Pedro Canales-Ronda and Cristina Aragonés-Jericó
This research aims to focus on analysing the opinion of university students on the effects that agile methodologies are having on their education during this time of pandemic that…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to focus on analysing the opinion of university students on the effects that agile methodologies are having on their education during this time of pandemic that is affecting the normal functioning of on-site universities. Specifically, the authors intend to analyse the effect that different constructs have on the development of their skills for labour markets through the application of agile methodologies in blended learning. Thus, the authors will analyse the effects of intrinsic motivation, the interactivity of the system, the involvement of students, their engagement to these activities and their level of satisfaction with this training process.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted research based on the use of agile methodologies applied to higher education. To this end, various activities were designed within different subjects in marketing area. 115 business students were consulted, who valued their experience and the usefulness of this methodology in relation to the improvement of the learning process.
Findings
The results of the research show the usefulness of agile methodologies for university students. In addition, these methodologies allow them to develop certain skills that will be important for labour markets, such as teamwork, motivation and engagement to tasks to be developed.
Originality/value
The main value of this research lies in the application of a methodology from the business environment in higher education and the subsequent analysis of the students' assessment of these agile methodologies in terms of their usefulness for their professional future. Moreover, this application of agile methodologies has been carried out in an unusual environment due to the pandemic situation that has changed the usual development of face-to-face university training towards the application of e-learning methodologies.
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Jose Manuel Gil Guzman, Asuncion Hernandez-Fernandez and Pedro Canales-Ronda
This paper aims to show the advantages that social marketing training programs for disability professionals can play in improving the approach to the problems faced by people with…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to show the advantages that social marketing training programs for disability professionals can play in improving the approach to the problems faced by people with disabilities, offering a necessary mutual understanding between both sectors. So, describing what are the training needs in social marketing expressed by disability professionals and providing an initial shared theoretical framework of both fields that could contribute to implementing social marketing strategies in the field of disability as an inducer of quality of life.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a mixed-method approach combining: a quantitative analysis with a web-based self-administered questionnaire completed in six European countries and a qualitative analysis: interviews to experts pre and post questionnaire.
Findings
Quantitative data has identified that: front-line professionals working directly with people with disabilities have high social marketing training needs; these needs are mostly related to the assessment and modification of clients’ behavior and the development of interventions according to the concept of value co-creation. Qualitative data has shown that: both fields share some similar theoretical frameworks. Therefore, it is stated that social marketing has the potential to be better implemented in the disability field.
Research limitations/implications
Considering public policy; stigma and discrimination; regulations; other models and improving the sampling method.
Originality/value
Sharing theoretical framework of both fields, social marketing strategies into the disability field as an inductor for quality of life. No research has analyzed the needs of disability professionals when they have to face a problem and find a solution that social marketing strategies could offer into the disability field.
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The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship among the compensation system (fixed or commission) applied to salespeople, the system by which they are controlled, and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship among the compensation system (fixed or commission) applied to salespeople, the system by which they are controlled, and the effects of both on individual performance and sales organization effectiveness. Previous research has been extended in a different country/context, and from the field sales manager's points of view.
Design/methodology/approach
First, a cluster analysis was used to obtain a set of groups of salespeople characterized by their main compensation system (salary and/or commission). Also, ANOVA is used to analyze the significance of the differences due to the different compensation system.
Findings
The empirical data reflect the results of research involving 108 field sales managers and show that the compensation system used for the salespeople has significant effects on individual salesperson performance and sales organization effectiveness and is related to the control system used by the company. Companies with a compensation system based on a fixed salary use behavior control more than companies with a compensation system based on commission; salespeople who receive a greater proportion of compensation as a fixed salary give better individual performance than those who are paid by commission; salespeople who receive a greater proportion of their pay as a fixed salary are more effective than those paid largely by commission. Results do not show relevant differences among countries.
Research limitations/implications
Any generalisation of results is limited by the characteristics of this study, in particular by the sample used and the particular situation of the country analysed (Spain). At the same time, and because the study relies on the subjective judgment of sales field managers' perceptions, the measurement of some concepts is subject to various cognitive biases.
Practical implications
Compensation for salespeople is one of the most important issues in saleforce management as it has a significant effect on motivation, which is critical, given the conditions of their working environment.
Originality/value
This paper analyzes the field sales manager's points of view and not that of the salesperson or the sales team. This provides a closer perspective because field sales managers operate between the salesperson and sales manager. This paper presents a framework based on Baldauf et al.'s and Piercy et al.'s previous research, with two main contributions. The first contribution is the proposed direct analysis of the relationships between various antecedents of effectiveness. The second contribution is the consideration of two dimensions of the effectiveness construct: financial efficacy and field sales manager satisfaction.