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This paper seeks to define a new construct, salesperson opportunity recognition, which contributes to solutions selling effectiveness and efficiency.

A framework for the composition of salesperson opportunity recognition as well as antecedents and outcomes is constructed from an analysis and synthesis of the extant literature on entrepreneurial cognition and creativity.

The paper identifies salesperson opportunity recognition as a distinct, multi‐dimensional construct that mediates the relationship between key organizational variables and solutions selling outcomes.

The paper is conceptual and requires empirical development.

This paper describes key cognitive processes necessary for salespeople to succeed in today's solutions‐oriented, customer‐centric environment. The discussion should help sales scholars embark on new research into salesperson cognition.

Although there is substantial practitioner evidence for changes in the role and functioning of sales in the twenty‐first century, there is little academic research charting new directions for the sales function in a business‐to‐business context. This paper aims to report on four case studies that illustrate how sales is changing.

The case studies involve large global companies who were changing their existing sales process to adapt to changing circumstances. The organizations comprised four global industries: construction, power solutions, building technology, and electronics and software.

The results demonstrate that sales is changing in three interrelated aspects: from a function to a process; from an isolated activity to an integrated one; and is becoming strategic rather than operational.

The results suggest that changes in the role of sales will affect sales processes and the way that the sales function liaises with other departments.

The purpose of this paper is multifold. First, this study aims to proffer a psychometric scale to measure sales agent's perception of sales cannibalization due to the addition of an internet channel. Second, the study seeks to estimate the downstream impact of sales agents' perceived cannibalization (SPC) on two outcomes, namely, commitment and alienation from work. Third, it aims to examine the moderating role of environmental munificence in the relationship between SPC and the two outcomes.

The data for this study were collected from a contact pool of 2,108 insurance sales agents. A total of 511 valid responses were attained. Structural equation modeling was employed to examine the relationships posited in this study.

First, a multi‐item scale was conceptualized and developed for measuring SPC. Second, the properties of the scale were assessed following procedures recommended by Churchill, Anderson, Gerbing, Bagozzi, and Yi. The scale demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity. Third, SPC was shown to be not universally damaging to commitment. Rather, only under a low munificent environment does perceived cannibalization significantly reduce salespersons' commitment. Additionally, the severity of the influence of SPC on alienation from work increases in low munificent environment.

The data for this study were collected using a single survey of insurance agents. Future researchers should attempt to examine the relationships posited in this study using a sample from a different industry.

While recognizing that the internet is here to stay and that strategic channel decisions will unlikely be made based on the views or psychological reactions of sales agents alone, incorporating the sales agent perspective does allow organizations to take a holistic view of their distribution system. This may be particularly important in view of multi‐channel marketing, when a new marketing channel is employed to co‐exist with the traditional sales force.

Previous conceptualizations of inter‐channel cannibalization were all based on economic terms and, hence, were considered myopic by Porter. This study examines the psychological influence of the addition of an internet channel on sale agents' work related outcomes.

This paper's aim is to provide an empirical test of the assumption that coaching impacts salespeople's attitudes and behaviors under various contingencies.

The paper uses the survey responses of 2,532 salespeople and regression analyses.

Salesperson‐organization value fit reduces the likelihood that coaching will engender more affective commitment to the organization, improve satisfaction with job and supervisor and lower perceived role ambiguity. The number of years of formal education reduces the impact of coaching on affective commitment, satisfaction with job and supervisor. Salespeople's confidence in their company's product superiority over competitors' brands also reduces the effectiveness of coaching. Salesperson's organizational tenure has no impact on the effectiveness of coaching. Finally, the age of a salesperson dampens the positive relationship between coaching and affective commitment and job satisfaction but accentuates the negative relationship between coaching and perceived role ambiguity.

Analyses relied on cross‐sectional data. Thus the findings are only suggestive and causal relationships cannot be claimed. Also, the empirical setting limits the generalizability of findings to other professions.

Increasing the amount of coaching can engender positive attitudes and behaviors in salespeople. More coaching time should be devoted to younger salespeople, salespeople with lower confidence in the superiority of company's products over competitors' brands, salespeople with fewer years of formal education, and salespeople whose values fit the least with that of the organization.

The paper provides an empirical test of how, under different situations, coaching influences salespeople's attitudes and behaviors.

Two rather distinct lines of theory/research have emerged in the study of sales manager's effectiveness. The first focuses on the notion of sales force control systems (SFCS) while the second focuses on transformational leadership (TL) behaviors. To date, however, no theoretical or empirical attempt has been made to integrate these two mostly unconnected streams of research in a sales management context. The present study aims to attempt such integration by conceptualizing TL as a mediator of the relationship between behavior‐based control (BBC) and key salesperson outcomes.

Responses were gathered via a mail survey from a sample of 128 salespeople working in various industries. Structural equation modeling was employed.

The results provide evidence for the mediating effect of TL on the relationships between BBC and key salesperson outcomes. Moreover, it was found that BBC positively affects TL behaviors, which, in turn, enhance salesperson performance, satisfaction with supervision, and organizational commitment.

The present study focused at SFCS as a possible antecedent of TL behaviors. Future researchers should identify other possible antecedents of TL behaviors.

With the assumption that TL behaviors enhance salespeople's motivation and performance, chief sales executives should employ a BBC system, as it can facilitate the ability of sales managers to engage in TL behaviors.

This paper fills an important void in current leadership research and offers practical guidance to sales managers.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

The authors build a process model of becoming that maps the following processes: destabilizing incumbent practices, sources of resistance and enablers of change, acceptance of upheaval and trying on a new state of being. A research agenda for future research in this area is also formulated.

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the contents of the special issue and to clarify and extend conceptual and managerial debates concerning interpretive consumer research (ICR).

A discursive approach is adopted. The arguments are supported by quotes from authoritative publications in the field.

Researching the consumer has progressed far beyond the research for managerial implications and has become a major focus for the social sciences. In the field of qualitative market research, interpretive approaches to studying consumer behaviour are playing an increasing role. However, the economic and psychological heritage of consumer behaviour impedes appreciation of their aims, analytic logics, and methodological contributions. Ten issues about ICR are detailed in order to provide an integrative overview of what ICR is or is not.

Provides an insider's view and serves as a useful overview of debates and developments in the field.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges and opportunities of collaboration in interpretive consumer research.

The paper reviews literature on research teamwork, particularly on qualitative and international projects. It also provides an account of research collaboration on an interpretive research project across four countries, involving eight researchers.

Despite the cult of individualism in academic life, most articles in leading marketing journals are now written by multi‐author teams. The process and implications of research collaboration, particularly on qualitative and international projects, have received little attention within the marketing literature. Qualitative collaborations call for another layer of reflexivity and attention to the politics and emotions of teamwork. They also require the negotiation of a social contract acceptable to the group and conducive to the emergence of different perspectives throughout the research process.

While issues surrounding the researcher‐research participant relationship are well explored in the field, this paper tackles an issue that often remains tacit in the marketing literature, namely the impact of the relationships between researchers. The paper draws on accounts of other research collaborations as well as authors' experiences, and discusses how interpersonal and cross‐cultural dynamics influence the work of interpretive research teams.

To provide a selective bibliography for researchers working with bulk material forming (specifically the forging, rolling, extrusion and drawing processes) with sources which can help them to be up‐to‐date.

A range of published (1996‐2005) works, which aims to provide theoretical as well as practical information on the material processing namely bulk material forming. Bulk deformation processes used in practice change the shape of the workpiece by plastic deformations under forces applied by tools and dies.

Provides information about each source, indicating what can be found there. Listed references contain journal papers, conference proceedings and theses/dissertations on the subject.

It is an exhaustive list of papers (1,693 references are listed) but some papers may be omitted. The emphasis is to present papers written in English language. Sheet material forming processes are not included.

A very useful source of information for theoretical and practical researchers in computational material forming as well as in academia or for those who have recently obtained a position in this field.

There are not many bibliographies published in this field of engineering. This paper offers help to experts and individuals interested in computational analyses and simulations of material forming processes.