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2025/2026  KAN-CSAAO1002U  Professional Selling

English Title
Professional Selling

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Quarter
Start time of the course First Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for Markets & Innovation
Programme MSc in Economics and Business Administration - Sales Management (SAM)
Course coordinator
  • Selma Kadic-Maglajlic - Department of Marketing (Marketing)
Main academic disciplines
  • Marketing
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 27-06-2025

Relevant links
Learning objectives
After the course, the student should be able to:
  • Describe and critically analyze how companies can make their sales process efficient and effective through the integration of new technology, and by utilizing sales force management tools (e.g., sales functions and roles, recruiting etc.)
  • Define, understand, compare, and contrast relevant key terms, definitions, concepts, theories, and frameworks related to relationship selling and other sales approaches.
  • Critically evaluate diversity, equity, inclusion, and ethical considerations in salesforce management.
  • Identify, design, plan, and evaluate the value of sales enablement practices for a given business case.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in creating the foundation for new sales-related concepts.
  • Demonstrate the ability to follow academic conventions in written assignments.
Prerequisites for registering for the exam (activities during the teaching period)
Number of compulsory activities which must be approved (see section 13 of the Programme Regulations): 1
Compulsory home assignments
1 of 2 group reports on sales-related tasks submitted and approved

In this course, students will work in groups of 4–5 on two sales-related tasks. These tasks will require students to apply the methods and tools introduced throughout the course. During in-class sessions, students will have the opportunity to receive guidance and feedback from both faculty and guest lecturers. Each sales-related task will come with a specific deadline. For one task, feedback will be provided by a faculty member; for the other, peer-to-peer feedback will be given.

The aim of these tasks is to help students develop practical sales skills while encouraging them to reflect on the real-world applicability of the theories, concepts, methods, and tools discussed in class. These compulsory activities serve as preparation for the final exam.

Students do not have additional opportunities to get compulsory activities approved prior to the ordinary exam. If a student has not fulfilled the required number of compulsory activities or has been ill, they will not be able to take the ordinary exam.

If a student still has not received approval for the required number of mandatory activities prior to the retake examination and meets the requirements set forth in the academic regulations, an extra assignment is possible. This consists of a 5-minute video pitch reflecting on sales workshop that was part of the course.
Examination
Professional Selling:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Oral exam
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Duration 20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Preparation time No preparation
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and second internal examiner
Exam period Winter
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

 

 
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

Aim

By applying cutting-edge sales concepts, theories and tools, students will learn how to choose the optimal sales process and methods to effectively convert leads into actual sales. The course covers both personal selling and virtual selling and introduces elements of new technological advances in sales such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Using real sales cases presented by guest lecturers from the field, you will learn how sales roles and sales processes often differ by customer segment, solution or product category, industry and more.

 

Content

The course provides you with theoretical and analytical content and gives you the opportunity to develop your practical sales skills. Through experiential learning, you will develop and acquire the necessary skills, abilities and knowledge that can provide a solid foundation for developing sales leaders in complex sales organizations. The course focuses on sales behaviors, models, and processes, and how to implement strategic sales in an organization.

 

Course progression
Professional Selling is a foundation course in the study program.
Research-based teaching
CBS’ programmes and teaching are research-based. The following types of research-based knowledge and research-like activities are included in this course:
Research-based knowledge
  • Classic and basic theory
  • New theory
  • Teacher’s own research
Research-like activities
  • Data collection
  • Peer review including Peer-to-peer
  • Activities that contribute to new or existing research projects
Description of the teaching methods
This course is offered in a blended learning format that combines on-demand online content (e.g., recorded lectures, small group activities, online quizzes), live online lectures with in-class discussions, and workshops (e.g., guest lectures and role-plays).

The class is guided by the philosophy of active learning, which is integrated into a sales project that students will work on throughout the course. Prior to almost every session, students will receive the required reading and assignment for the sales project. Class sessions will consist of plenary discussions, guest lectures, and group work (the instructor will go from group to group and provide feedback on the intended application of the theories to their sales project).
Feedback during the teaching period
The course design follows a proactive feedback philosophy by mirroring the exam format in advance. Students are repeatedly exposed to the learning objectives through sales-related tasks that reflect the types of questions they can expect on the exam. Twice during the course, students are required to submit these tasks, which then serve as the basis for both detailed instructor and peer feedback.

In the wrap-up session dedicated to exam preparation, students are debriefed and encouraged to seek detailed feedback on their own performance. This gives them the opportunity to reinforce what they have learned in the course and prepare for the actual exam. In the final debriefing session, the material is recapped, overarching feedback is provided.
Student workload
Teaching 33 hours
Preparation 123 hours
Exam 50 hours
Expected literature

A detailed list of academic articles will be provided to students via Canvas page. Examples of the articles may include:

 

Habel, J., Kadic-Maglajlic, S., Hartmann, N. N., de Jong, A., Zacharias, N., & Kosse, F. (2024). Neuroticism and the sales profession. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 184, 104353. https:/​/​doi.org/​10.1016/​j.obhdp.2024.104353

 

Kadic-Maglajlic, S., Micevski, M., Lee, N., Boso, N., & Vida, I. (2019). Three Levels of Ethical Influences on Selling Behavior and Performance: Synergies and Tensions. Journal of Business Ethics, 156(2), 377–397. https:/​/​doi.org/​10.1007/​s10551-017-3588-1

 

Lanzrath, A. I., Homburg, C., & Ruhnau, R.-C. M. (2023). Women’s underrepresentation in business-to-business sales: Reasons, contingencies, and solutions. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science.  https:/​/​doi.org/​10.1007/​s11747-023-00988-6

 

McClure, C. E., Epler, R. T., Schmitt, L., & Rangarajan, D. (2024). AI in sales: Laying the foundations for future research. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 44(2), 108-127.  https:/​/​doi.org/​10.1080/​08853134.2024.2329905
Last updated on 27-06-2025