Exploring the dark side of managerial upselling emphasis: Exploratory and exploitative learning's moderating roles in salesperson emotional exhaustion and performance

Abstract

In this study, we scrutinize the prevalent perspective on upselling benefits and explore the overlooked ramifications, specifically the potential for emotional exhaustion and diminished salesperson performance. Our primary objective is to illuminate the intricate relationship between managerial upselling emphasis, salesperson emotional exhaustion, and salesperson performance. Moreover, we analyze the moderating influence of exploratory and exploitative learning. Anchored in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework and incorporating insights from regulatory focus theory (RFT), our investigation involves comprehensive analyses of data collected from two studies: 254 sales personnel in Study 1 and 251 B2B sales personnel in Study 2. Our findings reveal that emotional exhaustion mediates the relationship between managerial upselling emphasis and salesperson performance, while exploratory and exploitative learning conversely moderate the link between managerial upselling emphasis and emotional exhaustion. By doing so, we extend the frameworks of RFT and JD-R, integrating them into the domain of B2B marketing and sales research. We posit that exploratory learning is an invaluable personal coping resource, empowering sales personnel to navigate the challenges stemming from managerial upselling emphasis-induced demands, while exploitative learning intensifies emotional strain in upselling. Our study yields profound insights into the complex interplay among upselling emphasis, salesperson learning, exhaustion, and performance, offering valuable implications for B2B sales strategies.