Dimensions of Working Hard in Personal Selling: Effects of Time Commitment and Work Intensity on Sales Performance and Job Satisfaction

Abstract

The authors assess relationships between two dimensions of effort, time commitment and work intensity, and sales performance and job satisfaction in two samples of salespeople. Results indicate that time commitment (the amount of time spent in task-related activities) is positively related to sales performance. Time commitment was negatively related to job satisfaction in one sample but unrelated to it in the other. Work intensity (the amount of energy invested in work activities per unit of time) was positively related to job satisfaction but unrelated to sales performance in both samples. Implications of the findings for recruitment and evaluation and control are discussed.