Research Centre

Credible research is the foundation of the Journal’s approach to understanding what works and what doesn’t in sales. Most importantly, it tells us why. Here you’ll find the latest research from academic institutions, top consultancies and industry sales leaders – including the Journal’s own specially commissioned research – interpreted from a business perspective.

MCKINSEY ANALYSIS OF THE TOP 1,000 US AND EUROPEAN COMPANIES

July 1st, 2015 by

MCKINSEY ANALYSIS OF THE TOP 1,000 US… 


Performance potential in the global talent pool

April 12th, 2015 by

A sophisticated self-administered online assessment of hundreds of individuals around the world provides us with a snapshot of the global sales profession. Although salespeople tend to be lumped together in one group, sales is not a generic, one-size-fits-all activity; selling can actually be divided into various distinct roles, so it is important to hire and develop the right person for… 


Big data just got useful

April 11th, 2015 by

From online shopping outfits to industrial conglomerates, airlines to pharmaceutical companies, businesses of all shapes and sizes are tapping into the immense resource that is business intelligence. No more do companies have to rely on out-of-date information on which to base key business decisions. Casey Stengel, the 1950s American Major League Baseball outfielder, famously said: “Never make predictions, especially about… 


2015 Q2 Research Review – edited by Jeremy Noad

April 11th, 2015 by

These pages aim to keep readers informed of recent published research on sales-related topics, by including abstracts of a selection of peer-reviewed academic material published in a range of journals. We have grouped them in the following broad themes: sales performance; customer management; capability development; behavioural studies; leadership; and systems and processes. Sales Performance “Salespeople as knowledge brokers: a review… 


Re-imagining the hiring process to support growth aspirations

April 11th, 2015 by

As part of his SAP Masters programme, Paul Devlin is exploring how sales transformation can be implemented within his team and wider organisation. Here, he discusses how he has used reflection, “action research” and “appreciative inquiry” to enhance the sales recruitment process.   Current situation I lead a sales team of 18. The SAP MENA teams and my annual growth… 


From KAM to commission

April 11th, 2015 by

Beth Rogers leafs through some recent Masters dissertations to see what has been exercising the minds of sales managers. One of the joys of running a course such as a top-up Masters programme for sales managers is that their learning is applied to their company, and both tutor and student can see the potential impact. One of the downsides is… 


US companies annual spend on sales efforts

April 7th, 2015 by

US companies spend, annually, on sales efforts…