IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/joamsc/v49y2021i3d10.1007_s11747-020-00754-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sales enablement: conceptualizing and developing a dynamic capability

Author

Listed:
  • Robert M. Peterson

    (Northern Illinois University)

  • Avinash Malshe

    (University of St. Thomas)

  • Scott B. Friend

    (Miami University)

  • Howard Dover

    (The University of Texas at Dallas)

Abstract

Practitioners have touted sales enablement as a prominent solution to the challenges of the evolving buying and selling environments; however, empirical research on this concept is nonexistent in extant literature. Furthermore, while the pervasiveness of sales domain scholarship suggests that salespeople will continue to influence sales practice through expanded opportunities, firms must also blend the art and science of engaging customers in a profitable and sustainable manner. To address these scholarly demands, the authors designed an empirical study that conceptualizes sales enablement and offers an in-depth perspective on how organizations enable their sales force. The authors employ an ethnographic inquiry comprising various data sources, including 41 depth interviews with professionals responsible for sales enablement architecture and/or execution. Findings offer a multi-dimensional conceptualization of sales enablement and introduce a process model which explicates how firms develop sales enablement as a dynamic capability. This study expands current knowledge by offering foundational insights and advanced theories of sales enablement, while also providing strategic implications for sales organizations responding to evolving customer demands and selling environments.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert M. Peterson & Avinash Malshe & Scott B. Friend & Howard Dover, 2021. "Sales enablement: conceptualizing and developing a dynamic capability," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 49(3), pages 542-565, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joamsc:v:49:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s11747-020-00754-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11747-020-00754-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11747-020-00754-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11747-020-00754-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Malshe, Avinash, 2010. "How is marketers' credibility construed within the sales-marketing interface?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 13-19, January.
    2. Constance E. Helfat & Ruth S. Raubitschek, 2000. "Product sequencing: co‐evolution of knowledge, capabilities and products," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(10‐11), pages 961-979, October.
    3. Raineri, Andrés B., 2011. "Change management practices: Impact on perceived change results," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 266-272, March.
    4. Abbie Griffin & John R. Hauser, 1993. "The Voice of the Customer," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(1), pages 1-27.
    5. Linda Argote & Ella Miron-Spektor, 2011. "Organizational Learning: From Experience to Knowledge," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1123-1137, October.
    6. Fred D. Davis & Richard P. Bagozzi & Paul R. Warshaw, 1989. "User Acceptance of Computer Technology: A Comparison of Two Theoretical Models," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 35(8), pages 982-1003, August.
    7. Amit Saini & Rajdeep Grewal & Jean Johnson, 2010. "Putting market-facing technology to work: Organizational drivers of CRM performance," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 365-383, December.
    8. Sidney G. Winter, 2000. "The Satisficing Principle in Capability Learning," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(10‐11), pages 981-996, October.
    9. George P. Huber, 1991. "Organizational Learning: The Contributing Processes and the Literatures," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 88-115, February.
    10. Michael Ahearne & Eli Jones & Adam Rapp & John Mathieu, 2008. "High Touch Through High Tech: The Impact of Salesperson Technology Usage on Sales Performance via Mediating Mechanisms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 54(4), pages 671-685, April.
    11. Prashant Kale & Harbir Singh, 2007. "Building firm capabilities through learning: the role of the alliance learning process in alliance capability and firm‐level alliance success," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(10), pages 981-1000, October.
    12. Robert M. Grant, 1996. "Prospering in Dynamically-Competitive Environments: Organizational Capability as Knowledge Integration," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(4), pages 375-387, August.
    13. Anita Pansari & V. Kumar, 2017. "Customer engagement: the construct, antecedents, and consequences," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 294-311, May.
    14. David J. Teece & Gary Pisano & Amy Shuen, 1997. "Dynamic capabilities and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 509-533, August.
    15. Helfat, C.E. & Raubitschek, R.S., 2000. "Product Sequencing: Co-Evolution of Knowledge, Capabilities and Products," Papers 00-1, U.S. Department of Justice - Antitrust Division.
    16. V. Kumar & Ashutosh Dixit & Rajshekar (Raj) G. Javalgi & Mayukh Dass, 2016. "Research framework, strategies, and applications of intelligent agent technologies (IATs) in marketing," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 24-45, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Johannes Habel & Sascha Alavi & Nicolas Heinitz, 2023. "A theory of predictive sales analytics adoption," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 13(1), pages 34-54, June.
    2. Francesca Bonetti & Matteo Montecchi & Kirk Plangger & Hope Jensen Schau, 2023. "Practice co-evolution: Collaboratively embedding artificial intelligence in retail practices," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 867-888, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Manis, K.T. & Madhavaram, Sreedhar, 2023. "AI-Enabled marketing capabilities and the hierarchy of capabilities: Conceptualization, proposition development, and research avenues," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    2. Schriber, Svante & Löwstedt, Jan, 2015. "Tangible resources and the development of organizational capabilities," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 54-68.
    3. Malik, Omar R., 2008. "Adapting to market liberalization: The role of dynamic capabilities, initial resource conditions, and strategic path choices in determining evolutionary fitness of Less Developed Country (LDC) firms," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 217-231, September.
    4. Ding, Yang, 2021. "Antecedents and implications of legacy divestitures," Other publications TiSEM f4d5766f-6a5b-43a3-94df-1, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    5. Strobl, Andreas & Bauer, Florian & Degischer, Daniel, 2022. "Contextualizing deliberate learning from acquisitions: The role of organizational and target contexts," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 194-207.
    6. Freixanet, Joan & Renart, Gemma, 2020. "A capabilities perspective on the joint effects of internationalization time, speed, geographic scope and managers’ competencies on SME survival," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(6).
    7. Schmitt, Achim & Klarner, Patricia, 2015. "From snapshot to continuity: A dynamic model of organizational adaptation to environmental changes," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 3-13.
    8. Nieves, Julia & Haller, Sabine, 2014. "Building dynamic capabilities through knowledge resources," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 224-232.
    9. Pettus, Michael L. & Kor, Yasemin Y. & Mahoney, Joseph T., 2007. "A Theory of Change in Turbulent Environments: The Sequencing of Dynamic Capabilities Following Industry Deregulation," Working Papers 07-0100, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    10. Lee, Ruby P. & Johnson, Jean L. & Grewal, Rajdeep, 2008. "Understanding the antecedents of collateral learning in new product alliances," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 192-200.
    11. Peters, Matt D. & Wieder, Bernhard & Sutton, Steve G. & Wakefield, James, 2016. "Business intelligence systems use in performance measurement capabilities: Implications for enhanced competitive advantage," International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 1-17.
    12. Frank T. Rothaermel & Maria Tereza Alexandre, 2009. "Ambidexterity in Technology Sourcing: The Moderating Role of Absorptive Capacity," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(4), pages 759-780, August.
    13. Andrew A. King & Christopher L. Tucci, 2002. "Incumbent Entry into New Market Niches: The Role of Experience and Managerial Choice in the Creation of Dynamic Capabilities," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 48(2), pages 171-186, February.
    14. Reid, Gavin C. & Smith, Julia A., 2009. "A coevolutionary analysis of organisational systems and processes: Quantitative applications to information system dynamics in small entrepreneurial firms," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 20(6), pages 762-781.
    15. Dedy Dewanto, 2022. "The characteristic of leader innovativeness, a case in Indonesian’s construction industry," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 11(8), pages 153-165, November.
    16. Liao, Tung-Shan & Rice, John, 2010. "Innovation investments, market engagement and financial performance: A study among Australian manufacturing SMEs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 117-125, February.
    17. Diaz-Di­az, Nieves Lidia & Aguiar-Di­az, Inmaculada & De Saá-Pérez, Petra, 2008. "The effect of technological knowledge assets on performance: The innovative choice in Spanish firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 1515-1529, October.
    18. Xiaoming He & Yaqun Yi & Zelong Wei, 2019. "New product development capabilities in China: the moderating role of TMT cooperative behavior," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(2), pages 73-97, April.
    19. Hunter, Gary K., 2019. "On conceptualizing, measuring, and managing augmented technology use in business-to-business sales contexts," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 201-213.
    20. Eng, Teck-Yong & Spickett-Jones, J. Graham, 2009. "An investigation of marketing capabilities and upgrading performance of manufacturers in mainland China and Hong Kong," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 44(4), pages 463-475, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:joamsc:v:49:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s11747-020-00754-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.