Abstract

Drawing on the institutional logics perspective and evidence from 21 first wave and 11 second wave interviews with sales professionals, we offer a framework of salesperson responses to changes occurring in the sales field due to COVID-19. We find that salespeople acknowledge that the pandemic could lead to a new dominant logic (i.e., belief systems, principles, unwritten rules, and practices that guide behavior of sales professionals across the field) that differs from the previous logic. Consistent with the institutional logics perspective, we find support that salespeople choose to either (1) defy the new logic, (2) comply with the new logic, or (3) blend both new and old approaches. We find that the extent and nature to which salespeople change their behavior(s) to align with a new logic can be explained by whether they cast the disruption as a demand or an opportunity. However, factors including organizational support and salesperson perceptions of their own capabilities may serve as a buffer when disruptions are perceived as new job demands. We also find that early career salespeople are more likely to accept new logics.

摘要

借鉴制度逻辑的观点和来自 21 次第一波和 11 次第二波销售专业人士访谈的证据，我们提供了一个销售人员应对 COVID-19 导致销售领域发生的变化的框架。我们发现，销售人员承认，这种流行病可能会导致一种新的主​​导逻辑（即，指导该领域销售专业人员行为的信念体系、原则、不成文规则和实践），这与以前的逻辑不同。与制度逻辑的观点一致，我们发现支持销售人员选择 (1) 违抗新逻辑，(2) 遵守新逻辑，或 (3) 混合新旧方法。我们发现，销售人员改变行为以符合新逻辑的程度和性质可以通过他们将中断视为需求还是机会来解释。然而，当中断被视为新的工作需求时，包括组织支持和销售人员对其自身能力的看法在内的因素可能会起到缓冲作用。我们还发现，早期职业销售人员更有可能接受新逻辑。