Psychological Adaptiveness and Sales Performance

The impact of adaptive psychological traits on sales performance is not well understood. In spite of sound theoretical foundations, initial research efforts have yielded inconsistent, inconclusive and generally disappointing results. In this paper, we examine how three adaptiveness traits (self-monitoring, androgyny and intrinsic reward orientation) impact sales performance. We conclude that, when sales performance is viewed as a multidimensional construct, relationships suggested by theory are revealed. In addition, the impacts of these traits are shown to differ somewhat depending on the salesperson's gender. Findings help to clarify the confusion in the literature and reveal a highly focused impact of adaptiveness on performance. Important implications for sales managers and adaptiveness research in marketing are highlighted.

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