Course 2024-2025 a.y.

20429 - SALES MANAGEMENT

Department of Marketing

Course taught in English

Student consultation hours
Go to class group/s: 31
CLMG (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/08) - M (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/08) - IM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  12 credits SECS-P/08) - MM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/08) - AFC (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/08) - CLELI (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/08) - ACME (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/08) - DES-ESS (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/08) - EMIT (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/08) - GIO (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/08) - DSBA (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/08) - PPA (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/08) - FIN (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/08) - AI (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/08)
Course Director:
PAOLO GUENZI

Classes: 31 (I sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: PAOLO GUENZI


Suggested background knowledge

Knowledge about fundamentals of marketing and go-to-market/channel design is recommended.

Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

Sales careers are more and more attractive, because of the strategic evolution of sales departments in most organizations. As such, companies increasingly need qualified talent in Sales positions. Unfortunately, there is scarcity of academic background on sales topics. Therefore, companies appreciate talented students with some knowledge about sales force management.

CONTENT SUMMARY

  • Sales Management: a framework.
  • The evolution of the personal selling process: digital transformation in sales and the role of technology.
  • Organizing the sales force and planning selling efforts.
  • Sales force organization and Territory design.
  • Recruiting and selecting sales personnel.
  • Sales force training.
  • Sales force control systems.
  • Rewarding and compensating the sales force.
  • Sales force motivation.
  • Sales force leadership and coaching.
  • Evaluating sales force performance.
  • Target setting for the sales force.
  • Managing the digital transformation of sales organizations

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...

Know methods and practical tools for human resource management in sales processes: how to define talent in salespeople, and then recruit, train and develop, promote, retain, motivate and incentivize salespeople . Recognize the pros and cons of different approaches to sales force management decisions. Identify the key decision-making areas in sales force management. Describe the most relevant success factors for sales management jobs and positions. Reflect on the impact of digital technologies on sales force management decisions and actions. Understand and explain theoretical models and decision-support tools, as applied in lectures and case studies.

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...

Apply analytical and decision-making skills to typical sales force management problems, both in discussion in the lectures and through case studies. Apply (in the context of a virtual environment of a software-based simulation) the concepts and models presented in the course. Work in teams for making complex decisions under time pressure in uncertain environments.


Teaching methods

  • Lectures
  • Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
  • Practical Exercises
  • Collaborative Works / Assignments
  • Interaction/Gamification

DETAILS

Regular sessions are based on presentation and discussion of the topics covered in the textbook. Sessions can partially be used to provide a forum for groups for presenting and discussing conceptual tools and practical applications of such topics. Special learning events: company presentations, real-world case studies. Articles from leading international journals can be used as suggested readings. A software-based simulation requiring Groupwork and group presentations. All groups manage a sales force of a company in the same competitive environment.


Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Written individual exam (traditional/online)
     x
  • Collaborative Works / Assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)
 x    
  • Active class participation (virtual, attendance)
 x    
  • Peer evaluation
 x    
  • For attending students only: final ranking in a software-based simulation
 x    

ATTENDING STUDENTS

Written exam: the exam format is a mix of open questions, multiple choice questions and short exercises (it is recommended to bring a calculator).

The written exam includes questions referring to lectures, cases, guest speakers' talks and all related concepts, models and tools presented and discussed in class.

 

Attending students will participate, in groups, to a software-based simulation which requires them to make complex decisions under time pressure in uncertain environment thus applying the concepts and models presented in the course.

 

The final grade is the sum of written exam and team ranking in the Simulation (only for the exam sessions on January and February).

 

 

75% attendance is needed to be attending student


NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

Written exam: the exam format is a mix of open questions, multiple choice questions and short exercises (it is recommended to bring a calculator) based on the textbook.
The questions are aimed at verifying the ability to apply the knowledge students learned when studying the teaching material.


Teaching materials


ATTENDING STUDENTS

  • G. GUENZI, Sales Management,  Palgrave, 2011 (only chapters discussed in class).
  • Guidelines for the Sales Force Management Simulation
  • Professor's Handouts, Guest speakers' presentations
  • Cases discussed in class

NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

G. GUENZI, Sales Management, Palgrave, 2011.

Last change 24/05/2024 12:08