BUSML4220 SALES FORCE MANAGEMENT  COURSE SYLLABUS  FALL 2015
Dale Anne Davidson
Davidson.399@osu.edu
Office hours: by appointment
Syllabus may be revised to accommodate changes in class enrollment.
REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS
1. CONTEMPORARY SELLING, Building Relationships, Creating Value, 4th Edition; Mark W.
Johnston and Greg W. Marshall; Published 2013; Paperback ISBN 978-0-415-52350-9
2. SALES EATS FIRST; Noel Capon and Gary S. Turbridy, Published 2013; Wessex, Inc.; ISBN
978-0-9833300-2-8 (also available as iBooks.)
3. Purchase course packet direct from Harvard Business Publishing:
https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/42310914
4. Do NOT delay in purchasing textbook and course packet. Reading materials are required
for quizzes and class participation. First two group presentations begin Tuesday, 10-27
and first quiz opens Friday, October 30.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The new model for great sales organizations focuses on providing added value. What is it and
how do you cultivate it in a sales organization?
BUSML4220 examines in-depth, several corporations to discover how they’ve become worldclass sales organizations. Students will:
 Learn and discuss five key areas in which sales organizations of truly customer-motivated
companies excel.
 Participate in small group discussions and case evaluations that incorporate current sales
management models.
 Understand the type of leadership that will ultimately determine the difference between
good and world-class sales organizations.
COURSE KNOWLEDGE GOALS
Sales management is one of the most dynamic aspects of today’s business strategy and by the
end of this course you should be able to discuss and be familiar with:
1. The formulation of a sales program including the strategic role of information in
forecasting, territory management, and customer knowledge; importance of customer
relationship management (CRM) and its link to sales management.
2. Models to strategically structure the sales force to create added value.
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BUSML4220 SALES FORCE MANAGEMENT  COURSE SYLLABUS  FALL 2015
3. Implementation of a sales program to determine sales performance with special focus
on a salesperson’s role perception and motivation.
4. Evaluation and control of the sales program to monitor and control sales force behavior
and performance.
CLASS PARTICIPATION/ATTENDANCE
Individual class participation and attendance is critical to success in this class. The sales arena is
engaging, interactive, and dynamic and will be treated as such in class with the use of case
discussions, group problem solving, and in-class exercises.
In order to derive the maximum benefit from class, in-class participation is required and graded.
Note: simply attending class is not sufficient basis for class participation. (Refer to class
participation rubric and case participation rubric available on Carmen content.)
Reading assignments need to be completed before the beginning of each class to actively
engage in classroom activities and to complete quizzes successfully. A complete list of reading
assignments and quiz dates is listed under course schedule of the course syllabus.
BEST PRACTICES
1. Electronics FREE classroom – use of electronics (phones, tablets, laptops) will not be
tolerated during class discussions/lectures and will impact the personal participation
grade.
a. EXCEPTION: electronics may be used to access eBook or course packet needed
for group exercises during class.
2. Punctuality to class is expected. Tardiness and early departure will affect participation
grades.
3. Reading assignment for each class needs to be brought to class to be used during inclass assignments utilizing the textbook or course packet.
4. Quiz deadline will only be extended due to severe illness documented by a physician’s
excuse.
5. If class absence is unavoidable, it is recommended to obtain a copy of lecture notes
from a classmate.
CARMEN ON-LINE QUIZZES
Online quizzes, via Carmen, will include material from Contemporary Selling textbook, Sales
Eats First, case packet, and class discussions. Quizzes will focus on current readings but could
include any preceding reading assignments and class discussions.
Weekly quizzes will be posted by:

Friday, Noon and closed Sunday, 11:59 PM
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BUSML4220 SALES FORCE MANAGEMENT  COURSE SYLLABUS  FALL 2015
Quizzes have a time limit based on total number of questions. Reference materials may be used
during the quiz. Make up quizzes are not available.
GROUP ASSIGNMENTS
Based on final class enrollment, each group will contain 4-6 students. Students may choose
their own group on the second day of class. Groups will participate in in-class problem solving
and in-class case participation discussions. Groups will sit together during the entire term.
Mandatory attendance is required on case discussion dates (April 21 and 23) and Capstone
Project, Tuesday, December 8. Refer to syllabus for grade value of each assignment.
EVALUATION
Course grade is based on the following weights:
ITEM
WEIGHT
DESCRIPTION
1.
On-line quizzes
30%
Quiz questions cover class discussions, readings, and cases
assigned for the week
2.
Sales Eats First or short article
from course packet
10%
Short, group presentations from one chapter in Sales Eats
First or one of three short articles from course packet –
refer to presentation assignment for dates
3.
Case discussions
30%
New York Life and Immediate Annuities (15%)
Clearion Software (15%) – assignment for both cases
provided at beginning of class
4.
Capstone project
30%
Spectrum Brands – case analysis done outside of class;
capstone project assignment provided at beginning of class
for group work on Google Docs followed by class
discussion
5.
Final Exam
0%
In lieu of final exam students participate in quizzes, group
work, in-class exercises, and case discussions
OSU Standard Grade Scheme to be used:
Grade
Start %
Grade
Start %
Grade
Start %
A
93
B-
80
D+
67
A-
90
C+
77
D
60
B+
87
C
73
D-
60
B
83
C-
70
E
0
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BUSML4220 SALES FORCE MANAGEMENT  COURSE SYLLABUS  FALL 2015
BUSML 4220 COURSE SCHEDULE
WEEK
DATE
TOPIC
1
TU 10-20
1. Class introduction to include review of course objectives, syllabus, and
classroom etiquette
2. Student introductions
1
TH 10-22
1. Reading due (bring material to class)
a. CH 2 – Understanding Sellers and Buyers (Contemporary
Selling)
2. Small group exercises
3. Group sign-up
2
TU 10-27
1. Readings due (bring material to class)
2. CH 5 – CRM and Sales Technologies (Contemporary Selling)
3. Short group presentation #1 – All Pain, No Gain? Why Adopting Sales
Force Automation Tools is Insufficient for Performance Improvement
(course packet)
4. Short group presentation #2, chapter 1, Sales Eats First
5. Small group exercises
2
TH 10-29
1. CLASS DOES NOT MEET, in lieu of class meeting read the following
case: Aspects of Sales Management: An Introduction, each group to
prepare what they feel are four key take-aways for discussion during
class, Tuesday, 11-3
2
FR 10-30
1. Quiz #1
a. CH 2 & 5, Contemporary Selling
b. CH 1, Sales Eats First
c. All Pain, No Gain?
d. Class discussion
3
TU 11-3
1. Discussion of Aspects of Sales Management: An Introduction (discuss
group key take-aways)
2. Reading due (bring material to class)
a. CH 10 – Salesperson Self-Management (Contemporary Selling)
3. Short group presentation #3, chapter 2, Sales Eats First
Sales Management COURSE SYLLABUS, REV. 10-18/15
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BUSML4220 SALES FORCE MANAGEMENT  COURSE SYLLABUS  FALL 2015
WEEK
DATE
TOPIC
3
TH 11-5
1. Readings due (bring material to class)
a. CH 13 – Compensating and Evaluating Salespeople
(Contemporary Selling)
2. Short group presentation #4, A Radical Prescription for Sales (course
packet)
3. Small group exercises
3
FR 11-6
1. Quiz #2
a. CH 10 & 13, Contemporary Selling
b. CH 2, Sales Eats First
c. Class discussions
d. A Radical Prescription for Sales (course packet)
4
TU 11-10
1. Readings due (bring material to class)
a. CH 12 – Recruiting, Selecting, and Training Sales People
(Contemporary Selling)
2. Short group presentation, #5 chapter 3, Sales Eats First
3. Small group exercises
4
TH 11-12
1. Readings due (bring material to class)
a. CH 11, Salesperson Performance: Behavior, Motivation, and
Role Perceptions (Contemporary Selling)
2. Short group presentation #6, Motivating Salespeople: What Really
Works? (course packet)
3. Small group exercises
4
FR 11-13
1. Quiz #3
a. CH 11, 12 Contemporary Selling
b. CH 3 Sales Eats First
c. Motivating Salespeople: What Really Works? (case packet)
5
TU 11-17
1. Reading and analysis due (bring material to class for assignment)
a. New York Life and Immediate Annuities
b. Small group presentation # 7, chapter 4, Sales Eats First
5
TH 11-19
1. Readings due, bring materials to class
a. Small group presentation #8, chapter 5, Sales Eats First
b. Small group presentation #9, chapter 6, Sales Eats First
2. Guest speaker, William Beese, News America Marketing (tentative)
3. Class discussion and small group work
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BUSML4220 SALES FORCE MANAGEMENT  COURSE SYLLABUS  FALL 2015
WEEK
DATE
TOPIC
5
FR 11-20
1. Quiz #4
a. New York Life (case packet)
b. Chapters 4, 5, 6 Sales Eats First
6
TU 11-24
1. NO CLASS, in lieu of class read and analyze Clearion Software for inclass assignment on Tuesday, 12-1
6
TH 11-26
1. NO CLASS, Thanksgiving Holiday
7
TU 12-1
1. In-class, graded assignment, Clearion Software (bring case to class)
7
TH 12-3
1. No reading assignment, class discussion on following:
a. Sales Force Structure (lecture, material not included in reading
material)
b. Territory management
c. Misc. sales management not covered in text
7
FR 12-4
1. Quiz #5
a. Clearion Software (case packet)
b. Lecture regarding sales force structure and territory
management
8
TU 12-8
1. Capstone Project (bring material to class)
a. Spectrum Brands (course packet)
b. Group assignment distributed at beginning of class
PHOTOGRAPHS
Please submit a photograph, headshot only, via email to davidson.399@osu.edu. Photographs
are due no later than Friday, October 23. Submit one of the following formats: JPEG, JPG, or
PNG. File size must be LARGER than 240KB. Students that completed BUSML4221 are not
required to submit a photo.
UNIVERSITY ATTENDANCE POLICY (FIRST WEEK OF CLASS)
Fisher College of Business strongly enforces University attendance policies. As per
University rule 3335-8-33, any student may be dis-enrolled from a course for failure to
attend by the first Friday of the term, or by the 3rd instructional day of the term, or by the
second class meeting, whichever occurs first.
http://trustees.osu.edu/rules/university-rules/rules8/ru8-33.html
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