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The interplay between behavior-based salesforce control systems and salesperson’s creative performance: a closer look at salesperson’s work engagement

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Abstract

The notion of salesforce control systems, in segregation and amalgamation with other variables, in the past been the most commonly studied variable in the domain of salesforce management research. This study examines the contingent value of a behavior-based salesforce control system i.e. (activity and capability controls) on one of the most devious salesperson’s related outcomes i.e. creative performance by incorporating work engagement (a novel concept in positive psychology) as a mediating variable. Data from 305 salespersons belonging to 15 pharmaceutical firms were used to validate the research model; multivariate analysis was used to test the hypotheses, based on the Componential Theory of Creativity (CTC) for measuring the impact of behavior-based salesforce controls i.e. activity control and capability control on the salespersons’ work engagement and the salespersons’ creative performance. Overall the results disclose that behavior-based control systems, i.e. activity control and capability control affect a salesperson’s creative performance through the mediating effect of work engagement. Results support the CTC, i.e. the domain-related skills (acquired through capability control) expertise (gained from activity control), and task-related motivation i.e. work engagement affects creative performance. Results also reveal important insights for researchers and managers, including guidelines for future research in a new direction. All in all, the results of the study offer valuable ideas about how field managers can foster and improve the creative performance of salespersons through better aligning the constitutive elements of behavior-based salesforce control systems.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Business School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 61006, China

    Minqiao Hu & Xiongfu Wu

  2. Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Wah Cantt, Pakistan

    Faheem Ahmad Khan & Amir Rafique

  3. Department of Commerce, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan

    Muhammad Umer Quddoos

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  1. Minqiao Hu
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  2. Faheem Ahmad Khan
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  4. Xiongfu Wu
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Correspondence to Muhammad Umer Quddoos or Xiongfu Wu.

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Hu, M., Khan, F.A., Quddoos, M.U. et al. The interplay between behavior-based salesforce control systems and salesperson’s creative performance: a closer look at salesperson’s work engagement. Curr Psychol 43, 18415–18430 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05591-0

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