Your response should be four (4) double-spaced pages; refer to the "Assignment Format" page located on the Course Home page for specific format requirements.
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bm410assignment4.docxASSIGNMENT 4
BM410 Sales Management & Practices
Directions: Be sure to save an electronic copy of your answer before submitting it to Ashworth College for grading. Unless otherwise stated, answer in complete sentences, and be sure to use correct English, spelling and grammar. Sources must be cited in APA format. Your response should be four (4) double-spaced pages; refer to the "Assignment Format" page located on the Course Home page for specific format requirements.
Part A: You were recently promoted to a sales manager position for ABC Company, which offers customized software for physicians, dentists, and veterinarians. Unfortunately, you are now the sales manager for one of your company’s least productive regions. After several weeks on the job, you become concerned about the high rate of turnover. Three salespeople have resigned within the last two months. Replacements are needed and there is little time to hire, train, and deploy them in the field.
Upon further review of the situation, you discover that two of the salespeople resigned because they felt the sales organization was structured unfairly. They had been assigned to geographical areas that were difficult, and their sales quotas were not adjusted accordingly.
You know quite well that replacing a sales person can be costly. In fact, the cost to the company can be as high as $300,000 per bad hire because time and money are lost in the process of recruiting, hiring, training, missed sales, bad relationships, and firing. Before you begin your search, you want to be certain that you have a well thought-out organizational plan and that you attract the right people for these positions.
To help you prepare your hiring plan, answer the following questions.
1. Describe two (2) reasons why it is important for firms to organize their sales activities into a specific structure.
2. Describe one (1) disadvantage of the current structure. Describe one (1) advantage and one (1) disadvantage of a geographical sales structure.
3. Which sales structure do you recommend and why? Provide two (2) supporting facts.
Part B: Realizing that the right people for these positions could come from a variety of places, you decide to investigate the strengths and weaknesses of hiring from within the organization, through referrals, and by using advertising methods. What are your opinions on the following?
1. What are two (2) advantages and two (2) disadvantages of hiring internal candidates for sales positions?
2. What are two (2) benefits of hiring people referred to the company by friends or relatives?
3. Discuss one (1) difference between the kinds of applicants that will come in from a newspaper ad versus postings on online job boards. Does this difference indicate anything about future job performance?
Part C: You have just finished a series of interviews with a person who you feel is an excellent candidate for one of your firm’s open sales position. She has a 3.4 grade point average and a marketing degree. The candidate has excellent communication skills, held a part-time sales job throughout college to help pay for school, and was an officer in the sales fraternity on campus. She will definitely make a great entry-level salesperson at your company. Your only concern is that another company will offer her a job before you do! Before the candidate is offered a job, your company requires that a few of the applicant’s references be checked. During the process, you discover that your ideal candidate lied on her resume and application. She was never an officer in the sales fraternity; she was only a member.
1. Given the difficulty in finding excellent candidates, would you hire this candidate? Provide two (2) supporting facts to justify your position.
2. Would your decision change if you also find out this candidate has several speeding tickets? Why or why not?
Grading Rubric
Please refer to the rubric on the next page for the grading criteria for this assignment.
This is the end of Assignment 4.
CATEGORYExemplarySatisfactoryUnsatisfactoryUnacceptable
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student clearly states at least
2 reasons for importance of
sales structure and lists
reasons. Critical thinking
regarding reasons is
demonstrated.
Student adequately states at
least 2 reasons for
importance of sales
structure but does not
demonstrate critical
thinking.
Student does not clearly
states 1-2 reasons for
importance of sales
structure and critical
thinking is not
demonstrated.
Student has not
adequately listed reasons
for importance of sales
structures.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student clearly discusses at
least 1 disadvantage of the
current sales structure and at
least 1 advantage and 1
disadvantage of a
geographical sales structure.
Student adequately
discusses at least 1
disadvantage of the current
sales structure and at least 1
advantage and 1
disadvantage of a
geographical sales structure.
Student does not
adequately discuss
disadvantages of the
current sales structure and
the advantages and
disadvantages of a
geographical sales
structure.
Student does not discuss
disadvantages of the
current sales structure and
the advantages and
disadvantages of a
geographical sales
structure.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student clearly describes one
of the different sales
structures: market, product,
or functional and critically
identifies at least 2 reasons
for the choice.
Student adequately
describes one of the
different sales structures:
market, product, or
functional and critically
identifies at least 2 reasons
for the choice.
Student adequately
describes one of the
different sales structures:
market, product, or
functional and critically
identifies at least 1 reason
for the choice.
Student does not
adequately describe one
of the different sales
structures: market,
product, or functional and
does not critically identify
reasons for the choice.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student clearly describes at
least 2 advantages and at
least 2 disadvantages of
hiring from within.
Student adequately
describes at least 2
advantages and at least 2
disadvantages of hiring from
within.
Student adequately
describes at least 1
advantage and at least 1
disadvantage of hiring from
within.
Student poorly describes
advantages and
disadvantages of hiring
from within.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student clearly describes at
least 2 benefits of hiring in-
house referrals.
Student adequately
describes at least 2 benefits
of hiring in-house referrals.
Student adequately
describes at least 1 benefit
of hiring in-house referrals.
Student poorly describes
at least 1 benefit of hiring
in-house referrals.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student clearly describes at
least 1 difference between
the kinds of applicants that
will come in from a
newspaper ad versus
postings on online job
boards, and whether this
difference will indicate
anything about future job
performance.
Student adequately
describes at least 1
difference between the
kinds of applicants that will
come in from a newspaper
ad versus postings on online
job boards, and whether this
difference will indicate
anything about future job
performance.
Student does not clearly
describe at least 1
difference between the
kinds of applicants that will
come in from a newspaper
ad versus postings on
online job boards, and
whether this difference will
indicate anything about
future job performance.
Student poorly describes
at least 1 difference
between the kinds of
applicants that will come
in from a newspaper ad
versus postings on online
job boards, and whether
this difference will
indicate anything about
future job performance.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student clearly discusses
reasons for hiring or not
hiring an applicant after
discovery of false
information on the resume
and application, providing at
least 2 supporting facts.
Student adequately
discusses reasons for hiring
or not hiring an applicant
after discovery of false
information on the resume
and application, providing at
least 2 supporting facts.
Student does not
adequately discuss reasons
for hiring or not hiring an
applicant after discovery of
false information on the
resume and application,
providing at least 1
supporting fact.
Student poorly discusses
reasons for hiring or not
hiring an applicant after
discovery of false
information on the resume
and application, providing
at least 1 supporting fact.
Part C: Candidate
Assessment (10
points)
Decision
Part A: Sales
Organization
Structure (10 points)
Importance
Part A: Sales
Organization
Structure (10 points)
Recommendation
Part B: Evaluation
Criteria:
Internal candidates
(10 points)
Part B: Evaluation
Criteria
Advertising (10
points)
Part A: Sales
Organization
Structure (10 points)
Current Structure
Part B: Evaluation
Criteria:
Referrals (10 points)
5 points4 points3 points2 points
Student clearly discusses an
assessment change based on
extraneous information
discovered about the job
candidate that was not
included on the resume or
application.
Student adequately
discusses an assessment
change based on extraneous
information discovered
about the job candidate that
was not included on the
resume or application.
Student does not
adequately discuss an
assessment change based
on extraneous information
discovered about the job
candidate that was not
included on the resume or
application.
Student poorly discusses
an assessment change
based on extraneous
information discovered
about the job candidate
that was not included on
the resume or application.
10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points
Student makes no errors in
grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the
content.
Student makes 1-2 errors in
grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the
content.
Student makes 3-4 errors in
grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the
content.
Student makes more than
4 errors in grammar or
spelling that distract the
reader from the content.
15 points 12 points 8 points 5 points
The paper is written in
proper format. All sources
used for quotes and facts are
credible and cited correctly.
Excellent organization,
including a variety of
thoughtful transitions.
The paper is written in
proper format with only 1-2
errors. All sources used for
quotes and facts are credible
and most are cited correctly.
Adequate organization
includes a variety of
appropriate transitions.
The paper is written in
proper format with only 3-5
errors. Most sources used
for quotes and facts are
credible and cited correctly.
Essay is poorly organized,
but may include a few
effective transitions.
The paper is not written in
proper format. Many
sources used for quotes
and facts are less than
credible (suspect) and/or
are not cited correctly.
Essay is disorganized and
does not include effective
transitions.
Part C: Candidate
Assessment (5
points)
Change
Format - APA
Format, Citations,
Organization,
Transitions (15
Points)
Mechanics -
Grammar,
Punctuation,
Spelling (10 Points)
