Learning Orientation, Working Smart, and Effective Selling

TLDR

Learning and performance goal orientations guide salespeople’s behavior and are linked to working smart—developing and applying sales knowledge—and working hard. The study shows that a learning goal orientation drives both working smart and hard, whereas a performance goal orientation drives only hard work; supervisory feedback can modify these orientations, and self‑efficacy moderates some of their effects.

Abstract

Learning and performance goal orientations, two motivational orientations that guide salespeople's behavior, are related to working smart and hard. Working smart is defined as the engagement in activities that serve to develop knowledge of sales situations and utilize this knowledge in selling behavior. It is found that a learning goal orientation motivates working both smart and hard, whereas a performance goal orientation motivates only working hard. The goal orientations also are found to be alterable through supervisory feedback. Furthermore, self-efficacy, salespeople's confidence in their overall selling abilities, is found to moderate some of the relationships with the goal orientations.