The impact of Account Management on the motivation and performance of a sales team in an Irish insurance company

Fahey, Brian (2013) The impact of Account Management on the motivation and performance of a sales team in an Irish insurance company. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

This study aims to discover the impact of outcome based sales force control systems on the motivation and performance of sales people. Businesses strive for service efficiency, a customer relationship focus and most importantly growth in income. The case study focuses on one example of a control system used to meet these objectives in the form of account management introduced into the direct sales force of an Irish insurance company. It is also a means to performance manage employees and manage by objectives. But, there is a lack of empirical evidence to show how successful account management is in this context and its impact on employees’ motivation to achieve those objectives which this study provides.

A quantitative research method is used to answer the research question by surveying a sample of the sales force using an online questionnaire. The data is analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics to summarise the findings.

The study finds that goals set for employees within account management satisfy the 5 key principles of goal setting and are motivating factors. Goals were also found to be specific, measureable, achievable, realistic and timely (SMART). Intrinsic motivators that have a greater effect on sales people were evident with one exception being the lack of personal recognition. The characteristics of job designs that positively influence psychological states were also satisfied by account management. Goals were found to be closer aligned to company objectives and employees believed that account management had a positive effect on their own and the company’s performance.

The study concludes that employee motivation to achieve objectives and performance is enhanced by the introduction of account management and poses a further related research question by asking if goals are too challenging, difficult or complex do these goals then become demotivating factors.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HG Finance > Insurance H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Human Resource Management > Performance Management
Divisions:	School of Business > Master of Science in Management
Depositing User:	Caoimhe Ní Mhaicín
Date Deposited:	19 Nov 2013 11:06
Last Modified:	19 Nov 2013 11:06
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/840

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