Sales Technology Applications: The Acquisition and Use of Sales Force Automation by Mid-Sized Manufacturers

The decade of the nineties has seen considerable attention devoted to the application of information technology to the sales force. This paper reports on an empirical investigation into the factors that relate to the acquisition and effective use of sales force automation. Several correlates relating to the firm's acquisition of sales force technology were identified. In contrast, relatively few variables appear related to whether or not the organization will realize any actual benefits from such investments. A key determinant appears to be whether the firm anticipates that sales force automation is likely to have an impact on areas of the organization extending beyond the sales force itself. The paper concludes with some implications of the findings of the investigation and some suggestions for future research.