| One goal for most sales managers today is to improve the performance of their sales force. In an effort to help sales managers accomplish this task many scholars have researched the psychological constructs that may influence sales performance. One of the constructs studied is self-efficacy. The relationship between sales self-efficacy and sales performance has been well documented. Similarly, the relationship between computer self-efficacy and computer performance has been widely supported. However, to date no research has focused on the influence of computer self-efficacy on the sales self-efficacy/sales performance relationship.;This study tests computer self-efficacy as both a moderating and a mediating variable on the sales self-efficacy/sales performance relationship. When salespeople are allowed to make judgments regarding the use or non-use of computer technology in their selling efforts, computer self-efficacy acts as a moderating variable because the computer is only utilized in cases where the salesperson deems it appropriate. When the salesperson is required by the company to use computer technology to carry out selling tasks, computer self-efficacy becomes a mediating variable.;To complete this study a survey was sent to 366 salespeople at a large Midwestern communications company. A total of 93 usable responses were returned for a response rate of 24%. The results of the survey found computer self-efficacy to moderate the sales self-efficacy/sales performance relationship in the area of giving information, yet it did not act as a moderator in salespeople's planning, getting, or using information behaviors. Computer self-efficacy did prove to mediate the sales self-efficacy/sales performance relationship in all cases where computer use was required by the company. Only the modeling form of training was found to be significant for improving self-efficacy. No other form of training was found to enhance self-efficacy in the sample.;Sales managers should benefit from this research as it supports the position that greater self-efficacy leads to greater performance and that training via modeling can improve self-efficacy. The results should also be beneficial to academics as they consult in the practitioner sales arena. |
