International salesforce management: a relationship perspective

As world trade has expanded to over two trillion dollars in the past 20 years, the international environment with all its complexities has become the arena in which many sales managers must labor. However, the combination of diverse languages, dissimilar cultural heritages and remote geographic locations can create strong barriers to managing effective buyer‐seller relationships. Explores the uniqueness of international salesforce management. Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of employing international marketing intermediaries, as well as issues related to seller‐intermediary relationships. Follows with a section focusing on the company‐owned salesforce and more direct buyer‐seller relationships. Examines issues surrounding organizing the international salesforce and explores the unique aspects of managing the international salesforce in distant markets.