Industrial sales responding to environmental sustainability regulations: A role theory perspective

Environmental sustainability regulations are transforming industrial markets; however, their impact on the business-to-business (B2B) sales role remains underexplored. This study examines how regulatory pressure shapes the role of industrial B2B salespeople. Based on a qualitative multiple-case study of four Scandinavian-based companies with global operations, we analyzed insights from 22 sales team members and their managers. Integrating sales system perspectives with role theory, our findings show that environmental regulations function as a transformative force, reshaping and expanding the boundaries of the B2B sales role. We conceptualize environmental regulations as mandatory institutional forces within the sales system that are translated into evolving sales role expectations. Our study contributes to the B2B sales and environmental sustainability literature by advancing the understanding of how macro-level regulatory pressures are interpreted and enacted at the individual salesperson level, thereby explaining the expansion of the B2B sales role under mandatory environmental regulatory conditions. We also offer managerial implications and outline avenues for future research. • Empirically shows how environmental regulations transform the B2B sales role • Draws on a multiple-case study and integrates sales system and role theory • Conceptualizes regulation as an indirect buyer-mediated role-sending mechanism • Identifies role stressors from regulatory-driven role expectations • Introduces organizational sales role enablement for role adaptation and support