Sequential logic concerning the dualities of sales performance and job satisfaction in B2B relationships of services firms

Purpose This study aims to verify the sequential logic between the dualities of salespeople’s objective and subjective sales performance, and their economic and non-economic job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey based on a deductive approach was used. The sample consists of 732 multisized firms in Norway belonging to a range of many different industries and within the service-oriented business sector with a response rate of 53.1%. Findings Salespeople’s economic job satisfaction relates positively to their non-economic job satisfaction. However, salespeople’s objective sales performance does not relate to their economic nor non-economic job satisfaction, but salespeople’s subjective sales performance bridges to their economic job satisfaction. Research limitations/implications This study provides understanding of structural properties of the dualities between salespeople’s sales performance and salespeople’s job satisfaction. It also provides an understanding of the antecedents of job satisfaction. Suggestion for further research are provided. Practical implications This study offers guidance for sales managers to understand the link between performance and satisfaction of salespeople in business-to-business (B2B) relationships within services firms. A lesson learned is that there is a sequential logic of cause-and-effect between the dualities of sales performance and job satisfaction. Originality/value This study contextualizes the sequential logic of the dualities between salespeople’s sales performance and salespeople’s job satisfaction in B2B relationships within services firms. It also sheds light on the interrelationships between the constructs of objective and subjective sales performance and economic and non-economic job satisfaction.