A salesperson customer orientation (SCO) implements market orientation at the level of the individual. Historically, the SOCO scale has been used measured by adding the positive customer orientation (CO) item scores to the reversed negative selling orientation (SO) item scores and summing them. Previous research has identified a market orientation, Agreeableness and Openness to experience as positive influences on SCO. A path analysis model was tested in this study that included these variables plus the traits of forgiveness and gratitude. Data for the analysis were collected from 191 surveys administered to the sales force of an automobile dealership group. Results showed market orientation, gratitude, and forgiveness had positive and Openness a negative relationship with CO. Agreeableness had no significant relationship with CO or SO. Forgiveness was the only variable that had a negative relationship with SO and a positive relationship with CO.
J. Garry Smith (Sun,) studied this question.