Sales Performance: Timing of Measurement and Type of Measurement Make a Difference

This paper investigates how the time of measurement and the "type" of variable used to measure sales performance can impact the results of sales performance studies. Information is presented which indicates that performance measures taken at different times are not highly related. Further, the relationships between different performance measures are also not strong. Finally, the type of performance measure used and when the measure of performance was taken had an impact on the relationship of sales performance to a set of predictor variables. The results provide empirical support for previously published concerns that researchers exercise caution in their use of performance measures that are readily available from a host firm or easily created by the researcher.