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THE IMPACT OF SUPERVISION OF SALESMEN ON SALES VOLUME

ABSTRACT

This study aimed at the impact of supervision of salesmen on a sales volume a case study of Eternit Nigeria Plc, Sapele. Supervision is a functional problem in most organizations, because most workers do not want to be controlled or supervised. The problem such as lateness to work, absence from duty, laziness of workers and pride hinder effectiveness of employee. Questionnaire and personal observation was used in the collection of data. Chi-square and simple percentage method was used to analyze data and the formulated hypothesis the results show that; there is significant relationship between supervision of salesmen and sales volume. Therefore for management should make every effort to supervise salesmen because it will make them do their best and increase their performance. 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background to the study

Companies need to generate adequate amounts of revenue to sustain the organization-specific processes. As well, revenue is needed for the organization to have the proper resources for developing and innovating new products, services and offerings in general. But how does an organization generate revenue? The sales function in the organization is commonly held responsible for the acquisition of sales revenue. Thus, companies generate revenue through their sales function. The sales function typically consists of salespeople working in a sales organization. Superiors, who are commonly addressed as sales managers or sales directors, manage these sales organizations. This combination of salespeople and sales managers is therefore the core of an organization’s survival. Thus it is the interest of this research to show how sales managers can manage and affect salespeople in a way that yields the highest performance from the sales organization and ultimately, the entire organization.

The relationship between sales management and performance can be studied from many different angles. This research narrows down on the concept and introduces the theory of sales force control systems (Anderson and Oliver 1987). Sales force control systems have gained a growing interest in the world of academics in the last few years (Baldauf et al. 2005; Renfors 2013). However, even though the topic has gained attention, there is yet to be a fully established, unified view of sales force control systems (Baldauf et al. 2005; Renfors 2013) Several scholars have made forceful arguments that organizations ultimately learn through their individual members and are, therefore, directly affected by individual learning (e.g., Argyris and Schon 1978). Understanding individual learning has assumed greater importance because it now is recognized as an important source of competitive advantage, both in the short and the long run. Some scholars even argue that the accumulated knowledge and learning of individual organizational members is an organization's only source of sustainable competitive advantage. However, little research exists on antecedents to individual learning, even though prior research suggests that people vary in their desire to learn. Correspondingly, our understanding of how managers can spark, shape, and elevate learning of organizational members is, at best, limited. In this article, we focus on individual salespeople and explore factors related to their interest in learning.

The recent work of Sujan, Weitz, and Kumar (1994) brings into sharp focus two distinct goal orientations of salespeople: learning and performance. Salespeople with a learning orientation have a strong desire to improve and master their selling skills and abilities continually and view achievement situations as opportunities to improve their competence (Dweck and Leggett 1988). In contrast, salespeople with a performance orientation focus on performing well because they see good performance as a means to obtaining extrinsic rewards from others (e.g., supervisors). Persons with a performance orientation are concerned with being judged able and showing evidence of ability by being successful (Ames and Archer 1988). Learning and performance orientations are not the opposite ends of a continuum; rather, these represent two distinct dimensions, and a salesperson can have both high learning and high performance orientation Most of the research can be recognized to stem from two views.

The first one recognizes that there are two main forms of control, behavior vs. output orientation. 7 This was the consequence of a 1987 study by Anderson and Oliver (Anderson and Oliver 1987). The second view was established in 1988 by Jaworski, which recognized control as being formal vs. informal (Jaworski 1988). Later on, however, Oliver and Anderson continued their work to study sales force control systems as hybrid systems (Oliver and Anderson 1995), rather than the traditional dichotomist view of previous research. These are the most popular conceptions of sales force control systems, and as there are multiple views of the types and forms of control (as explained in more detail in the theoretical background section of this research), there is room for supplementary and expanded research. Sales force control systems have different conceptualizations. Further on, when the relationship between sales force control systems and salesperson performance is evaluated, the distinction of how control affects performance becomes even more complex. There have been extensive studies about sales force control systems, ranging from managerial perspectives to salesperson perspective, different settings and methodologies. The subject has been researched extensively (Anderson and Oliver 1987; Jaworski 1988; Cravens et al. 1993; Oliver and Anderson 1994; Babakus et al. 1996; Challagalla and Shervani 1996; Kohli et al. 1998; Piercy et al. 1999; Baldauf et al. 2005; Theodosioua and Katsikea 2007; Evans et al. 2007; Piercy et al. 2012; Miao and Evans 2012a; Flaherty et al. 2014).

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Sales force management in small businesses in Nigeria typically experience problems in the areas of motivation and supervision. This is especially true when the sales management system is not yet well developed. Salesmen usually work to reach the minimum targets only, and they are hardly motivated to performing well. On the other hand, the companies are unable to supervise the salesmen effectively. In addition, some salesmen handle "private-business" outside, which may severely jeopardize the business of the company. it is against this backdrop that the researcher intends to investigate the impact of supervision of salesmen on sales volume.

1.3   OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of the study is to ascertain the impact of supervision of salesmen supervision on sales volume. In other to aid the successful completion of the study the researcher intends to achieve the following specific objectives;

i)  To ascertain the effect of sales supervision on the sales volume of the organization.

ii)  To examine the effect of salesmen supervision on sales volume

iii) To ascertain if there is any significant relationship between salesmen supervision and sales volume

iv) To evaluate the role of sales supervisor in increasing the sales volume of the sales force in an organization

1.4   RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

To aid the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;

H0:  sales supervision has no significant effect on the sales volume of an organization

H1: sales supervision has a significant effect on the sales volume of an organization

H02: there is no significant relationship between salesmen supervision and sales volume

H2: there is a significant relationship between salesmen supervision and sales volume

1.5   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great importance to sales managers of manufacturing organizations and sales outlet, as the study seek to explore the effect of salesmen supervision on the sales volume of the organization, the study will also be of great benefit to the salesmen, as the study tend to enumerate the merit of supervision on the performance of the sales personnel. the study will also be beneficial to researchers who intend to embark on a research in a similar topic as the study will serve as a reference point for further study, finally the study will be of great importance to academia’s , teachers, students, lecturers and the general public as the study will add to the pool of existing literature on the subject matter.

1.6  SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers the impact of supervision of salesmen on sale volume. But in the cause of the study, there were some factor which militate against the scope of the study;

Time factor: time was not on the researchers to consult various sectors of the economy to review employees or given out questionnaire to various institutions on the effect of government revenue policies.

Finance: this is another barrier that limited the researcher’s work.

Availability of research materials: material for this work is not readily available as the researcher has to go to the field and source for materials.

1.7   OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Sales: Sales is activity related to selling or the amount of goods or services sold in a given time period

Salesmen: a man whose job involves selling or promoting commercial products, either in a shop or visiting locations to get orders

Supervisor:A supervisor, when the meaning sought is similar to foreman, foreperson, overseer, cell coach, manager, facilitator, monitor, or area coordinator, is the job title of a low level management position.

1.8   ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows  Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study its based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.

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