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A Multiobjective Approach and Empirical Application of Sales‐Organization Design
Author(s) -
Mahajan Jayashree,
Vakharia Asoo J.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
decision sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.238
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1540-5915
pISSN - 0011-7315
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-5915.1990.tb00338.x
Subject(s) - situational ethics , contingency theory , computer science , sales management , organizational architecture , contingency , function (biology) , organizational structure , control (management) , operations research , process management , business , marketing , knowledge management , economics , mathematics , management , artificial intelligence , linguistics , philosophy , evolutionary biology , political science , law , biology
This paper addresses the critical issue of determining the appropriate structural design of a sales organization. We propose a new approach for organizing the selling function using multiobjective modeling techniques. The proposed approach considers the situational characteristics under which the sales organization operates, trade‐offs among multiple sales‐effectiveness criteria, and the “fit” between the situational characteristics and the structural dimensions (i.e., the structure‐contingency relationships). Using data collected from sales branches of brokerage firms, we develop appropriate structural designs for a sales organization using the proposed procedure. The paper concludes by outlining the various decision‐making implications of the approach.