Fully leveraging AI in B2B sales: Exploring sales managers’ capabilities and organizational knowledge processes

Abstract

Studies have demonstrated that artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance sales efficiency in business-to-business (B2B) contexts. However, despite the wide accessibility of AI, its adoption in B2B sales remains limited. Few studies have examined how sales managers support their sales teams in leveraging AI. This is the first study to link the perspectives of AI exploitation to managerial capabilities and organizational knowledge processes in the context of B2B sales. Using a grounded theory approach, we derive empirical insights from interviews with 32 top-level managers in B2B sales organizations. We contribute to the B2B sales literature by presenting a framework illustrating how sales managers’ capabilities—data-based human capital, the social capital associated with creating a knowledge-sharing culture, and a transformative AI-positive mindset—foster AI-integrated knowledge processes at the individual, team, and organizational levels. We also provide practical recommendations for sales managers integrating AI into B2B sales operations.