TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of culture strength in shaping sales force outcomes
AU - Barnes, John W.
AU - Jackson, Donald W.
AU - Hutt, Michael D.
AU - Kumar, Ajith
PY - 2006/6
Y1 - 2006/6
N2 - Although a strong culture has been widely acknowledged as a defining characteristic of successful firms, past research has failed to examine the influence it exerts on the attitudes and behavior of salespeople. In a two-sample study, we measure culture strength and explore its relationship to value congruity and to three sales force outcomes that define the sales management research tradition: role stress, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction. Within the contexts of the sales subculture of a Fortune 500 firm (Study 1) and specialized sales organizations (Study 2), the results reveal a compelling portrait of the forces that shape salesperson-culture fit. Specifically, the results of both studies indicate that a strong culture leads to higher levels of value congruity, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment, and lower levels of role stress. Key implications are highlighted for sales managers and for researchers.
AB - Although a strong culture has been widely acknowledged as a defining characteristic of successful firms, past research has failed to examine the influence it exerts on the attitudes and behavior of salespeople. In a two-sample study, we measure culture strength and explore its relationship to value congruity and to three sales force outcomes that define the sales management research tradition: role stress, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction. Within the contexts of the sales subculture of a Fortune 500 firm (Study 1) and specialized sales organizations (Study 2), the results reveal a compelling portrait of the forces that shape salesperson-culture fit. Specifically, the results of both studies indicate that a strong culture leads to higher levels of value congruity, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment, and lower levels of role stress. Key implications are highlighted for sales managers and for researchers.
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U2 - 10.2753/PSS0885-3134260301
DO - 10.2753/PSS0885-3134260301
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33746435247
SN - 0885-3134
VL - 26
SP - 255
EP - 270
JO - Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management
JF - Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management
IS - 3
ER -