Motivating the Sales Force

In A Global Perspective

By Dr. Himendra Balalle

What is motivation?

Motivation is the inner force that guides behavior and is

concerned with the causation of specific actions.

Motivation is a three-dimensional construct consisting of the

following:

1.Intensity or the magnitude of mental activity and physical

effort expended towards a certain action;

2.Persistence or the extension of the mental activity and

physical effort over time; and

3.Direction or the choice of specific actions in specific

circumstances.

What is Motivation

Motivation should be understood at two levels:

What motivates salespeople How salespeople choose their action

(the reasons behind the intensity (the direction or decision to engage in

and persistence of mental and specific actions in specific

physical effort expended) circumstances)

Motivational theories addressing the issue:

“what” motivates salespeople

Need Hierarchy Theory

Physiological needs

Security needs

Belongingness needs

Esteem needs

Physiological needs (e.g., basic salary); security needs (e.g., pension plan); belongingness

needs (e.g., friends in work group); esteem needs (e.g., job title); self actualisation needs

(e.g., challenging job). Source: Maslow, 1943)

Self-actualisation

needs

Herzberg, a clinical psychologist and pioneer of “job enrichment,”

developed his motivation theory during his investigation of 200

accountants and engineers in the USA.

Two Factor Theory

Herzberg showed that satisfaction and

dissatisfaction at work almost always

arose from different factors

According to Helzberg,

Man has two sets of needs:

As an animal to avoid pain

As a human being to grow psychologically

Two Factor Motivational Theory

• Hygiene factors are needed to ensure an employee does not become

dissatisfied. They do not lead to higher levels of motivation, but

without them there is dissatisfaction.

People are influenced by two factors:

Motivation factors are needed in order to motivate an employee into

higher performance. These factors result from internal generators in

employees.

Motivation factors (e.g., achievement, recognition, responsibility)

Hygiene factors (e.g., supervision, pay, job security, working

conditions)

The theory argues that:

The motivation factors or motivators are the primary causes of

motivation and address the question “why work harder”;

The hygiene factors are necessary conditions to achieve a state of

neutrality and address the question “why work here”.

Motivational theories addressing the issue:

“what motivates salespeople”

Examples of “Hygiene” Needs or

Maintenance Factors

The organization, its policies & administration

Kind of supervision (leadership & management,

including perceptions)

Relationship with supervisor

Work conditions (including ergonomics)

Salary

Status

Job security

Interpersonal relations

Hygiene Needs

People will strive to achieve “hygiene” needs

because they are unhappy without them, but

once satisfied, the effect soon wears off –

satisfaction is temporary.

Parallels with Maslow’s Hierarchy of

Needs Motivational Model

True Motivators

• Achievement

• Recognition for achievement

• Work itself (interest in the task)

• Responsibility

• Growth and advancement

Represents a far deeper level of meaning

and fulfillment