Salesperson social loneliness, ethical behaviors, and performance: a two-wave study

Bruno Lussier, Laurianne Schmitt and Willy Bolander
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Bruno Lussier: HEC Montréal - HEC Montréal
Laurianne Schmitt: LEM - Lille économie management - UMR 9221 - UA - Université d'Artois - UCL - Université catholique de Lille - ULCO - Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale - Université de Lille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Willy Bolander: Texas A&M University [College Station]

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Abstract: Previous research indicates that social loneliness adversely impacts a salesperson's mental health and well-being. However, little is known about its effects outside the salesperson (i.e., on their customer-directed behaviors and performance). This study explores the connections between salesperson social loneliness, ethical behaviors, and objective sales performance, along with testing the moderating roles of agreeableness and extraversion. Our findings reveal that social loneliness negatively affects ethical behaviors, and this decline in ethical conduct ultimately undermines sales performance. Importantly, agreeableness lessens, while extraversion intensifies, the adverse impact of loneliness on ethical behaviors. This highlights a reversal of effects for extroverts, suggesting that managers should consider these personality traits when addressing social loneliness and its influence on performance.

Date: 2025-09-07
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Published in Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 2025, pp.1-20. ⟨10.1080/10696679.2025.2550023⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05376610

DOI: 10.1080/10696679.2025.2550023

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