A Cross Cultural Investigation of the Stereotype for Salespeople

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate the image of salespeople and of the selling function as perceived by business students across several cultures. Of the several empirical investigations that exist in the sales literature, most consider samples from a single country. A quantitative survey conducted on students living in five countries (Cameroon, France, Japan Mexico and United States) was implemented. A significant culture effect was observed on salesperson’s image, feelings in presence of a salesperson as well as perception of a career in sales. The implications of the findings are discussed for sales education, hiring practices, and research.