Module BUSI43L15: Effective Sales Force Leadership (Taught)

Department: Management and Marketing

BUSI43L15: Effective Sales Force Leadership (Taught)

Tied To

• N1KR17: Business Administration (Finance) (Global) (for students entering between Oct 2010 - Apr 2013) (see Postgraduate Handbook 2016-2017 for details)
• N1KS17: Business Administration (Global) (for students entering between Oct 2010 - Apr 2013) (see Postgraduate Handbook 2018-2019 for details)
• N1N317: Business Administration (Finance) (Global) (for students entering between Oct 2013 - Apr 2015) (see Postgraduate Handbook 2018-2019 for details)
• N1N417: Business Administration (Global) (for students entering between Oct 2013 - Apr 2015)

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• To engage in a critical analysis of sales force management strategies and their contribution to the customer-oriented organisation
• To develop an understanding of, and ability to critically examine, strategies for building, managing and optimising returns from sales force resources
• To equip students with the conceptual and practical skills needed to organise and lead a sales force to competitive success

Content

• The changing competitive environment
• Theories of sales force management — structure, composition, resourcing, etc
• Developing a customer orientation
• Territory analysis and allocation models
• Time-effort allocation models
• Key account management
• Characteristics of the effective sales representative
• Characteristics of the effective sales force leader
• Sales and negotiation skills
• Performance management
• Leading the sales force to competitive success

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the module students should:
• have a critical understanding of the nature, structure and operation of the sales function within a range of customer-oriented organisations;
• have a grounded understanding of the key conceptual and practitioner perspectives on effective sales force leadership;
• have a critical appreciation of the key drivers of sales success.

• By the end of the module students should:
• be able to examine and critically evaluate sales performance and trends;
• be able to develop an appropriate sales force management plan;
• be able to critically evaluate and reflect on personal sales, negotiation and leadership skills.

• Effective written communication skills
• Planning, organising and time management skills
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• The ability to use initiative
• Advanced skills in the interpretation of data
• Advanced computer literacy skills

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Learning outcomes will be met through a combination of taught input, groupwork, case studies and discussion, supported by guided reading and specially-written self-study material.
• The summative assessment of the module is designed to test the acquisition and articulation of knowledge and critical understanding, and skills of application and interpretation within the business context.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

Students will receive feedback on their contributions in class.