Examination of the Differences in Selling Behavior on the Basis of Sex and Gender Identity

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were any differences among salespeople in selling behaviors-namely adaptive selling behavior (ASB) and customer-oriented selling behavior (COSB)-across sex and gender identity groups. Survey data were collected via self-administered questionnaires mailed to a convenience sample of pharmaceutical salespeople working in Adana, Turkey. While the findings suggested no differences in either ASB or COSB on the basis of sex, they did reveal differences for both ASB and COSB on the basis of gender identity. Consequently, this study's major contributions for literature and for practitioners are to 1) fill the gap in determining the difference in selling behaviors of salespeople on the basis of gender identity in regards to both ASB and COSB; and 2) create a new dimension for explaining COSB. The findings were discussed, and suggestions were provided for theory and managerial implications.