The Influence of Salesperson Motivation and Role Perception: An Empirical Analysis

This paper empirically examines the effects of salesperson type on motivation components (intrinsic and extrinsic) and role perception (role ambiguity and role conflict). Industrial salespeople are divided into: ( 1) institutionalized stars, (2) lone wolves, (3) corporate citizens, and (4) apathetic salespersons. The results of this study indicate that, except role conflict, motivation components and role ambiguity are significantly related to the salesperson types. Implications for managers and future research are also presented.