The congruence of manager perception of salesperson performance and knowledge-based measures of adaptive selling

The case made for adaptive selling has been strong, yet the relationship between adaptive selling capability and sales performance exists largely on a conceptual rather than an empirical basis. The relationship between the adaptive selling capability reflected in script-based knowledge structures and sales performance is examined using both subjective and objective sales performance measures. Cognitive sales scripts are elicited based on a simulated selling task in which the prospective buyer deviates from expected behavior. The results indicate that higher performers, as identified by their sales managers, are more likely to be adaptive. Future research implications are discussed, and some initial thoughts regarding managerial applications of these findings are presented.