This course aims to provide methodologies and strategic and operational tools useful for planning, organizing and managing the sales force and the main sales actions. Sales policies and actions are examined within the marketing strategies of firms. 

The course is structured in three parts.

Part 1. Function and organization of sales force: the competitive scenario; function of the sales force; organization of the sales structure.

Part 2. Selection and training of sales force: selection processes; training processes

Part.3.  Planning and management of sales force: sales planning and forecast (Sales Plan); incentives and benefits; control mechanisms

Knowledge and understanding: students have to gain adequate knowledge and effective comprehension capacity of sales management contexts and approaches.

Applying knowledge and understanding: students have to be able to apply acquired knowledge and to analyze specific problems related to a variety of sales management contexts.

Making judgements: students have to be able to use acquired knowledge both in conceptual and operational terms, with autonomous judgement capacity and exploiting various competences in different business contexts.

Communication skills: students have to master the technical language in sales management in order to communicate in a clear way with specialized actors (managers, experts, academics), while at the same time developing relational and communication skills with non-specialized actors.

Learning skills: students have to develop adequate learning skills in order to pursue autonomous study - in their working contexts - of the main themes of the sales management discipline. 

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Interactive teaching, case-study analysis, seminars held by managers and experts, projects works in groups. The teaching material is available, in combination with other support activities and tools, on the Moodle platform  › blended.uniurb.it 

Attendance

Students are strongly encouraged to attend classes. Students are involved in project working groups on business cases and in seminars held by managers and experts on relevant topics of the course. 

Course books

The Course Teacher will provide details to attending students about texts and materials for each topic discussed in class.

Assessment

The final evaluation is based on a written exam - with open questions on course topics - and on an oral exam. 

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Non-attending students are invited to read and consult articles on sales management from the main economic newspapers (Il Sole 24 Ore, Repubblica Affari e Finanza, Corriere Economia) and specialized magazines (The Economist). 

Attendance

Non-attending students are invited to contact the Course Teacher in order to gain a better understanding of the final exam structure and content. 

Course books

Noonan, C.J. (2014), "La Direzione Vendite. Organizzazione, selezione, direzione e controllo della forza di vendita", Milano, Franco Angeli, capp. 1-2-3-4-6-7-8-9-11-12.

Erasmus students might prepare the exam using English language materials as suggested by the Course Teacher.  

Assessment

The final evaluation is based on a written exam - with open questions on course topics - and on an oral exam.  

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.