How does salesperson connectedness impact performance? It depends upon the level of internal volatility

Salespeople feel connected to their coworkers when they know they can depend on and talk with one another. Employing social exchange theory, this study investigates the impact of connectedness on salesperson performance. Specifically, the paper reveals the processes by which this relationship occurs, and the conditionality of the process itself. In fact, connectedness increases performance by one of two paths or both, depending on internal volatility. Specifically, connectedness increases performance either through sales strategy implementation or through selling effort, or both. The findings show that under conditions of high internal volatility, such as manager turnover, connectedness increases performance via sales strategy implementation. Under conditions of low internal volatility, connectedness increases performance through selling effort. In this scenario, management provides the sales strategy allowing salesperson interaction to focus on motivating selling effort, resulting in higher levels of performance. Under conditions of average internal volatility, connectedness increases performance through both sales strategy implementation and selling effort. This research contributes to the industrial sales literature, both theoretically and managerially, by illuminating the value of connectedness within the sales force.