AN ANALYSIS OF SALES FORCE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AMONG U.S. FREIGHT RAILROADS

Given the strategic implication of efficient sales force perfomance, this paper focuses on selected aspects of sales force management as currently practiced by U.S. freight railroads. Specific issues addressed in this research include: 1) the demographics of 1987 rail sales hires; 2) relationships between these demographic characteristics and firm revenues and profitability; 3) the methods used to recruit and select new salespeople; 4) relationships between recruitment and selection when compared to firm revenues and profitability; 5) the length and location of sales training programs, along with the informational content of training in comparison to firm revenues and profitability; 7) the compensation, motivation, evaluation and firm revenues and profitability.