Strategic Sales Management
| Module title | Strategic Sales Management |
|---|---|
| Module code | MBAM966 |
| Academic year | 2020/1 |
| Credits | 10 |
| Module staff | David Brown (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 5 days |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 15 |
|---|
Module description
Sales is the only area of business to generate profit, so strong sales strategists – both inside and outside the sales function - are prized and rewarded by their organisations for their crucial contributions. This module equips leaders with the theoretical knowledge, strategic perspectives and applied skills to design, implement and direct a commercially successful sales operation. From embedding and integrating sales within an organisational ethos, to critically assessing the prospecting, sales and negotiating capabilities of salesforce staff, the module provides a holistic understanding of sales which is immediately transferable into the company boardroom.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of the module is for you to be able to:
- To identify the strategic role of sales within organisations
- To evaluate strategies for the design, operationalisation and management of the sale function of organisations
- To analyse approaches to fulfilling organisational and customer needs through strategic sales management
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. design, implementation and management of a commercial sales operation
- 2. Critically analyse strategic approaches to salesforce and sales function management
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Appraise salesforce prospecting, negotiating and selling competencies
- 4. Apply analytical forecasting, budgetary and performance management strategies
- 5. Critically analyse strategic approaches to creating a sales organisation
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. demonstrate problem solving skills by adopting an evidence-based approach
- 7. demonstrate effective written skills and critical evaluation
- 8. deploy a creative framework for generating digital innovation; agile experience
- 9. lead/conduct/critique proposals/high-level designs for new digital services
Syllabus plan
The module will be delivered in five sessions covering the following topics and will include group roundtable discussions, case studies and exercises.
|
Session |
Part 1 |
Part 2 |
|
1 |
Intros: the module, you & your organisations Module assessment briefing |
Becoming a sales organisation The strategic roles and objectives of sales |
|
2 |
Salespeople and sales managers Purchasers and customers |
The role of prospecting and database management Appointment strategies and tactics. |
|
3 |
Strategic Key Account Management Principles of sales force management |
RoundTable discussion of content so far Recruitment, training and development of sales staff |
|
4 |
Motivation and incentivisation of salespeople Forecasting, budgeting, monitoring & feedback |
International sales expansion Trade exhibitions |
|
5 |
Ethics & sustainability in sales strategy The roles of technology in sales |
Presentations to your co-learners. Feedback and next steps |
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | 65 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 20 | Asynchronous and live Lectures & workshops |
| Group discussions | 15 | Facilitated group discussions |
| Guided independent study | 65 | Reading, research, group work, writing |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group discussions and exercises (role-play and presentations) | In class | 1-7 | Verbal in class |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual strategic sales portfolio in context of learners chosen organisation | 100 | 3000 words plus video | 1-9 | Written feedback from module lead |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inidvidual strategic sales portfolio in context of learners chosen organisation (100%) 3000 words + video | As per original assessment | 1-9 | Within 6 weeks of final APAC |
Re-assessment notes
The re-assessment of each assessment component will take the form of an improved version of the respective individual assignment (with the previous topic of the essay).
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Cuevas, J.M. (2018). The transformation of professional selling: Implications for leading the modern sales organization. Industrial Marketing Management, 69, 198-208
- Cuevas, J.M., Donaldson, B., & Lemmens, R. (2019) Sales Management: strategy, process and practice (4th ed.) London: Red Globe Press
- Hr, G., & Aithal, P.S. (2020). Input and output driven sales personnel performance measures: insights from an experiment. International Journal of Case Studies in Business, IT, and Education (IJCSBE), 4(1), 23-37.
- Jobber, D., Lancaster, G., & Le Meunier-FitzHugh, K. (2019). Selling and sales management (11th ed.) London: Pearson
- Le Meunier-Fitzhugh, K., & Douglas, T. (2016). Achieving a strategic sales focus: Contemporary issues and future challenges. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Moncrief, W.C. (2017). Are sales as we know it dying… or merely transforming? Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 37(4), 271-279.
- Peterson, R.A. (2020). Self-efficacy and personal selling: review and examination with an emphasis on sales performance. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 40(1), 57-71.
- Rangarajan, D., Dugan, R., Rouziou, M., & Kunkle, M. (2020). People, process, and performance: Setting an agenda for sales enablement research. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 40(3), 213-220.
- Singh, J., Flaherty, K., Sohi, R.S., Deeter-Schmelz, D., Habel, J., Le Meunier-FitzHugh, K., ... & Onyemah, V. (2019). Sales profession and professionals in the age of digitization and artificial intelligence technologies: Concepts, priorities, and questions. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 39(1), 2-22.
- Syam, N., & Sharma, A. (2018). Waiting for a sales renaissance in the fourth industrial revolution: Machine learning and artificial intelligence in sales research and practice. Industrial Marketing Management, 69, 135-146.
| Credit value | 10 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 27/01/2021 |
| Last revision date | 27/01/2021 |
