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I'm very confident of the academic quality of the citations/abstracts I provided. By limiting my google searches to "edu" sites I was able to avoid the self-serving commercial misinformation found on "com" sites. The last four abstracts I provided were located in an online database that indexes academic publications focusing on business/economic/marketing research. If you want only peer reviewed academic articles you're in a a jam. There doesn't appear to be much out there. Two that are peer reviewed are included here:
Tadepalli, Raghu. Measuring customer orientation of a salesperson:Modifications of the SOCO scale.Psychology & Marketing, May95, Vol. 12 Issue 3, p177, 11p, 2 charts
Abstract:
Addresses the modifications made to the Michaels and Day version of the SOCO (selling orientation customer orientation) scale. Unidimensionality of the scale; Confirmatory factor analysis program; Reliability of the scale; Assessment of convergent and discriminant validity;Buyer's perception of salespeople; Assessment of long term aspects of a salesperson's performance.
(included in first answer)
Marks, Ronald; Vorhies, Douglas W. A psychometric evaluation of the ADAPTS scale: A critique and recommendations. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, Fall96, Vol. 16 Issue 4, p53, 13p, 6 charts, 1 diagram.
Abstract:
Outlines a method of improving the psychometric properties of the adaptive selling scale (ADAPTS). Lack of unidimensionality; Utilization of ADAPTS as predictor of salesperson performance; Improvements for ADAPTS; Presentation of confirmatory factor models; Validity of the two-factor adaptive selling model
Have your librarian run some searches for you to verify the cites. The search keywords I used were ""sales personnel AND ability testing"
Thanks again.
rapidreference-ga
I searched on a couple of databases for papers published in peer-reviewed academic journals, and found the following which may be of interest to you. It appears that there is certainly evidence that some types of testing do work. This does not mean that all (or any one specific measure) does work.
If there are specific measures that you are interested in (or people have tried to sell to you :) ), you might want to ask a new question, and search for information.
AU Aziz, A
May, K
Crotts, JC
TI Relations of Machiavellian behavior with sales performance of
stockbrokers
SO PSYCHOLOGICAL REPORTS
AB The hypothesis of a relationship between Machiavellian behavior
and sales performance of Christie and Geis was tested with a
sample of 110 stockbrokers. Scores on a measure called the
Machiavellian Behavior scale were positively and significantly
correlated with two self. reported measures of sales
performance of the stockbrokers, Present results together with
those of two earlier studies supported the hypothesis that
salespeople with a Machiavellian orientation are likely to be
more successful, Analysis of the data also indicated predictive
validity and acceptable internal consistency of the
Machiavellian Behavior scale, Limitations of the present study
and a need for further research are discussed.
BP 451
EP 460
PG 10
JI Psychol. Rep.
PY 2002
AU Barrick, MR
Stewart, GL
Piotrowski, M
TI Personality and job performance: Test of the mediating effects
of motivation among sales representatives
SO JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
AB Research shows consistent relations between personality and job
performance. In this study the authors develop and test a model
of job performance that examines the mediating effects of
cognitive-motivational work orientations on the relationships
between personality traits and performance in a sales job (N =
164). Covariance structural analyses revealed proximal
motivational variables to be influential mechanisms through
which distal personality traits affect job performance.
Specifically, striving for status and accomplishment mediate
the effects of Extraversion and Conscientiousness on ratings of
sales performance. Although Agreeableness was related to
striving for communion, neither Agreeableness nor communion
striving was related to success in this sales job. The
importance of the proposed motivational orientations model is
discussed.
AU Jackson, CJ
Furnham, A
Miller, T
TI Moderating effect of ear preference on personality in the
prediction of sales performance
SO LATERALITY
AB This study examined the relationship between ear preference,
personality, and performance ratings on 203 telesales staff.
Social desirability scores were a significant predictor of two
relatively independent sets of supervisor ratings (actual
performance and developmental potential) in interaction with
ear preference. It was found that the social desirability scale
was a significant positive predictor for staff preferring a
right ear headset, but a negative predictor for staff
preferring a left ear headset. These results were interpreted
in terms of different strategies used to achieve successful
sales.
BP 133
EP 140
PG 8
AU Soyer, RB
Rovenpor, JL
Kopelman, RE
TI Narcissism and achievement motivation as related to three
facets of the sales role: Attraction, satisfaction and
performance
SO JOURNAL OF BUSINESS AND PSYCHOLOGY
AB Relationships were posited between two personality constructs-
narcissism and achievement motivation--and three facets of the
sales role: attraction, satisfaction and performance. As
predicted, currently and previously employed salespeople were
more narcissistic and had stronger needs for achievement than
individuals who were never employed in sales. Narcissism was
positively associated with overall sales satisfaction and with
level of comfort with ethically questionable sales behaviors;
narcissism was unrelated to sales performance. In contrast,
need for achievement was unrelated to sales satisfaction,
negatively related to comfort with ethically questionable sales
behaviors, but positively related to sales performance.
Practical implications of these findings for sales recruiters
and trainers are discussed.
BP 285
EP 304
PG 20
JI J. Bus. Psychol.
PY 1999
AU Mount, MK
Barrick, MR
Strauss, JP
TI The joint relationship of conscientiousness and ability with
performance: Test of the interaction hypothesis
SO JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT
AB This study investigated whether conscientiousness and ability
interact in the prediction of job performance, Although few
studies have directly addressed this issue, there is limited
evidence that ability moderates the relationship between
conscientiousness and job performance. Specifically, it has
been reported that the relationship of conscientiousness to
performance is positive for high ability and near zero or
negative for low ability. Results in the present study provided
no support for the interaction of GMA and conscientiousness,
Moderated hierarchical regression analyses for three
independent samples of participants (146 managers in sample 1,
103 sales representatives in sample 2, and 121 managers in
sample 3), showed that the interaction did not account for
unique variance in the prediction of supervisory ratings of job
performance beyond that accounted for by GMA and
conscientiousness. These findings indicate that ability does
not moderate the relationship of conscientiousness to job
performance. Practical implications for employee selection
practices, and theoretical implications for models of job
performance, are discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All
rights reserved.
BP 707
EP 721
PG 15
JI J. Manage.
PY 1999
VL 25
IS 5
AU Furnham, A
Jackson, CJ
Miller, T
TI Personality, learning style and work performance
SO PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
AB Just over two hundred telephone sales staff completed the
Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) and Honey and Mumford's
Learning Styles Questionnaire (LSQ). Extraversion was highly
correlated both positively and negatively with three of the
four LSQ measures. The lie scale from the EPI was also
systematically correlated with the Activist and Reflector
scales of the LSQ. Both the EPI and LSQ traits were modestly
correlated with two criteria: ratings of Actual Performance and
Development Potential. Regressions were used to determine the
best predictors of the two ratings measures. Personality
variables (extraversion, neuroticism) and certain learning
styles (reflector, pragmatist) were statistically significant
predictors of rated performance, though they accounted for less
than 10% of the explained variance. The results concur with
recent meta-analytical studies that show personality variables
account for a small but important amount of variance in
measures of work performance. > (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd.
.
BP 1113
EP 1122
PG 10
JI Pers. Individ. Differ.
PY 1999
PD DEC
AU Stokes, GS
Searcy, CA
TI Specification of scales in biodata form development: Rational
vs. empirical and global vs. specific
SO INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SELECTION AND ASSESSMENT
AB Although empirical keying has been the most popular scoring
strategy with biodata, researchers have increasingly argued
that rational approaches are better for advancing theory.
Higher validities and less faking with empirical keys, however,
have made many reluctant to abandon them. Research in the
personality field provided support for the notion that many
rational biodata scales may be multi-faceted. Development of
more specific scales was suggested as a technique for creating
rational scales with validities that more closely approximate
that of empirical keys. Three different strategies (rational,
internal, and external/ empirical) were used in the scoring of
a biodata inventory for use with mechanical equipment franchise
owners. The rational and internal approaches were investigated
within two samples and at two levels - very specific constructs
and global constructs. In addition, two types of criteria were
used, including an objective measure of sales and supervisory
performance ratings. The specific rational scales were as
predictive as the empirical item key. Strategies for developing
and scoring a biodata form using a rational approach are
discussed.
BP 72
EP 85
PG 14
JI Int. J. Sel. Assess.
PY 1999
PD JUN
VL 7
IS 2
AU VandeWalle, D
Brown, SP
Cron, WL
Slocum, JW
TI The influence of goal orientation and self-regulation tactics
on sales performance: A longitudinal field test
SO JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
AB The authors investigated the influence of goal orientation on
sales performance in a longitudinal field study with
salespeople. As hypothesized, a learning goal orientation had a
positive relationship with sales performance. This relationship
was fully mediated by 3 self-regulation tactics: goal setting,
effort, and planning. In contrast, a performance goal
orientation was unrelated to sales performance. These results
suggest that a focus on skill development, even for a veteran
workforce, is likely to be associated with higher performance.
Management should seek evidence of a learning goal orientation
when selecting new employees, while avoiding an excessive focus
on performance goal orientation without a comparable skill-
development focus.
BP 249
EP 259
PG 11
JI J. Appl. Psychol.
PY 1999
PD APR
VL 84
IS 2
AU Vinchur, AJ
Schippmann, JS
Switzer, FS
Roth, PL
TI A meta-analytic review of predictors of job performance for
salespeople
SO JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
AB This meta-analysis evaluated predictors of both objective and
subjective sales performance. Biodata measures and sales
ability inventories were good predictors of the ratings
criterion, with corrected rs of .52 and .45, respectively.
Potency (a subdimension of the Big 5 personality dimension
Extraversion) predicted supervisor ratings of performance (r
=.28) and objective measures of sales (r =.26). Achievement (a
component of the Conscientiousness dimension) predicted ratings
(r =.25) and objective sales (r=.41). General cognitive ability
showed a correlation of .40 with ratings but only .04 with
objective sales. Similarly, age predicted ratings (r =.26) but
not objective sales (r = -.06). On the basis of a small number
of studies, interest appears to be a promising predictor of
sales success.
BP 586
EP 597
PG 12
JI J. Appl. Psychol.
PY 1998
PD AUG
VL 83
IS 4
AU Jackson, CJ
Corr, PJ
TI Personality-performance correlations at work: Individual and
aggregate levels of analyses
SO PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
AB In the occupational community, there is a widespread faith in
the utility of personality assessment for selection,
development, etc. This faith has been immune to arguments,
supported by empirical evidence, regarding the poor correlation
between personality and performance in the workplace (these
correlations rarely exceed the 0.2-0.3 level). The difference
between perception of utility and the actual empirical reality
is large. We investigated one possible source of this
perceived-actual discrepancy. In two separate samples, we
compared the magnitude of validity coefficients from individual
and aggregate (i.e. organizational) levels. Our results
indicated that strong actual personality-performance
correlations exist at the aggregate level of analysis, but not
at the individual level of analysis. We suggest that this
aggregate-individual correlation discrepancy may, in part at
least, account for the perceived-actual discrepancy noted
above. We conclude that the continued faith in personality
testing in the workplace may be a consequence of test users'
sensitivity to actual aggregate level personality-performance
correlations. However, we warn of the danger of drawing
inferences from aggregate level correlations when making
decisions about individuals, and point out the statistical
artefacts that may account for some of the magnitude increase
in aggregate level correlations. Several foci for further
research are indicated. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All
rights reserved.
BP 815
EP 820
PG 6
JI Pers. Individ. Differ.
PY 1998
PD JUN
VL 24
IS 6
AU Furnham, A
Miller, T
TI Notes and shorter communications - Personality, absenteeism and
productivity
SO PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
AB Nearly 250 telephone sales employees completed the Eysenck
Personality Inventory, and scores were related to periods of
sick leave, total number of days sick leave over a 1 yr period,
supervisor's performance and potential rating. Young extraverts
had most periods of sick leave and stable extraverts received
higher potential and performance ratings. These results are
discussed in terms of the previous literature in the field. (C)
1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.
BP 705
EP 707
PG 3
JI Pers. Individ. Differ.
PY 1997
PD OCT
VL 23
IS 4
Good evening Marbuck. I searched a premier business/marketing database and was suprised to find very little on this subject. I did, however, uncover some keywords that helped me immensely when I resumed google searching. Below are descriptions and urls of some sites that may help you.
Article about relation between leadership and sales force. There is discussion of testing and a bibliography.
A lengthy bibliography of scholarly articles about sales. The very first one looks ideal for your purposes. Unfortunately, there are no abstracts here.
Another online bibliography of sales related research. The citation below is included on the site.
Bush, Robert P., Alan J. Bush, David J. Ortinau, and Joseph F. Hair, Jr. 1990. "Developing A Behavior-Based Scale to Assess Retail Salesperson Performance." Journal of Retailing 66 (No. 1): 119-136.
Another database search yielded the additional citations/abstracts below:
Patterson, Fiona; Silvester, Jo. People Management, 04/30/98, Vol. 4 Issue 9, p46, 3p, 2c Subject(s): SALES personnel -- Ability testing
Company/Entity: BOOTS the Chemists (Company)
Abstract:
Focuses on the psychometric test developed by Boots the Chemist company as a recruitment method for sales assistants. Why Boots developed the test; Comments from several company officials; Examples of customer-related questions included in the test.
American Salesman, Apr98, Vol. 44 Issue 4, p23, 4p,
Subject(s): SALES personnel -- Ability testing SELLING -- Technique
Abstract:
Points out the importance of testing target sales skills before hiring a sales person. Implication of the concept of targeting customers; Reason for the occurrence of hiring mistakes; Personality as the usual basis for hiring salesperson; Critical areas of sales skills assessed by the Sales Success Profile sales test of Gregory M. Lousig-Nont of Lousig-Nont, & Associates.
Marks, Ronald; Vorhies, Douglas W. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, Fall96, Vol. 16 Issue 4, p53, 13p, 6 charts, 1 diagram Subject(s): SALES personnel -- Ability testing
Abstract:
Outlines a method of improving the psychometric properties of the adaptive selling scale (ADAPTS). Lack of unidimensionality; Utilization of ADAPTS as predictor of salesperson performance; Improvements for ADAPTS; Presentation of confirmatory factor models; Validity of the two-factor adaptive selling model.
Moore, Michael O'D. American Banker, 7/28/93, Vol. 158 Issue 143, p11, 1/2p, 1bw SALES personnel -- Ability testing
Abstract:
Features Resource Management Associates managing partner H. Joseph Marshall's recommendation of behavioral testing for sales positions. Boosting from employees; Developmental approach; Survey results' benefit to moral and productivity.
Seacrh strategy:
Google - I used the advanced search and limited to edu domain (you might try limiting to "org" too):
salespeople psychological tests site:edu
salespeople testing effectiveness site:edu
salespeople psychological screening site:edu
I hope the info provided here is useful for you. If something is lacking please submit a clarification request. I'll be more than happy to dig deeper.
Good luck - hope you find some good people.
rapidreference-ga
We are of course not looking for retail salespeople as for example an hourly rated store employee. This is Business to Business stuff. Would your research be able to classify the 'status' and credibility of the journals cited -- I am ready to ask a librarian to pull copies of journal articles, but would hate wasting money/research time on academic junk.
#If you have any other info about this subject , Please add it free.# |