Skip to main content

Barriers to the use of Mobile Sales Force Automation Systems. A Salesperson’s Perspective

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Ideas in Marketing: Finding the New and Polishing the Old

Abstract

Ever increasing mobility led to a rise in the use of smartphones and tablet PCs (tablets) in business and consequently there has been a growth in the use of sales force automation (SFA) systems. Although sales force automation systems have been studied for roughly thirty years, little is known of the impact newly-developed mobile devices, namely smartphones and tablets will have on sales management. The objective of this study is to examine this under-researched issue by looking at the barriers to mobile SFA system use from a salesperson’s perspective. In the light of the relevant literature, the authors develop and test three propositions on mobile SFA system use from that perspective. The study uses a multiple case study to test the assumptions and finds support for all of them and reveals two additional barriers to mobile SFA system use.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aberdeen Group (2007). “Mobile sales force effectiveness. Strategies beyond mobility utilization.” Mobile SFA Benchmark Report, available at: http://www.salesforce.com/assets/pdf/datasheets/MobileSalesForce_effectiveness.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahearne, M., Jones, E., Rapp, A. & Mathieu, J. (2008), “High Touch Through High Tech: The Impact of Salesperson Technology Usage on Sales Performance via Mediating Mechanisms,” Management Science, 54 (April), 671–685.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arksey, H., & Knight, P. (1999). Interviewing for social scientists. Sage: London, UK.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Boujena, O., Johnston, W.J., & Merunka, D.R. (2009). “The benefits of sales force automation: a customer’s perspective.” Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 29(2), 137-150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buehrer, R.E., Senecal, S., & Pullins, E.B. (2005). “Sales force technology usage—reasons, barriers, and support: An exploratory investigation.” Industrial Marketing Management, 34(4), 389-398.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bush, A.J., Moore, J.B., & Rocco, R. (2005). “Understanding sales force automation outcomes: a managerial perspective.” Industrial Marketing Management, 34(4), 369-377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buttle, F., Ang, L., & Iriana, R. (2006). “Sales force automation: review, critique, research agenda.” International Journal of Management Reviews, 8(4), 213-231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, P., Rocco, R.A., & Bush, A.J. (2007). “Sales force automation systems and sales force productivity: critical issues and research agenda.” Journal of Relationship Marketing, 6(2), 67-87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). “Building theories from case study research.” Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 532–550.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gartner (2011a). Gartner identifies top 10 commercial business applications for tablet devices. Press release, Nov 15, 2011, available at: http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1849621

  • Gartner (2011b). Gartner says Apple will have a free run in tablet market holiday season as competitors continue to lag. September 22, 2011, available at: http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1800514

    Google Scholar 

  • Haas, A., Snehota, I., & Corsaro, D. (2012). ”Creating value in business relationships: the role of sales.” Industrial Marketing Management, 41(1), 94-105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ingram, T., LaForge, R., & Leigh, T. (2002). “Selling in the new millennium: A joint agenda.” Industrial Marketing Management, 31(7), 559–567.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jayachandran, S., Sharma, S., Kaufman, P., & Raman, P. (2005). “The role of relational information processes and technology use in customer relationship management.” Journal of Marketing, 69(4), 177–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jelassi, T., & Enders, A. (2006). Mobile advertising: a European perspective. In Barnes, S. & Scornavacca, E. (Eds.), Unwired Business: Cases in Mobile Business. Idea Group Inc. Hershey, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, W.J., Leach, M.P., & Liu, A.H. (1999). “Theory testing using case studies in business-to-business research.” Industrial Marketing Management, 28, 210-213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, E., Brown, S. P., Zoltners, A. A., & Weitz, B. A. (2005). “The changing environment of selling and sales management.” Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, 2(Spring), 105-111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keillor, B.D., Bashaw, R.E., & Pettijohn, C.E. (1997). “Sales force automation issues prior to implementation: the relationship between attitudes toward technology, experience and productivity.” Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 12(3–4), 209–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, N., Stern, L.W., & Anderson, J.C. (1993). “Conducting interorganizational research using key informants.” Academy of Management Journal, 36(6), 1633–1651.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miles, M. B. and Huberman, A. M. (1994), An Expanded Sourcebook Qualitative Data Analysis (2nd edit.), Sage Publications, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen, T., Sherif, J., & Newby, M. (2007). “Strategies for successful CRM implementation.” Information Management & Computer Security, 15(2), 102-115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nysveen, H., Pedersen, P. E., & Thorbjørnsen, H. (2005). “Intentions to use mobile services: Antecedents and cross-service comparisons.” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 33(3), 330-346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parthasarathy, M., & Sohi, R. (1997). “Salesforce automation and the adoption of technology innovations by salespeople: Theory and implications.” Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 12(3/4), 196–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perry, C. (1998). “Processes of a case study methodology for postgraduate research in marketing.” European Journal of Marketing, 32(9), 785–802.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pettigrew, A.M. (1989). “Context and action in the transformation of the firm.” Journal of Management Studies, 24(6), 649–670.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ranjan, J., & Bhatnagar, V. (2009). “A holistic framework for mCRM - data mining perspective.” Information Management & Computer Security, 17(2), 151-165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, B., Stone, M., & Foss, B. (2008). “Integrating the value of sales people and systems: Adapting the benefits dependency network.” Database Marketing & Customer Strategy Management, 15(4), 221-232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scornavacca, E., & Sutherland, A. (2008). “The perceived impact of mobile sales force automation systems on salespeople’s performance.” Proceedings of 7th International Conference on Mobile Business, 270-279.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shankar, V. & Balasubramanian, S. (2009), “Mobile Marketing: Synthesis and Prognosis.” Journal of Interactive Marketing, 23(2), 118–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shankar V., Venkatesh, A., Hofacker, C. & Naik, P. (2010), “Mobile marketing in the retailing environment: current insights and future research avenues. The Journal of Interactive Marketing 24(2): 111-120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheth, J.N., & Sharma, A. (2008). “The impact of the product to service shift in industrial markets and the evolution of the sales organization.” Industrial Marketing Management, 37(3), 260-269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinisalo, J. (2011). “The Role of the Mobile Medium in Multichannel CRM Communication. ”International Journal of Electronic Customer Relationship Management, 5(1), 23-45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Speier, C., & Venkatesh, V. (2002). “The hidden minefields in the adoption of sales force automation technologies.” Journal of Marketing, 66(3), 98-111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava, R.K., Shervani, T.A. & Fahey, L. (1999). “Marketing, Business Processes, and Shareholder Value: An Organizationally Embedded View of Marketing Activities and the Discipline of Marketing.” Journal of Marketing, 68(special issue), 168-179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stake, R.E. (1995). The art of case study research. Sage: Thousand Oaks, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stake, R.E. (2000). Case studies. In Denzin, N.K., & Lincoln, Y.S. (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research. Second edition. Sage: Thousand Oaks, CA, 435–454.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weitz, B.A., & Bradford, K. (1999). “Personal selling and sales management: A relationship perspective.” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 27(2), 241–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, J. (2012). “You, by the numbers. Better performance through self-quantification.” Harvard Business Review, (September), 119-123.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Academy of Marketing Science

About this paper

Cite this paper

Karjaluoto, H., Sinisalo, J., Saraniemi, S., Töllinen, A. (2015). Barriers to the use of Mobile Sales Force Automation Systems. A Salesperson’s Perspective. In: Kubacki, K. (eds) Ideas in Marketing: Finding the New and Polishing the Old. Developments in Marketing Science: Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10951-0_231

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics