1. ¹Assistant Product Manager for OTC products with Whitehall Hellas, Athens, Greece
2. ²University of Portsmouth Business School, Milton Campus, Locksway Road, Milton, Portsmouth, PO4 8JF, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 23 9284 4166; Fax: +44 (0) 23 9284 4319; Email: chris.fill@port.ac.uk

Revised 17 March 2000.

Abstract

This paper seeks to determine the relative strength of the sales force as a corporate identity cue for pharmaceutical companies, as perceived by one of their most important and influential stakeholders, doctors. The research indicates that the sales force is deemed to be the third most important identity cue and that there is a high degree of correlation between the corporate image and the way the sales force is considered. The paper then determines which attributes of the sales force are the most significant according to doctors, and ranks knowledge/expertise, credibility and the ability to provide reliable and accurate information as the top three key attributes. Major pharmaceutical companies are ranked according to corporate image, sales force performance and their individual perceived capabilities against each of the main sales force attributes. The implication for management is that greater attention to particular sales force attributes may result in a stronger corporate image.