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Chapter 17 - Personal Selling and Sales Management
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Chapter 17 – Personal Selling and Sales Management
Teaching Objectives
The problems of managing marketing and sales personnel in global markets is the focus of this chapter.
The unique qualities of American management thinking are contrasted with the variety of cultural
contexts in which American executives must operate around the world. The teaching objectives are:
1) Understanding the crucial role of interpersonal selling in international marketing.
2) Accounting for cultural and other differences in designing an international sales force.
3) Understanding the nuances of recruiting, selecting, evaluating, and motivating international sales
representatives.
4) How to design training programs and compensation systems for international employees.
5) How to prepare Americans for assignments abroad.
6) The important characteristics of the global manager of the 21st century.
Comments and Suggestions
1. One of the key themes of this chapter is well represented in Exhibit 17-3, that is, Japan is the toughest
market for American firms. More adjustments have to me made in sales force management there than
in any other single country. Case 4-4 (National Office Machines) works quite well to make the
differences between the American and Japanese business systems quite clear.
2. A useful homework assignment is asking students to interview a local foreign executive asking
questions about his/her foreign company prepared them for the overseas assignment.
3. A class discussion might be organized around students from other countries (or American students
who have lived in other countries) talking about what aspects of cultural adjustment were most
difficult when coming to the States.
Lecture Outline
I. Designing the Sales Force
II. Recruiting Sales and Marketing Personnel
A. Expatriates
B. Local Nationals
C. Third-Country Nationals
D. Host Country Restrictions
III. Selection of Sales and Marketing Personnel
IV. Training for International Marketers
V. Motivating Sales Personnel
VI. Designing Compensations Systems
A. For Expatriates
B. For A Global Sales Force
VII. Evaluating and Controlling Sales Representatives
Chapter 17 - Personal Selling and Sales Management
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VIII. Preparing U.S. Personnel for Foreign Assignments
A. Overcoming Reluctance to Accept a Foreign Assignment
B. Reducing the Rate of Early Returns
C. Successful Expatriate Repatriation
IX. Developing Cultural Awareness
X. The Changing Profile of the Global Manager
XI. Foreign Language Skills
Discussion Questions
1.
Define:
Relationship marketing
TCN
Expatriate
Work Councils
Local nationals
Repatriation
Separation allowance
2. Why may it be difficult to adhere to set job criteria in selecting foreign personnel? What
compensating actions might be necessary?
3. Why do the global sales force cause special compensation problems? Suggest some alternate
solutions.
4. Under what circumstances should expatriate salespeople be utilized?
5. Discuss the problems which might be encountered in having an expatriate sales manager supervising
foreign salespeople.
6. “To some extent, the exigencies of the manpower situation will dictate the approach to overseas sales
organization.” Discuss.
Chapter 17 - Personal Selling and Sales Management
7. How do legal factors affect international sales management?
8. How does the sales force relate to company organization? To channels of distribution?
9. “It is costly to maintain an international sales force.” Comment.
It is certainly more expensive to maintain an international sales force than a domestic sales force
10. Adaptability and maturity are traits needed by all salespeople. Why should they be singled out as
especially important for international salespeople?
11. Can a person develop good cultural skills?
12. Describe the six attributes of a person with good cultural skills.
Someone with cultural skills can: (1) communicate respect and convey verbally and nonverbally a
positive regard and sincere interest in people and their culture; (2) tolerate ambiguity and cope with
13. Interview a local company which has a foreign sales operation. Draw an organization chart for the
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14. Evaluate the three major sources of multinational manpower.
Expatriates—declining in importance as foreign nationals are found to fill marketing positions. The
cost of an expatriate is often much greater than a foreign national. The advantages of the expatriate
are more adequate technical training, better knowledge of the firm and its product, and often better
15. Which factors complicate the task of motivating the foreign sales force?
16. Why do companies include an evaluation of their employees’ families among selection criteria?
17. Concern for career and family is the most frequently mentioned reason for managers to refuse a
foreign assignment. Why?
Chapter 17 - Personal Selling and Sales Management
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18. Discuss and give examples why returning U.S. expatriates are dissatisfied. How can these problems
be overcome?
19. If “the language of international business is English,” why is it important to develop a skill in a
foreign language? Discuss.
Chapter 17 - Personal Selling and Sales Management
20. The global manager of the year 2025 will have to meet many new challenges. Draw up a sample
resume for someone who could be considered for a top-level executive position in a global firm.
leaders will be governed by increasing international competition, the globalization of companies,
technology, demographic shifts, and the speed of overall change.
While this description of tomorrow’s business leaders is speculative, there is mounting evidence that
the route to the top for tomorrow’s executives will be different from today’s. A Whirlpool
