The role of salesperson motivation in sales control systems - Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation revisited

Although the sales control literature acknowledges the importance of salesperson's intrinsic and extrinsic (I/E) motivation due to their correlations with sales control and sales performance, the global nature of salesperson's I/E motivation inhibits a thorough understanding of motivation in the sales control context. This study expands the literature of salesperson motivation by incorporating the cognitive and affective components of I/E motivation in the sales control context. Empirical results from a survey of salespeople support the hypotheses that the cognitive and affective components of I/E motivation have distinct antecedents and consequences that would not otherwise have been captured by the global motivation constructs. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.