How can we distinguish ethical salespeople from those who are not?: Implications for the salespeople selection and training process

• Main Authors: Sergio Román Nicolás, Rocío Rodríguez Herrera
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU) 2011-12-01
• Series: Management Letters/Cuadernos de Gestión
• Subjects: ethically questionable sales behaviors; demographic variables; personality variables; sales people selection; salespeople training
• Online Access: http://www.ehu.es/cuadernosdegestion/revista/index.php/en/numeros?a=da&y=2011&v=11&n=3&o=5

Nowadays organizations need to improve the image of their salespeople since they are aware of the influence of salespeople behaviors on the success or failure of the company as well as the bad image that society has traditionally had about the sales function, due in part to the use of sales ethically questionable practices. This article aims to analyze the effect of certain demographic variables (gender, formation and age) and personality traits (machiavellianism and materialism) on salespeople's evaluations of sales ethically questionable behaviors. Student t-test of difference of means is used on sample of 199 salespeople. The results reveal that all the variables considered, but gender, influenced a salesperson's ethical judgments. The key implications for the sales selection and training activities are discussed at the end of the article.