Workplace Spirituality as a Precursor to Relationship-Oriented Selling Characteristics

Journal of Business Ethics · 2013 · Volume 115 · Issue 1

Abstract

Very few studies have looked upon the construct of workplace spirituality in sales organization context. This paper integrates workplace spirituality with sales literature. The paper points out that self-interest transcendence is a common aspect in the workplace spirituality concept which emerged a decade ago and in most of the relationship-oriented selling characteristics—customer orientation, adaptability, service orientation, and ethical selling behavior. Based on the common aspect of self-interest transcendence, we propose that workplace spirituality could be a causal precursor to relationship-oriented selling characteristics. We present guidelines for future research, implications for practice and a few potential downsides of workplace spirituality in sales organization.

Keywords

Adaptive selling, Customer orientation, Ethical selling behavior, Self-interest transcendence, Service orientation, Workplace spirituality

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