Positive Reinforcement: A Conditional Link to a Functional Salesforce Behaviour

Abstract

When salespeople are not performing up to standards, the challenge may not be to fire them, but rather help them become productive employees. Often these salespeople have received extensive training and correcting the problem may be less expensive than replacing them. The study is guided by Reinforcement Theory of Edward Thorndike, which suggests that behaviours that are rewarded tend to be repeated. A sample of 350 salespeople and managers in selected multinational firms in Nigeria was determined using a mean. The hypothesis was tested using the Multiple Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) statistics to obtain the results that give high F–values and P < 0.000, indicating that the results generated are not due to chance, thus are correct and significant. Also with F–square values that are at least 0.793, a very strong relationship exists between the research questions. Having adjusted r – square values that are at least 0.791, it is determined that at least 79.1% of change is caused by the independent variable. Based on this, the null hypothesis is rejected, suggesting that linking the desired outcomes of a Salesperson such as pay, praise or a promotion to the performance of functional behaviours  motivate a salesforce to perform the desired behaviours Whenever possible, managers should try to use positive reinforcement for salesforce behaviours they want to encourage. They should also try to reduce undesirable outcomes associated with the behaviours they wish salespeople to exhibit. It is crucial for managers to choose behaviours over which salespeople have control. In other words, salespersons must have the freedom and opportunity to perform the behaviours that are being reinforced. Also, it is crucial that these behaviours contribute to organizational effectiveness. It is recommended that sales managers distribute outcomes to salespeople based on their performance of desired behaviours; use positive reinforcement instead of negative reinforcement whenever possible; when feasible, use extinction rather than punishment to curtail dysfunctional behaviours; when punishment is necessary, focus on the behaviour, not the person, and downplay the emotional element, make sure that good performer models are available for others to imitate, especially when someone is new to the salesforce.

Keywords: Positive Reinforcement, Salesforce Behaviour, Multiple Analysis of Variance, Multinational Firms, Poor Performance, Unethical Behaviour, Undesirable Outcomes.