Transforming Selling: Why It Is Time to Think Differently About Sales Research

Abstract

The authors acknowledge the history of the Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, contributions of JPSSM editors, and growth in university-based selling centers, indicators of the maturation of the sales field. The field, though, is challenged by boundaries that limit understanding of important research questions; therefore, they propose transforming the current definition of selling to account for growth in knowledge, changes in the sales function, and impact of technology on the sales process. The proposed definition of sales is the phenomenon of human-driven interaction between and within individuals/organizations in order to bring about economic exchange within a value-creation context. By taking the perspective of the customer's value-creation process, the authors challenge scholars to consider the industry context in which sales is occurring as well as the language and metaphors used in selling and sales research.