| Abstract: | As we celebrate the silver anniversary of this journal, it is time to assess the development of sales as a profession. This paper uses the sociology of work literature to develop six criteria society uses in making the attribution of a work group as a profession. Sales is then examined on each of those six dimensions. It is concluded that our discipline meets or exceeds four of the requirements, has mixed results on one construct, and falls short on another criterion. Progress will require the development and enforcement of an ethical code. A strong professional association for all salespeople across all industries could also be very useful in this regard. Future use of technology by salespeople will also impact client views of sales as a profession. |
