Research Priorities Document - 2024 Update : simplebooklet.com

FOR INFORMATION ON OUR RESEARCHACTIVITIES OR WORKING PAPER SERIESGO TO"RESEARCH PROGRAMS"ON MAYS.TAMU.EDU/SALESReynolds and Reynolds SALES LEADERSHIP INSTITUTEWhat is the Reynolds and ReynoldsSALES LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE?The Reynolds and Reynolds SALES LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE is a group of faculty, staff,and students dedicated to providing transformational education and experiences forAggies (former, current, and future). We focus on self-awareness, effectivecommunication, problem-solving, relationship building, and general business acumenas keys to success. We accomplish our educational mission by combining industrypartnerships, cutting-edge academic research, and award-winning faculty.Everything we do is built on the Aggie Core Values and a platform of service to fourmain groups: Students, Academia, Industry, and Community. As an Institute, we seekto serve all students at Texas A&M University who want to develop sales skills.2

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Dr. Huanhuan Shi,Research Director3Collectively, a group of Mays Business School faculty, staff, and studentsaffiliated with the Reynolds and Reynolds SALES LEADERSHIP INSTITUTEconducted a review of the research priorities that we proposed in The BigQuestion on Chief Sales Officers’ Minds published in 2020. We affirm theimportance of the previous agenda as well identify new priorities. We remain committed to the exploration of academic and practical sales-relatedresearch. Our objective is to equip businesses and leaders with the tools toadapt and thrive in the complexities of a rapidly evolving environment. We aimto build upon previous research topics and recognize an opportunity to proposea new agenda under the broad category of Macroeconomic and Societal Shiftsthat align with the specific interests of our Institute. In this document, you will see a new set of priorities, citations from a selection ofrecently published works related to our previous priorities, and a list of prioritiesstill in need of research attention. We welcome knowledge of existing relevant research, publications to showcase,access to data, and opportunities for collaboration.

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“AI technology and machine learning can also boost B2Bbusiness results in part because relevant content can bedelivered at the right time.” - Bernard Marr, Contributor, ForbesBusiness-to-business (B2B) sales organizations are now starting to take advantage ofartificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies in selling and salesforcemanagement, thanks to past investment in the data infrastructure (e.g., datawarehousing and CRM systems). However, they are facing uncertainty and are eager toknow the costs and benefits and how to maximize the value of cutting-edge AItechnologies. The impact of AI technologies, Machine Learning, and sales analytics isnot only hard to quantify, but their downstream consequences are also multi-facetedand not fully manifested in measurable performance KPIs. The goal of addressing thisresearch priority is to help sales organizations better understand the financial and non-financial impact of AI and other emerging sales technologies, formulate betterimplementation strategies, and create greater value for stakeholders. 1. 1. Impact of AI and Sales Technologies on B2B SellingProcess Some firms have pioneered the applications of AI technologies in their selling process.The hope is that automation and analytics can help salespeople capture customers,and offer them value propositions and personalized experiences more efficiently andeffectively. Popular technologies include prediction (e.g., customer sales forecast, churnprediction), guided selling (e.g., suggestion on pricing and product recommendation),insights extracted from multimedia data (e.g., sentiment alerts from calls and emails),and new ways to interact with customers (e.g., chatbots). Research shows that firmshave mixed opinions on adopting these technologies, which offers researchopportunities to provide guidance and insights for practitioners.What is the impact of AI technologies on salesperson efficacy? What are the mechanisms that the impact is routed through? How does the interplay among AI technologies, salespeople, and customers change thetraditional selling process? 7

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81. 2. Impact of AI and Machine Learning on SalesforceManagementAI technologies see promising applications in salesforce management, especially in theareas of salesperson training, performance tracking, and new salesperson hiring. Newtechnologies and machine learning algorithms allow firms to use AI as sales coachesthat deliver selling and product knowledge, coach selling skills, and provide feedback.The use of AI technologies in salesperson performance tracking and predictions givessales managers and executives useful tools to exert intervention timely and predictquota achievement and turnover. The hiring and selection of sales job candidates canalso be automated to some extent with the help of machine learning algorithms. AI insalesforce management is still in its early stages, leaving many areas unexplored.What are the unintended consequences of using AI technologies to replace humaninteractions? How does the impact of AI in salesforce management channel to selling process? What will be the ideal combination of human and AI participation in sales managementdecisions? How will the prevalence of AI technologies affect the profiles and characteristics ofsalespersons who self-select into the sales career?

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1. 3. Investigating the Short-Term and Long-Term Effects ofAI and Sales TechnologiesOne big challenge for firms is that they do not have enough information about thebenefits and drawbacks of using AI in sales and managing salespeople due to itsnascency. Randomized experiments are the "gold standard" for quantifying the causalimpact of marketing activities, including the impact of the implementation of AItechnologies in the short term. However, long-term effects are challenging to capturedue to the practical feasibility and uncontrolled factors over a long period. What do we know about the generalizability of the findings from a firm to other firms inthe same industry? How should firms balance short-term and long-term benefits and drawbacks? Is there a new method to measure the effects of AI and other sales technologies,especially their long-term impact? 9

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In the post-pandemic era, sales leaders face many challenges, including changed buyerbehaviors, high salesperson attrition, and remote work. Sales practices have changed,and some changes may stay permanently. Opportunities for sales leaders are toexplore how to leverage the changes, such as higher acceptance of using remotecommunication and AI technologies in sales, new opportunities for products or servicesto meet new buyer needs, and new ways to connect with customers and businesspartners in a socially distant world.2. 1. Emerging Sales Leadership Roles in the Application of AIand Sales TechnologiesDue to the trends of AI and new sales technologies (Priority #1), Sales leadership mayevolve in response to the increasing adoption of AI and other sales technologies. In thisbackground, sales leaders' emerging roles include integrating new technologies intosales operations, ensuring that sales teams are equipped with the skills and knowledge,assessing the ROI of these technologies, and making decisions about their adoptionand implementation. How are sales leaders involved in the adoption and implementation of AI and other salestechnologies? What is the impact of sales leadership involvement? 11“To lead a remote sales team effectively a leader must create asense of trust. That is accomplished by providing the teamyour availability and whenever possible your presence aswell.” - Glenn Gaines, Regional Vice President - South &Southeast Regions, Schneider Electric

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2. 2. Challenges and Opportunities in Leading Remote SalesTeamsRemote work allows sales team members to work from anywhere, which can providegreater flexibility for salespeople and attract and retain top performers. However, salesleaders face new challenges to motivate sales teams and help teams to build rapportand establish trust. Should sales leaders formalize remote work as part of the work policy? Who or what sales roles are suitable for adopting remote work? What is the ideal combination of in-person and remote work in a sales team? How to build trust and collaboration between remote-working salespeople and coming-to-office ones? 12What are the strategies that sales leaders can use and have used to facilitatesalespeople's adoption of the new tools? What are the metrics that sales leaders rely on to evaluate the short-term and long-termimpact of the new technologies? What are the new sales roles and positions that need to be created for this new trend?

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2. 3. Salespeople’s Well-being and Inclusive LeadershipSales can be a high-stress profession because of the high uncertainty in customerdemand and the competitive nature of incentive schemes such as ranking systems andsales contests. To achieve sustainable growth, sales leaders need to balance the well-being of salespeople and the competitiveness of incentive and award systems. Salesleaders also face the challenges to (1) create a fair and equitable workplace for all salesteam members, such as ensuring the incentive schemes are fair and providing equalopportunities for promotions, (2) recruit and retain a diverse team with a culture ofinclusivity where all team members feel valued and supported, and (3) engage insidesales teams who mainly interact buyers remotely. Many potential research questionscan help sales leaders to address these challenges. How could sales leaders mitigate the downside of incentive schemes, such as the anxietyand pressure induced by variable compensation, sales contests, and ranking systems? How could sales leaders solve the conflicts and "information choke" issues when a teamconsists of members with diverse experience and knowledge backgrounds? How to quantify the impact of the initiatives in promoting salespeople's well-being? 13

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The new technologies have brought about significant changes in buyer–sellerinteractions including reduced information gap and less direct contact (e.g., fewer face-to-face interactions) between buyers and sellers. The current trend is sellers areincreasingly using multiple channels and various communication media to interact withbuyers. While sellers seek new opportunities to engage buyers, they are also keen onunderstanding buyers’ preferences and perceptions. 3. 1. Multiplexity of Influencing Channels in Buyer-SellerInteractions Sellers are increasingly using multiple channels to interact with buyers. For example,other than influencing key decision makers in the buying firms, sellers may targetbuyers’ employees serving as internal influencers and target buyers’ clients serving asexternal influencers. There is scant conceptual and empirical research on themultiplexity of influencing channels. Many potential research opportunities exist whenit comes to the diverse influencing channels in buyer-seller interactions. How do buyers perceive the sellers’ trustworthiness when they encounter differentchannels of persuasion? How do buyers reconcile the discrepancies from different influencing channels? How do sellers balance the synergies of using multiple influencing channels in differentstages of the selling process? How does the multi-influencing channel strategies affect short-term selling effectivenessand long-term buyer-seller relationships?15"Complex problems of customers require complex solutionsthat might require salespeople having to work with anecosystem of partners." - Deva Rangarajan, IESEG School ofManagement

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3. 2. Multiplexity of Communication Media in Buyer-SellerInteractionsWhile both sellers and buyers recognize the cost efficiency of using various technology-mediated communications, some of the nuanced impacts of multiplexity ofcommunication formats are yet to be discovered. How the use of multiple communication formats is associated with the occurrence oftransgression behaviors, miscommunications, and other unintended behaviors? What communication formats should be used to address which types of issues in thebuyer-seller interactions? How do the perceptions of buyers and sellers differ regarding the value of differentcommunication formats? How does the use of multiple communication formats vary across relationship stages? 163. 3. Managing Difficulties in Buyer-Supplier RelationshipsWhile both buyers and suppliers recognize the importance of cooperation amongparties for the effective and efficient operation B2B relationships, challenges persistentdue to partner actions and contextual factors. There are many issues yet unexplored inrelation to managing difficulties in B2B relationships. How do buyer-seller differences in strategic priorities influence the outcomes of theB2B relationship, and how can such differences be overcome?How can salespeople effectively manage the buyer-supplier relationship in the faceof different types of transgressions?How can suppliers overcome perceptions of prior firm non-cooperative behaviors?How do buyers effectively adapt to institutional pressures relates to the legitimacyof suppliers?

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“You have to show and you have to prove that there's purpose,that the company has a purpose behind it, because today'sgeneration wants to know what's the company doing on abigger scale." - Daniel Medalie, VP of Sales, Pegasus LogisticsHalf of all business school graduates will begin their career in a front-line sales role, yetturnover among first-time salespeople is at an all-time high. University sales programsare designed to equip students with the methodologies required to excel in today’ssales roles. Companies that hire entry-level salespeople partner with universities andprovide experiential sales activities to better prepare future sellers. An abundance ofresearch opportunities exists, which explore the preparation of college graduates infuture sales roles.4. 1. Aligning Personality with Role-fitUniversity students are as unique as the diverse types of sales roles available to first-time salespeople. From hunters to farmers, technology sales to medical device sales,the varied types of roles muddy the water for students who are trying to find the rightjob fit. How can a student’s understanding of their personality help them to determine the salesrole that best fits? How can organizations align with university sales programs to help students understandthe personality required to be successful in a specific sales role?194. 2. Exploring Employee Engagement of Early CareerSalespeopleAccording to Gallup, employees who are engaged at work are higher performers, theyuse less healthcare and call out sick less. However, over 50% of current salespeople areactively looking for new jobs while they are at work.

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4. 3. The Impact of AI and Sales Technologies on SalesEducationAs artificial intelligence (AI) and sales technologies continue to revolutionize variousindustries, it becomes imperative to assess their impact on sales education. Thisresearch priority aims to investigate how integrating AI and sales technologies intosales education can enhance students' knowledge and practical experience with thesetools. Additionally, it seeks to prompt the engineering of innovative pedagogicalapproaches and anticipate the consequent shifts in sales practices. Moreover, ethicalconsiderations regarding the use of AI tools in the classroom and beyond are criticalaspects to be explored to ensure responsible and equitable integration.What are the best practices for effectively integrating AI technologies into saleseducation?What are the anticipated shifts in sales practices resulting from the widespread adoptionof AI technologies, and how do these changes affect job roles and skill requirements?What innovative pedagogical approaches can be engineered to leverage AI and salestechnologies for enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes in saleseducation?What guidelines and educational interventions are necessary to ensure the ethical use ofAI tools in sales education, and how can students be empowered to make responsibledecisions when utilizing these technologies in professional contexts?* This section has been written utilizing ChatGPT as a co-author.20What engages early career salespeople? What can organizations do to determine who is engaged? How can organizations increase the engagement of their salespeople?

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Selected Published Research from 2020-20232. Key Account ManagementHengstebeck, B. B., Kassemeier, R., & Wieseke, J. (2022). What comprises a successfulkey account manager? Differences in the drivers of sales performance between keyaccount managers and regular salespeople. Industrial Marketing Management, 106, 392-404. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2022.09.003 Peters, L., Ivens, B. S., & Pardo, C. (2020). Identification as a challenge in key accountmanagement: Conceptual foundations and a qualitative study. Industrial MarketingManagement, 90, 300-313.https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.07.020 Singh, R. P., Singh, R., & Mishra, P. (2021). Does managing customer accounts receivableimpact customer relationships, and sales performance? An empirical investigation.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 60, 102460.https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102460 1. Salesforce and Strategic PlanningChaker, N. N., Nowlin, E. L., Pivonka, M. T., Itani, O. S., & Agnihotri, R. (2022). Inside salessocial media use and its strategic implications for salesperson-customer digitalengagement and performance. Industrial Marketing Management, 100, 127-144.https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2021.10.006 Epler, R. T., Schmitt, L., Mathis, D., Leach, M., & Hochstein, B. (2023). Do salesforcemanagement systems actually drive salesperson intentions? Industrial MarketingManagement, 113, 42-57.https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2023.05.014Sharma, A., Rangarajan, D., & Paesbrugghe, B. (2020). Increasing resilience by creatingan adaptive salesforce. Industrial Marketing Management, 88, 238-246.https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.05.023Treen, E., & Yu, Y. (2022). Empathy and EGO-drive in the B2B salesforce: Impacts on jobsatisfaction. Industrial Marketing Management, 106, 270-278.https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2022.08.00124* This non-exhaustive list of published works were found in the following journals from 2020-2023: Journal ofMarketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer Research, Marketing Science, Journal of the Academyof Marketing Science, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Service Research, Journal of Personal Selling andSales Management, and International Journal of Research and Marketing.

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Selected Published Research from 2020-2023254. Digital SellingBongers, F. M., Schumann, J. H., & Schmitz, C. (2021). How the introduction of digitalsales channels affects salespeople in business-to-business contexts: a qualitativeinquiry. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 41(2), 150-166.https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2021.1906260Fischer, H., Seidenstricker, S., & Poeppelbuss, J. (2023). The triggers and consequencesof digital sales: a systematic literature review. Journal of Personal Selling & SalesManagement, 43(1), 5-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2022.2102029Good, V., Mangus, S. M., & Bolman Pullins, E. (2023). Salesperson rapport: a literaturereview and research agenda for an evolving digital sales process. Journal of PersonalSelling & Sales Management, 43(4), 245-269.https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2023.2236483Guenzi, P., & Nijssen, E. J. In search of digital solution sellers: the role of non-monetarymotivation and empowering leadership behaviors. Journal of Personal Selling & SalesManagement, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2024.23054963. Sales Function EffectivenessGuenzi, P., & Nijssen, E. J. In search of digital solution sellers: the role of non-monetarymotivation and empowering leadership behaviors. Journal of Personal Selling & SalesManagement, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2024.2305496Rapp, A., & Rapp, T. (2023). Team selling: a review, implications, and an agenda for salesteam research. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 43(4), 289-306.https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2023.2257391Vieira, V. A., Jones, E., Faia, V. d. S., Silva, J. D. d., & Negreiros, L. F. d. (2022). Themoderating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between control systems and salesperformance. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 42(2), 158-180.https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2022.2037435* This non-exhaustive list of published works were found in the following journals from 2020-2023: Journal ofMarketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer Research, Marketing Science, Journal of the Academyof Marketing Science, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Service Research, Journal of Personal Selling andSales Management, and International Journal of Research and Marketing.

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Selected Published Research from 2020-2023265. Salesperson EffectivenessBadrinarayanan, V., Gupta, A., & Chaker, N. N. (2020). The pull-to-stay effect: influence ofsales managers’ leadership worthiness on salesperson turnover intentions. Journal ofPersonal Selling & Sales Management, 41(1), 39-55.https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2020.1820347Delpechitre, D., Gupta, A., Zadeh, A. H., Lim, J. H., & Taylor, S. A. (2020). Toward a newperspective on salesperson success and motivation: a trifocal framework. Journal ofPersonal Selling & Sales Management, 40(4), 267-288.https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2020.1805748Oh, H., & Oh, J.-H. (2020). A wisdom-based salesforce development model: the role ofwisdom in salesforce training and well-being. Journal of Personal Selling & SalesManagement, 41(1), 70-82. https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2020.1845189Hoppner, Jessica J., Paul Mills and David A. Griffith (2021),” Navigating the Demands ofIncreasing Customer Participation Through Firm and Individual Job Resources,” IndustrialMarketing Management, 97(August), 173-182.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2021.07.003 6. Salesforce CompensationBowen, M., Haas, A., & Hofmann, I. Sales force financial compensation – a review andsynthesis of the literature. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 1-24.https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2023.2238905Habel, J., Alavi, S., & Linsenmayer, K. (2021). Variable Compensation and SalespersonHealth. Journal of Marketing, 85(3), 130-149. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022242921993195Pappas, A., Schrock, W., Samaraweera, M., & Bolander, W. (2023). A competitive path tocohesion: multilevel effects of competitiveness in the sales force. Journal of PersonalSelling & Sales Management, 43(3), 222-240.https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2023.2170237Waiser, R. (2020). Involving Sales Managers in Sales Force Compensation Design. Journalof Marketing Research, 58(1), 182-201. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022243720969174* This non-exhaustive list of published works were found in the following journals from 2020-2023: Journal ofMarketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer Research, Marketing Science, Journal of the Academyof Marketing Science, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Service Research, Journal of Personal Selling andSales Management, and International Journal of Research and Marketing.

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278. Sales in the Organizational FrontlineHughes, D. E., & Ogilvie, J. L. (2019). When Sales Becomes Service: The Evolution of theProfessional Selling Role and an Organic Model of Frontline Ambidexterity. Journal ofService Research, 23(1), 22-32. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670519878882Lindsey-Hall, K. K., Marti, C. L., Boylan, N. M., Baker, T. L., & Ogilvie, J. L. (2024). Frontlineambidexterity: a systematic review and future research agenda. Journal of PersonalSelling & Sales Management, 44(1), 50-73.https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2023.2263172Mittal, V., & Sridhar, S. (2020). Customer based execution and strategy: Enhancing therelevance & utilization of B2B scholarship in the C-suite. Industrial MarketingManagement, 88, 396-409.https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.05.036Mullins, R., & Agnihotri, R. (2022). Digital selling: organizational and managerialinfluences for frontline readiness and effectiveness. Journal of the Academy of MarketingScience, 50(4), 800-821. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-021-00836-57. Social Impact of SellingBarner, S., & Totzek, D. Social media in response to COVID-19: how increased socialmedia usage affects the performance of B2B salespeople in the “new normal”. Journalof Personal Selling & Sales Management, 1-16.https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2023.2243542Gabler, C. B., Landers, V. M., & Itani, O. S. (2023). Sustainability and professional sales: areview and future research agenda. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 43(4),336-353. https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2023.2244675Good, V., Pullins, E. B., & Rouziou, M. (2022). Persisting changes in sales due to globalpandemic challenges. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 42(4), 317-323.https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2022.2132399Lim, L. G., Tuli, K. R., & Grewal, R. (2020). Customer Satisfaction and Its Impact on theFuture Costs of Selling. Journal of Marketing, 84(4), 23-44.https://doi.org/10.1177/0022242920923307Selected Published Research from 2020-2023* This non-exhaustive list of published works were found in the following journals from 2020-2023: Journal ofMarketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer Research, Marketing Science, Journal of the Academyof Marketing Science, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Service Research, Journal of Personal Selling andSales Management, and International Journal of Research and Marketing.

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Research topics still understudied. 2.1. Aligning Interfirm and Intrafirm Key AccountManagement NetworksThere are multiple ways a firm can align their inter- and intra- networks to improve theprofitabiity of their Key Accounts.How does the interplay between these networks drive seller profitability?Do the structural or functional attributes of these networks have a greater effect on theprofitability of these accounts?2.2. Effect of Internal and External Collaboration on KeyAccountsCollaboration, both inside and outside of the firm, plays an important role insuccessfully managing key accounts and customers.How does collaboration increase the effectiveness of managing a large accountportfolio?What is the link between internal and external collaboration, and how does it affectbusiness relationships and key account performance?1.2. Interplay between Salesforce and the C-SuiteAn effective and profitable salesforce meets the goals and enacts the vision of acompany’s C-Suite executives.What strategies should executives use to manage and encourage salespeople to meet acompany’s goals and vision?28

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Research topics still understudied. 3.5. Sales Strategy EffectivenessAn effective sales strategy is the key foundation of a profitable salesforce.How can firms better measure, monitor, and evaluate their sales strategy?What is the link between an effective sales strategy and a profitable salesforce?295.4. Selling Innovation and SolutionsInnovators understand that developing new technology or a new idea is important, butwithout effectively selling it to customers, it means nothing. How can salespeople maintain a balance between tried-and-tested approaches andinnovated approaches to selling?3.1. Salesperson’s Intraorganizational RelationshipsOrganizations are most effective when all facets of the firm are working collectivelytowards the same goal. Salespeople should be concerned with knowing theircolleagues, as well as other aspects of the business.What is the most effective way to integrate salespeople into other aspects of thebusiness?How should the marketing and sales departments work together to increase sales?

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6.4. Pay-for-Performance Compensation ProgramsIn addition to concerns of managerial control and motivation, sales managementshould be concerned with their employees’ perceptions of the level of fairness ofcompensation plans. Perceptions of management fairness are key to salespeople’sacceptance of pay-for-performance compensation plans.How can firms better measure and monitor the fairness and validity of pay-for-performance compensation programs?5.5. Salesperson Effort and Emotional IntelligenceAchieving a firm’s success potential in sales is directly proportional to the emotionalintelligence of its salesforce. Competent salespeople understand why emotion isimportant and can make sense of how customers are responding to what they aresaying.What is the link between a salesperson’s emotional intelligence and performance?How does a firm improve the self-efficacy and awareness of its employees?Is the initial socialization process of new emplyees a key factor in increasing emotionalintelligence in the workplace?Is increasing motivation and empathy a critical factor in increasing emotionalintelligence?Research topics still understudied. 30

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8.1. Digital FrontlinesWithout committed frontline sales managers, no salesforce can ensure that the shift tomodern digital skills manifests into real action and profitability. .What is the most effective way for a sales organization to design branding, advertising,and sales media for digital frontlines?How is key account profitability affected by the introduction of digital sales channels? 7.1. Sales Management Control SystemsSales management control systems are designed to help align the activities ofsalespeople with the firm’s organizational objectives. The implementation and properuse of a comprehensive control system allows salespeople to fully understand theirpurpose and goals.How can firms better measure, monitor, and increase the effectiveness of their salesmanagement control systems?How does a firm go about creating, reviewing, and updating the processes andframeworks of its sales management control systems?Research topics still understudied. 31

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Dr. Rajdeep GrewalTownsend FamilyDistinguished Professorof MarketingUniversity of NorthCarolina at Chapel HillDr. Jagdip SinghProfessorCase Western ReserveUniversityDr. Detelina MarinovaSamuel M. WaltonDistinguished Professorof MarketingUniversity of Missouri -ColumbiaDr. Eli JonesProfessor of MarketingTexas A&M UniversityDr. Shrihari (Hari) SridharSenior Associate DeanTexas A&M UniversityDr. Huanhuan ShiAssistant Professor Texas A&M University33

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Dr. Yashar AtefiCo-Director, SalesLeadership CenterUniversity of DenverDr. Frank FuAssociate Professor ofMarketingUniversity of Missouri - St.LouisDr. Willy BolanderRader II Professor ofIndustrial DistributionTexas A&M UniversityAFFILIATE RESEARCH NETWORKDr. Bitty BalducciAssistant Professor ofMarketingWashington State UniversityDr. Raghuram BommarajuAssociate Professor ofMarketingIndian School of Business34Dr. David A. GriffithHallie Vanderhider Chairin BusinessTexas A&M University

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35Dr. Mahima HadaAssociate Professor /Director of MarketingAnalytics ProgramBaruch CollegeDr. Douglas E. HughesProfessor and Director ofUSF WAMI Center University of South FloridaDr. Colleen HarmelingPersis E. RockwoodAssociate Professor ofMarketing Florida State UniversityDr. Zach HallAssociate Professor ofMarketing / Director ofTCU Sales CenterTexas Christian UniversityDr. SebastianHohenbergFull Professor and Chairof DigitalTransformation University of TexasDr. Aditya GuptaAssistant Professor ofMarketingTexas State University

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Dr. Zhi LuAssociate Professor ofMarketing and Innovation University of VictoriaDr. Alok KumarSteve & Jennifer David Chairin Business and Professor ofMarketing University of Nebraska -LincolnDr. Justin LawrenceAssociate Professor Oklahoma StateUniversityDr. Son K. LamProfessor of Marketinga Chair in SalesManagementUniversity of GeorgiaDr. Ju-Yeon LeeAssociate Professor ofMarketing / FacultyFellowIowa State University36Dr. Vamsi KanuriAssociate Professor ofMarketing University of Notre Dame

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37Dr. Fred MiaoProfessor of Marketing &John Merrill EndowedProfessor in ConsultativeSalesUniversity of Texas at ArlingtonDr. Alok SabooAssociate Professor ofMarkeing / Director ofMS-Marketing Program Georgia State UniversityDr. Keith RichardsAssociate Professor ofMarketingBaylor UniversityDr. Ryan MullinsJ. Daniel and NancyGarrison DistinguishedProfessor Clemson UniversityDr. Olivier RubelProfessor of Marketing University of California,DavisDr. Stephanie MangusAssistant Professor OfMarketing, Center forProfessional SellingBaylor University

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Dr. Lisa ScheerProfessor of StrategicBusiness to BusinessManagement Karl-Franzens UniversityDr. Sarang SunderAssociate Professor andFaculty FellowIndiana UniversityDr. Huanhuan ShiAssistant ProfessorTexas A&M UniversityDr. Amalesh SharmaAssociate ProfessorTexas A&M UniversityDr. Sunil SinghAssistant Professor ofMarketingUniversity of Nebraska -Lincoln38Dr. Cinthia B. SatorninoAssistant Professor ofMarketing / ResearchDirector UNH SalesCenterUniversity of NewHampshire

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OUR RESEARCH PRIORITIES44The research vision of the Institute is based on three pillars: empowering seniorexecutives to make evidence-based decisions, creating world-class scholars whocan advance the frontiers of knowledge, and empowering the researchcommunity to collaborate and innovate. To achieve this vision, the 2020-2023research priorities enumerated eight key areas that covered a wide range ofquestions and challenges that the Chief Sales Officers are facing. These researchpriorities build on this framework and concentrate on four specific topics inresponse to the post-COVID-19 macroeconomic and societal shifts specific to theinterests of the Institute’s Research team.Thank you to the following faculty contributors: David Griffith, Eli Jones, Andrew Loring, Janet Parish, Huanhuan Shi, and Srihari Sridhar.Thank you to the following staff contributors: Jackson Comer, De’Ambra Harmon, TaylorHaynes, Johnna Melton, and Naomi Rockhold.Thank you to the faculty of the Department of Marketing at Mays Business School andthe Research Affiliates of the Reynolds and Reynolds SALES LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE fortheir review and feedback.

Research Priorities Document - 2024 Update

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