An exploratory investigation of impact of perceived cannibalization on salesperson’s trust, commitment, job satisfaction, job performance and relational capital

Abstract

With the increasing ubiquity of the Internet, organizations are using the Internet channel to increase overall performance, consolidate existing markets, and expand into new markets. The literature, however, contends that the overarching benefits realized through the Internet oftentimes come at the expense of perceived job insecurity among individuals in the organization. This study explores perceptions of sales agents that develop because of the potential for the Internet to cannibalize their business and jeopardize relationships and their jobs. Results suggest that sales agents’ perception of cannibalization negatively influences their trust and commitment. Furthermore, environmental munificence moderates the influence of PC on trust and commitment. Additionally, Trust and Commitment mediate the impact of PC on Relational Capital, Job Satisfaction and Job Performance of a salesperson.