An Exploratory Investigation of the Impact of Culture on Sales Force Management Control Systems in Europe

Globalization, euro-driven transparency, and new sales territory designs are among the numerous indications announcing sales force restructuring in Europe. When confronted by such issues, managers need to reassess the way they monitor, direct, evaluate, and compensate salespeople. Indeed, those sets of procedures may not be consistent across borders and send mixed signals to salespeople. In our exploratory research, we examine the role of culture on sales personnel governance structures. We test a related set of propositions on a sample of 166 European salespeople. Finally, we conclude by proposing potential guidelines for managers willing to expand their sales effort in Europe.