Sellers and buyers on the boundary: Potential moderators of role stress-job outcome relationships

Despite intense research interest in the role stress phenomenon in marketing over the last decade, there have been few attempts to explain the sometimes discrepant findings. This study investigated the influence of three potential moderators (education, job tenure, and work group cohesion) on role stress-job outcome relationships. Hypotheses were developed and tested in two work contexts of interest to marketers: industrial selling and purchasing. Findings point to some interesting moderating effects in the two samples. Work group cohesion reduced the dysfunctional effect of role stress on organizational commitment among industrial buyers. However, a more cohesive sales group experienced stronger dysfunctional effects from role stress on organizational commitment. Level of education buffered the role stress-organizational commitment link but only among industrial sales representatives. Managerial and research implications are also discussed. His research interests are in the areas of job satisfaction, performance, and motivation issues in personal selling and organizational buying. Michaels’ research has appeared in theJournal of Marketing Research, Journal of Marketing, Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Business Research, andIndustrial Marketing Management. She received her M.B.A. degree in marketing from Boston University. Dixon’s research has appeared in theJournal of Consumer Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction and Complaining Behavior and AMA’sEnhancing Knowledge Development in Marketing. She is a member of the Academy of Marketing Science, the American Marketing Association, and the Association for Consumer Research. Her current research interests include personal selling, sales management, and services marketing.