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Sales and Distribution Management

Assignment A

1. Define Sales Management. What are the objectives of Sales Management?


2. Explain the AIDAS Theory of Selling with the help of suitable examples.
3. What is the purpose of a Sales Organization? What steps you will take for setting up of a Sales Organization? Explain with the help
of suitable example.
4. What are the different sources of Sales Force Recruits? Illustrate with the help of suitable examples.
5. Write short notes on any three of the following:-
a) Requirements of a Good Sales Compensation Plan
b) Quantitative Performance Standard
c) The emergence of global retailing
d) Planning Sales Training Programs
e) Sales Quotas and Sales Territories.
Sales and Distribution Management
Assignment B
1. Explain Merchandise Planning and Control with the help of suitable examples.
2. What is wholesaling? Explain the different marketing functions performed by wholesaler-distributors for manufacturers with the help of
suitable examples.
3. a) Describe Physical Distribution Concept. What is Physical Distribution Cycle? Give your answer with the help of suitable examples.
b) What do you mean by managing marketing channels? Explain the three stages of managing the Marketing Channels. What are the
criteria for choosing channel partners from the supplier’s viewpoint?
Case Study
Hiring the Right Person
Andrew Pharmaceutical Limited was engaged in formulations and some bulk drugs and had its factory and head office in Bangalore. The
company has grown at thirty per cent for the last three years and had a turnover of Rs. 26 cores last year. The company employed 25
managerial and 150 non-managerial staff at their factory located at Bangalore. A, sales force of 65 sales representatives was managed by 16
district sales managers, further reporting to five regional managers of regional offices located in Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Hyderabad and Indore.
However, a sudden rise in the number of sales force created problems regarding monitoring, coordination and administration of sales
representatives, stockists and dealers. A need was felt to revamp the system as the marketing director was unable to handle the overall
marketing function. It was felt that the general management cadre must be introduced to take charge so that the marketing director will be free to
concentrate on the strategic and development activities.
A high level meeting of directors discussed the issues and a decision was taken to introduce general manager-marketing, and personnel
department was asked to initiate the process and one Mr. Ravi Saxena was chosen for the new position. Mr. Ravi Saxena had a decade of
managerial experience in marketing and product development though his direct sales experience was negligible. However his planning and
execution skills were good and thus he was considered the best option for developing systems of market information, dealer and representative
relations etc. His profile, as briefed to him by Marketing Director, Chandra Mohan, included management of sales and distribution and product
development. Ravi made a six monthly plan and started the work and initiated an extensive communication with dealers, stockists and
representatives for an effective market information system. Within six month's time, however, things began to worsen at the marketing
department. The interaction between Marketing Director and Mr. Ravi Saxena was minimum and often ended in confrontations. Mr. Ravi Saxena
had in the past six months tried unsuccessfully to change some policies and systems related to payments and training dealers and sales
representatives. Every time he proposed any such change, it was rejected by Chandra on the plea that the systems had worked well in the past
and hence no change is required. On the other hand Mr. Ravi Saxena felt that he cannot be held responsible for results, when he has no power
or authority to improve the system. As a result of such a conflict Mr. Ravi Saxena began
to withdraw from making plans, meetings were conducted with customary interaction amongst two seniors and thus created an environment of
confusion and uncertainty for managers and representatives. Mr. Ravi Saxena gradually became more defensive as the initial work done on
market information system also suffered. In spite of lack of support from Mr. Chandra, Mr. Ravi Saxena made significant improvements in the
area of training for sales staff and product development. The product launches, promotion and literature improved considerably in quality and the
regular training improved the motivation of sales staff all around the five regions. The regional managers and sales people, very subtly began to
appreciate his efforts and he enjoyed a good rapport with his people.
Mr. Chandra Mohan, however, was convinced that delays in decisions and inadequate control of sales force were becoming major issues and
blamed Mr. Ravi Saxena for this, but he decided not to communicate with Mr. Ravi Saxena. As the time passed, their 'relations worsened.
A regional manager created some troubles in the meantime. Mr. Ravi Saxena insisted that some action against the manager will put forth the
company's stand but Chandra didn't care. As a result everything went out of control, the coordination collapsed and fake medicines were
recovered from a stockist in a police raid. Later, an enquiry revealed that the regional manager in connivance with a rival company had done
some activities which led to the fake medicines racket.
The company suffered a loss of name and its credibility in the market. The Managing Director, Subhash Jain was anguished and ordered
sacking of the regional manager and also demanded explanation on how things went this far.
Questions:
(a) What are the major issues in this case?
(b) What reasons led to a conflict between Mr. Ravi Saxena and the Marketing Director Mr. Chandra Mohan? Did these conflicts arise due
to unclear policies of the company?
(c). How can the conflict in these two positions be minimized? Give your recommendations.
Sales and Distribution Management
Assignment C
1. From the sales management point of view, gross margin is equal to--
a) Cost of sales + sales
b) Sales – cost of sales
c) Profit + cost of sales
d) None of these
2. From the sales management point of view, net profit is equal to--
a) Gross margin + expenses
b) Sales – cost of sales
c) Gross margin – expenses
d) None of the above
3. Franklin Evan researched buyer-seller dyads in the ______________ business.
a) Insurance
b) Banking
c) Communication
d) Aviation
4. From the sociologist’s point of view, ‘dyad’ means--
a) A situation where only buyers are there.
b) A situation where only sellers are there.
c) A situation in which two people interact.
d) None of the above.
5. From the salespersons point of view, the objective factors are--
a) Education, age, income
b) Income, religion, education
c) Income, height, education
d) None of these
6. AIDAS theory talks about--
a) Attention, interests, desire, action and satisfaction
b) Attitudes, interests, desire, action and satisfaction
c) Agreement, interests, desire, action and satisfaction
d) None of the above
7. From the AIDAS theory point of view, the __________goal is to intensify the prospect’s attention so that it evolves into strong interest.
a) Attention.
b) Inducing actions.
c) Gaining interest.
d) None of the above.
8. The mental process involved in a purchase is--
a) Need (or problem) > solution > sale
b) Need (or problem) > solution > purchase
c) Need (or problem) > solution > output
d) None of these
9. Buying Formula is also known as--
a) Theory of Buying
b) Theory of Selling
c) Theory of Profit
d) None of the above
10. The four essential elements of the learning process included in the stimulus response model are--
a) Drive, cue, response and reinforcement
b) Response, drive, cue and enforcement
c) Reply, drive, cue, and reinforcement
d) None of the above
11. ________ is a weak stimuli that determines when the buyers will respond.
a) Drive
b) Cue
c) Response
d) None of the above
12. ____________ is any event that strengthens the buyer’s tendency to make a particular response.
a) Drive
b) Cue
c) Reinforcement
d) none of the above
13. There are _______ steps in prospecting.
a) Three
b) Four
c) Two
d) None of the above
14. Marketing management in consultation with sales management determines _______________ exact role in the promotional program.
a) Publicity’s
b) Personal Selling’s
c) Sales Promotion’s
d) None of the above
15. Stocking and promoting the product line is a qualitative objective of--
a) Publicity
b) Sales Promotion
c) Personal Selling
d) None of the above
16. ______________ is an estimate of the maximum possible sales opportunities present in a particular market segment and open to all
sellers of a good or service during a stated future period.
a) Sales Potential
b) Sales forecast
c) Market Potential
d) None of the above
17. The first step in analyzing a product’s market potential is to identify its--
a) Product
b) Price
c) Promotion
d) Market
18. Using market factors for analyzing market potential is a _________ process.
a) Two-step
b) Three-step
c) Four-step
d) One-step
19. ______________ is a procedure for estimating how much of a given product (or product line) can be sold if a given marketing program
is implemented.
a) Buyers Interests
b) Sales Forecasting
c) Market Potential
d) None of the above
20. ____________ is one statistical technique for short-range sales forecasting,
a) Chi-square
b) Exponential Smoothing
c) Factor Analysis
d) none of these
21. _________________ analysis is a statistical process, used in sales forecasting, determines and measures the association between
company sales and other variables.
a) Conjoint
b) Regression
c) Chi-square
d) None of the above
22. Tasks of line administration are sub-divided among the new assists in one of _______ ways.
a) Four
b) Five
c) Three
d) None of the above
23. A large firm with far-flung selling operations is likely to subdivide line authority ______________.
a) Geographically
b) Politically
c) Economically
d) Socially
24. The third scheme for subdividing line authority is by type of ______________.
a) Customer or purchase channel
b) Seller or marketing channel
c) Customer or marketing channel
d) None of these
25. Non-personal selling techniques are the province of the __________ department.
a) Purchase
b) Advertising
c) Selling
d) None of the above
26. Product Development Committee works in coordination between _________ and ___________ departments.
a) Purchase and R&D
b) Sales and R&D
c) Sales and Finance
d) Sales and Accounting
27. Sales force management is a specialized type of _____________ management.
a) Marketing
b) Personnel
c) Operations
d) None of the above
28. The qualifications needed to perform the job are detailed in the ____________.
a) Job Specifications
b) Job Analysis
c) Job Satisfaction
d) none of these
29. The method that breaks down subject matter into numbered instructions units called frames, which are incorporated into a book or
microfilmed for use with a teaching machine is--
a) On the Job Training
b) Programmed Learning
c) Impromptu Discussion
d) None of the above
30. Initial sales training is a--
a) Line function in some companies and staff function in other organizations.
b) Line function.
c) Staff function.
d) None of the above.
31. The three types of compensation plans are--
a) Straight salary, straight commission, and a combination of salary and variable elements.
b) Salary, commission and other miscellaneous elements.
c) Salary, commission and perks.
d) None of the above.
32. ______ is an auxiliary device capable of transmission of sight and/or sound stimuli.
a) Advance assignments.
b) Training aids.
c) Printed materials.
d) None of the above.
33. Needs that are inborn or physiological needs for food, water, rest, sleep, air to breathe, sex, and sun, the fulfillment of which are basic
to life itself. These needs are--
a) Secondary needs
b) Primary needs
c) Auxiliary needs
d) None of the above
34. A sales compensation plan has as many as ______ basic elements.
a) Two
b) Three
c) Four
d) None of the above
35. ________ account provides the salesperson with a stipulated sum to cover all expenses during a given period, such as a month or
week.
a) Flexible expense account.
b) Flat expense account.
c) Miscellaneous account.
d) None of the above.
36. __________ measures the effectiveness of sales personnel in securing orders.
a) Average cost ration
b) Call-frequency ration
c) Order call ration
d) None of the above
37. ________________ market share on a territory-by-territory basis.
a) General.
b) Territorial.
c) Augmented.
d) none of the above
38. From the emerging global retailing point of view, the “tough three” are--
a) Italy, South Korea and Japan
b) South Korea, Japan and China
c) Japan, China and India
d) None of the above
39. From the emerging global retailing point of view, the “torrid three” are--
a) Mexico, Argentina, India
b) Mexico, Turkey and Argentina
c) Turkey, India, Brazil
d) None of the above
40. “Formidable four” means--
a) Greatest political and economic risks with a poor retail infrastructure, but
rapidly growing middle classes hungry for consumer goods.
b) Rapid but volatile economic growth with an undeveloped retail sector.
c) Strong economies with large middle classes.
d) None of the above.

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