Predicting Salesperson Performance: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

This research note reviews the research, conceptual and empirical, done on the prediction of sales performance, which appeared in the literature between 1951 and 1985. Methodological problems, including restriction in range, lack of information on predictor and criterion reliabilities, lack of cross validation studies, and questionable generalizability of results to minority populations, all preclude conclusive evidence for determining whether any of the many variables investigated successfully predict sales performance, and if so, which ones. A systematic effort to identify and map multidimensional behavior performance relations is suggested. This could serve as a critical next step in enhancing prediction of sales performance. Keywords: Job performance; Criterion measurement; Personnel selection; Recruiters; Recruiting; Skills; Motivation; Personality.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1987
Accession Number
ADA181151

Entities

People

  • Ruth Kanfer
  • Walter C. Borman

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Applied Psychology
  • Business Administration
  • Classification
  • Climate Change
  • Commerce
  • Employment
  • Job Analysis
  • Literature
  • Management Personnel
  • Personality
  • Personnel Management
  • Personnel Selection
  • Psychological Tests
  • Psychology
  • Security
  • Social Sciences
  • Training

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Naval Personnel Management
  • Psychometric Testing or Psychological Assessment.
  • Theoretical Analysis.