We invite researchers and scholars to contribute to academic discourse on the evolving landscape of sales management and personal selling in the era of data-driven decision-making and the pervasive use of new digital information technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). This call for papers aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of the competences required from both management and leadership perspectives to effectively navigate the complexities of multichannel, hybrid, and data-utilized commercial activities within globally operating sales organizations.
The rapid integration of AI, such as ChatGPT, into marketing and sales practices has ushered in novel approaches to managing all touchpoints along buyers’ purchase journeys and the sales funnel. Additionally, the adoption of data-driven sales organizations, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and other AI-enabled tools has shown promise in attributing success to diverse marketing and sales force efforts. However, numerous uncertainties persist in the deployment of resources towards optimizing sales force productivity. Hence, we seek theoretical and empirical research contributions that address the aforementioned issues and provide valuable insights into evolving sales force productivity challenges.
We encourage submissions exploring innovative tools, models, metrics, analytics, and methodologies to facilitate strategic decision-making and guide sales force management practices in a sustainable manner. We particularly welcome studies conducted in both business-to-business (B2B) environments and retailing contexts, as they offer distinct perspectives on sales force dynamics.
We encourage submissions of abstracts on a wide range of topics – conceptual, methodological, empirical – in sales management and personal selling (see below). Submissions that provide valuable insights for practitioners or stimulate idea generation for new research will be given priority. Abstract submissions should not exceed two double-spaced pages. The deadline to submit your abstract is January 26, 2024. Abstracts which arrive by this deadline will be peer reviewed and authors of the papers that are accepted for presentation at the Conference will be informed by March 12, 2024. Abstracts should be emailed to the conference coordinator: salesconf@tuni.fi
We welcome rigorous research papers, empirical studies, conceptual frameworks, and case studies that shed light on the complexities and nuances of sales force productivity in the context of AI, data, and multichannel management. Submissions should contribute to theory development, provide practical implications for sales practitioners, and offer novel insights to advance academic knowledge in this field.
Potential topics for submission include, but are not limited to:
- The role of AI and data-driven practices in sales force management and its impact on sales performance.
- Leveraging data analytics and CRM systems to optimize customer interactions and sales outcomes.
- Multichannel management strategies and their influence on sales force productivity.
- New selling strategies in the digital age.
- Sales force motivation, well-being, training, and performance.
- Enhancing sales force productivity through innovative incentive structures and compensation models.
- Customer experience and customer journeys in the digital age.
- Developing sustainable sales force management strategies amidst technological advancements.
- Cognition and mental models in sales management.