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Linking B2B sales performance to entrepreneurial self-efficacy, entrepreneurial selling actions

Citation

Edwards, J and Miles, MP and D'Alessandro, S and Frost, M, Linking B2B sales performance to entrepreneurial self-efficacy, entrepreneurial selling actions, Journal of Business Research, 142 pp. 585-593. ISSN 0148-2963 (2022) [Refereed Article]

Copyright Statement

Crown Copyright © 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DOI: doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.12.074

Abstract

This study addresses the interrelationships between a business-to-business (B2B) salesperson's sales performance and their level of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial sales actions. Data was collected through a survey of 252 participants (B2B salespeople working in Australia). Structured equation modeling was used to analyze and test the hypotheses. The findings suggest that entrepreneurial self-efficacy strongly influences sales innovativeness and creative selling, highlighting the importance of senior management encouraging and rewarding new selling methods (a salesperson's entrepreneurial actions). Finally, these sales actions positively and significantly impacted individual sales performance. Thus, creative selling and sales innovativeness are powerful influencers of personal sales performance. This research contributes to the sales performance literature by highlighting the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), creative selling, and sales innovativeness. These findings provide additional lessons for senior management when pursuing increased growth and sales performance. As ESE has a positive impact on a salesperson's actions and performance, senior management may wish to encourage an internal environment in which ESE behaviors are not only accepted but encouraged.

Item Details

Item Type:Refereed Article
Keywords:B2B selling, sales performance, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, creative selling, sales innovativeness
Research Division:Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services
Research Group:Marketing
Research Field:Industrial marketing
Objective Division:Economic Framework
Objective Group:Management and productivity
Objective Field:Marketing
UTAS Author:D'Alessandro, S (Professor Steven D'Alessandro)
ID Code:148487
Year Published:2022
Web of Science® Times Cited:5
Deposited By:Marketing
Deposited On:2022-01-14
Last Modified:2022-03-04
Downloads:0

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