The potential influence of organizational and personal variables on customer‐oriented selling

Recent research investigating customer‐oriented selling has indicated that greater attention needs to be focused on organizational or personal antecedents influencing customer‐oriented selling behaviors. Similar to most other departments, a selling department’s environment would include its goals, objectives, and culture, as well as the behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes of top and middle management. Through its corporate culture and environment, the organization’s expectations and requirements are transmitted to its employees, who then implement the organization’s policies and carry out organizational strategies. Therefore, it is apparent that both individual internal environment perceptions and managerial leadership styles could possibly have a significant impact on the level of customer‐oriented selling behavior exhibited by salespeople. Three organizational or personal variables likely related to customer‐oriented selling are examined in the present study. The variables include sales manager leadership style, psychological climate, and empowerment. Each of the variables, and an explanation of its expected relationship with customer‐oriented selling, is explored. Implications for managers from these potential relationships are also provided.