To be successful in today s turbulent business environment it is very important for a company to exhibit flexibility in its processes, activities and interfaces. Such a flexible approach enables firms to adapt and improvise in order to achieve the best possible outcomes. In spite of there being ample research on how to achieve flexibility in a variety of business process and activities, there remains little understanding on how flexibility in managing the use of resources reveals itself in intra-organisational interfaces. This thesis sheds more light on this issue and investigates flexibility specifically in the relational context of cross-functional interfaces. The importance of developing and investigating flexibility at the cross-functional relational interface is embedded in the recognition that the ability and willingness of departments to adapt and to accommodate deviations from original strategies through their cross-functional working is a critical factor for success. This research investigates flexibility at one such interface that is argued to be essential in achieving organisational success but that is characterised by conflict, lack of cooperation and distrust the Marketing and Sales interface. A literature review incorporating two broad literature streams; i.e., the Marketing and Sales cross-functional relationship literature and the literature on organisational flexibility helped develop a guiding definition of Marketing and Sales Interface Flexibility (MSIF). This definition was subsequently confirmed in the exploratory phase of the thesis, thereby providing a stronger conceptualisation of the MSIF phenomenon. The concept was found to be predicated on social exchange theory s view on the M&S exchange relationship as a dynamic process in which both continuously adapt to each other s needs through modification of their resources required to match those needs. Consequently, a theoretical model was developed. This model argues for an inverted U-shaped relationship between MSIF and business performance. According to this model, beyond certain optimal point MSIF may reduce business performance. Based on the empirical testing of the model via a survey of 229 UK-based business organisations no support was found for the inverted U-shaped relationship between MSIF and customer performance. Results of the empirical testing indicated that MSIF has an inverted U-shaped relationship with a firm s market performance. These results imply that a firm s market success is secured at lower levels of MSIF whereas further increases in investments in MSIF may, at some point, become detrimental to an organisation s market performance (i.e., market share and sales volume). Therefore, the findings suggest that managers should manage MSIF wisely, hold themselves from over-investing in MSIF and seek to find the optimal level which will provide the best market performance. On the other hand, MSIF was found to have a linear, positive relationship to customer performance indicating that higher levels of MSIF will secure more a satisfied and loyal customer base. The study also incorporates the contingency theory perspective and hypothesises the moderating effect of market dynamism on the MSIF - performance relationship. The results indicate that the value of MSIF for generating market performance decreases as technological turbulence in the market increases. Based on the social exchange theory the relationship between four socially constructed antecedents and MSIF are proposed. The findings highlight the positive impact of, (1) trust in the Marketing and Sales relationship, and (2) rules and norms of social exchange between Marketing and Sales as reflected in compatible goals and joint rewards on MSIF. However, resource dependence asymmetry is found to be negatively related to MSIF suggesting that a misbalanced resource dependency between the two will hamper MSIF. The theoretical and practical implications of the study findings are subsequently presented along with an acknowledgment of the study s limitations and proposed future research to further explore this important area.

Today’s organisation competes in a fast-moving global marketplace. With technological developments, global communications and demanding customers driving increased competition in most sectors, organisations cannot afford to stand still for long (Holbeche, 2004:32). They exist only when their products and services are sold, and salespeople are usually one of the most important elements of making this happen. Organisations’ fiscal health depends on their ability to drive revenue, but without mastering sales management, revenue can quickly decline. Salespeople need to concentrate on sales, not on responsibilities that pull them in different directions (Bailor, 2004:53). According to Clarke (1998:29), for any company to succeed, the various departments must co-ordinate their efforts and work together. The sales team relies on other departments for support; without sales every other department is worthless. The method of selling has also changed and the days of salespeople carrying briefcases overstuffed with brochures and knocking on every door they can find to drum up interest in their organisations’ products are waning. Today’s professional salespeople co-ordinate the resources of their companies to help solve customers’ problems (Weitz et al, 2004:5). For organisations to succeed in this new environment the right organisational climate is vital to create high performance. This is about making the most of employee talents and accountabilities, and managing performance in ways which unleash, rather than constrain, employee potential (Holbeche, 2004:32). 2 The Long Term Insurance Industry in South Africa had to deal with the changing environment and the introduction of the Financial Advisor Intermediary Service Act of 2002 (FAIS). The traditional principles of successful sales are being challenged in a changing South African insurance industry. Sales managers must rethink their philosophies as the Financial Advisory Intermediary Act (37/2002) regulates the rendering of certain financial advisory and intermediary services to clients and provides for matters incidental thereto. Sales managers can no longer simply motivate financial advisors to achieve targets but should also ensure that all new business is compliant and falls within the new legislation. According to Natenberg (2004:1), sales managers must have a purpose to cope with the added challenges and demands because success comes from purpose. Until a sales manager or financial advisor recognises what needs to be accomplished, there will be a lack of motivation necessary to accomplish anything. Financial advisors burn out easily because they cannot visualise the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Everyone wants a driven, highperformance sales team. However, not all sales leaders know how to achieve that. The problem could be motivation. Many sales managers see money as the answer to their motivational problem but money is not everything. For all their commitment to keep salespeople inspired, sales managers would do well to stop and consider the simple things their financial advisors desire. Only then might sales managers be able to craft programmes or work situations in which sales people can thrive (Gilbert, 2003:30). “Too often people let life pass them by. They try hard to achieve something, but when they do, they ask, “Is this all there is to it?” That is because they never 3 take a moment to enjoy how monumental their achievements are. When you accomplish what you set out to do, be proud” (Natenberg, 2004:1). / Prof. Chris Jooste

There is a lack of academic research on sales teams, despite team selling becoming more prominent in recent years. Particularly in Inside Sales, there is a lack of clarity as to what are the drivers of optimum team-based selling and their degree of effect on sales performance. We utilize a team-based approach that aims to study the characteristics of Inside Sales teams and their interactions with business leads, using data from a well-reputed leads management software vendor. Based on prior team-based constructs in the literature, we built a framework that posits Quality of Team Composition, Task Utility and Intra-team Coordination leading to different categories of sales performance at various stages of the sales pipeline via their reflective variables. We tested our conceptual model in the following fashion: first, we used text mining on sales results to classify the different stages of the sales pipeline. Following that, we measured the conversion ratio at each stage as appropriate. Next, we discretized each conversion ratio into three levels of performance groups. The outcome variables in the model are different categories of team performance at each stage of the sales pipeline. Subsequently, we used multinomial logistic regression to regress our outcome variables on our team-based predictor variables in the hopes of establishing and validating important drivers for nuanced Inside Sales success. We uncovered new insight regarding team-selling best practices, using pre-identified constructs from the literature which are uniquely suited to teams and also constructs which are aggregated at a team level from an individual level. Our study is especially relevant to the Inside Sales process, as the outcome measures relate to the sales pipeline. Our main finding was that in there is a difference in skills required at different stages of the sales pipeline, in that more customization and experience is needed at the more advanced stages, whereas more repetition of activity is needed at the beginner stages. We also found that smaller team sizes tend to do better in Inside Sales, which was an unsettled research question in team research with plenty of evidence in favor of both smaller and bigger teams. Additionally, even if it was not a primary goal of our study, by virtue of classifying the leads by their final outcomes, we stumbled across an interesting finding, which is that an overwhelming majority of the sales leads tend to stay at one stage in their entire lifecycle. The implications of all our findings are very relevant to both practitioners and researchers of Inside Sales who are interested in team-based sales optimization. More research should be done in the field of Industrial Marketing, building upon what we found to be true for the B2B sector.

by Fung Hon Yue. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1978. / Bibliography: leaf [70]

by Wong Ming-kuen. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1991. / Bibliography: leaves 47-48. / INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / PURPOSE OF STUDY --- p.3 / Objective --- p.3 / Hypothesis --- p.3 / Definition of Consumer Product --- p.3 / LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.4 / METHODOLOGY --- p.11 / Literature Survey --- p.11 / Field Trip --- p.11 / Screening Telephone Interview --- p.12 / Structured Questionnaire --- p.12 / Additional Open-ended Questions --- p.14 / Design of Questionnaire --- p.15 / RESEARCH FINDINGS --- p.19 / Sample Profile --- p.19 / Importance of Marketing Elements --- p.21 / Effectiveness of Advertising and Promotion --- p.23 / Trade-Off among Advertising Tools --- p.24 / Different Promotion Activities --- p.27 / SUMMARY --- p.31 / Appendix --- p.32 / Biblography --- p.47

by Ko Chi Ping, Lai Kwok Lun & Ng Wai Pun. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1989. / Bibliography: leaves 86-90.

Thesis (M. Ph.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong. / Bibliography: l. 216-224.

This thesis was written as part of a Master of Science Degree in Strategic Entrepreneurship for International Growth and International Marketing. Aligned with the nature of the degree, this study aims to share useful insights to managers and marketers whom are looking into innovating their business by adopting an inbound strategy. This thesis researches a modern topic within business: inbound marketing. It aims to comprehend how the implementation of an effective inbound strategy drives sales growth, by understanding the effects that inbound has over the B2B buying and selling process. The study considers the newly presented changes within the European general data protection regulation and emphasizes the relevance of an inbound strategy. An in-depth study of existing theories and exploratory primary data was conducted in order to attain these objectives. Due to restricted existence of scientific theories within the topic, this study developed an original cohesive relationship model integrating inbound marketing to the B2B buying and selling process. This model served as a theoretical framework for the conduction of this research. The exploratory research was characterized by interviewing a number of experts within the field. Those experts provided indispensable insights regarding the phenomenon in focus, which in combination with the theoretical framework allowed for the completion of this study’s analysis. The focus was to understand the impact that the implementation of an inbound strategy had over business and how such impact led to an increase in sales. The results indicate that when effectively implemented by suitable companies, an inbound marketing strategy is relevant in acquiring potential customers at the right stage of the buyer’s journey and therefore driving a noticeable increase in sales.

The thesis investigates contemporary sexual cultures through the lens of British women's experiences of buying and using sexual commodities. Sexual consumer culture offers women a comprehensive programme of what Foucault calls ‘technologies of the self': a language, set of knowledge, and field of expertise through which the sexual self learns to articulate itself in order to become intelligible. Consuming and using sexual products to achieve ‘better' sex and construct a knowledgeable and ‘confident' sexual identity form a key part of the neoliberal project of the sexual self. Sex shopping culture reproduces a ‘postfeminist sensibility' (Gill, 2007), representing a ‘double entanglement' (McRobbie, 2009) with feminism by inciting and requiring women to construct and perform their sexualities through a narrow depoliticised discourse of sexual ‘choice', ‘empowerment', and consumerism. The thesis draws upon data from 22 one-to-one semi-structured interviews and 7 accompanied shopping trips to sex shops. A central contention of the analysis is that women use a diverse range of discursive, embodied and everyday strategies in order to ‘make do' with the kinds of femininity and female sexuality that sex shop culture represents (de Certeau, 1998). The thesis investigates three key spheres of social and everyday life at which sexual consumer culture is negotiated: spaces (the location, layout and experience of sex shops); bodies (the forms of bodily ‘becoming' offered by wearing lingerie in sexual contexts); and objects (using sex toys and the enabling and disabling of possibilities for sexual pleasures and practices). Each section demonstrates the constraints, anxieties and potential pleasures of constructing sexual identities in and through neoliberal and postfeminist consumer culture, whilst at the same time exploring the potential for contradiction, negotiation and resistance evidenced in the multiple ways in which women take up the sexual identities and practices offered by sex shopping.

The purpose of this study was to assess satisfaction with the season ticket selling process administered by a minor league baseball franchise. Minor league sport organizations rely heavily on season ticket sales and retention, therefore, knowing the perceptions of consumers gives organizations an opportunity to fulfill consumer needs. Respondents (N=615) to a consumer satisfaction survey included season (N=365) and non-season (N=250) ticket holders of a southern Triple-A baseball team. Results indicate ineffective television and radio advertisements, favorable experience with the purchasing process, fair and appropriate price, consumer ticket use related to perceived team connection, and repurchase intention was not based on club’s win-loss. Future investigations should distinguish if perceptions change longitudinally when managers attempt to address consumer needs.