Advancing Excellence in Professional Selling and Sales Management Education

Editors

• Leff Bonney, Florida State University
• Jessica Ogilvie, Marquette University

Description

Professional sales education faces mounting pressures from evolving student expectations, institutional demands for demonstrable value, and rapid industry transformation. This special issue addresses how sales educators can effectively bridge theory and practice by developing rigorous curricula while equipping students with career-ready skills across diverse learning contexts, from university degree programs to corporate training and entrepreneurial ventures.

The journal seeks empirical, conceptual, and methodological contributions examining foundational questions and contemporary challenges in sales education. Topics span pedagogical innovation and curriculum design, assessment of learning outcomes and career trajectories, sales management and leadership development, industry-academic partnerships, and ethical and global dimensions of sales instruction.

Potential topics

• Effectiveness of different teaching modalities (in-person, online, hybrid, asynchronous) in sales courses
• Impact of experiential learning tools such as role-plays, live sales call exercises, case studies, and sales competitions on student outcomes
• Optimal design of sales curricula, including structure, course sequencing, and integration of core concepts
• Development and validation of instruments and rubrics to assess sales skills and competencies
• Longitudinal studies connecting sales education to career outcomes, employment rates, and performance metrics
• Factors driving student engagement, motivation, and success in sales, including mentorship and role models
• Pedagogical approaches for teaching sales management topics including compensation, territory alignment, and performance management
• Educating sales leaders on technology selection, ROI evaluation, and strategic implementation of sales technology
• Teaching coaching skills and frameworks for developing effective sales managers
• Integration of sales management with overall business strategy
• Impact and best practices of university sales centers and industry partnerships
• Effectiveness of corporate advisory boards, guest speakers, and industry mentors in sales education
• Role of organizations like SEF and USCA in establishing sales as a legitimate academic discipline
• Innovative pedagogies for embedding ethical decision-making in sales curricula
• Preparing students for international sales careers and cross-cultural negotiation
• Developing and assessing cultural intelligence in sales students through immersive experiences and case studies
• Fostering student resilience, managing performance pressure, and supporting mental health in sales education