49
dc.format.extent1-49
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_US
dc.identifier.citationSalonen, A, Terho, H, Böhm, E, Virtanen, A & Rajala, R 2021, ' Engaging a product-focused sales force in solution selling : interplay of individual- and organizational-level conditions ', JOURNAL OF THE ACADEMY OF MARKETING SCIENCE, vol. 49, no. 1, pp. 139-163 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-020-00729-zen
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s11747-020-00729-zen_US
dc.identifier.issn0092-0703
dc.identifier.otherPURE UUID: 1335e295-7d81-429c-b291-be998450e400en_US
dc.identifier.otherPURE ITEMURL: https://research.aalto.fi/en/publications/1335e295-7d81-429c-b291-be998450e400en_US
dc.identifier.otherPURE LINK: http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85086022876&partnerID=8YFLogxKen_US
dc.identifier.otherPURE FILEURL: https://research.aalto.fi/files/56836767/Salonen2021_Article_EngagingAProduct_focusedSalesF.pdfen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/45654
dc.identifier.urnURN:NBN:fi:aalto-202008124668
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherSPRINGER
dc.relation.ispartofseriesJOURNAL OF THE ACADEMY OF MARKETING SCIENCEen
dc.rightsopenAccessen
dc.subject.keywordBusiness-to-business marketingen_US
dc.subject.keywordCustomer solutionsen_US
dc.subject.keywordSales force transformationen_US
dc.subject.keywordSales managementen_US
dc.subject.keywordFSQCAen_US
dc.titleEngaging a product-focused sales force in solution selling: interplay of individual- and organizational-level conditionsen
dc.typeA1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessäfi
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