Immunization crisis may develop due to economic crisis during COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic is a global health crisis with 61, 149,391 confirmed cases and 370,478 deaths till 29May, 2020 [1]. This pandemic has shattered many economies with an estimated loss of $5.8 trillion to $8.8 trillion globally. This economic loss can result in reduction in funds to World Health Organization. Unfortunately, United States of America (USA) has announced termination of any further funding to WHO which can lead to another global health crisis[2]. As WHO is a voluntary funding based organization its main donor are America, China, Japan, Germany and United Kingdom. Among these USA is the main donor with a contribution of $115.8million alone followed by China $57.4 million, Japan $41million, Germany $29.1 million and UK $21.9 million [3].  America’s termination of funding can put WHO and child health programs in serious crisis. Among many programs run by WHO one of the most important program is immunization of children. Immunization coverage programs  save 2-3 million livesper year causing decline in measles related deaths, eradication of polio, surveillance of rotavirus, BCG and DTaP vaccination in children[4]. It is estimated that during MillenniumDevelopment Goal (MDG) there is overall decline in child related mortalities due to malaria, measles, diarrhea, AIDS and meningitis [5]. Remarkable results are achieved with measles are diarrhea immunization programs causing a decline in death rate by 73% and 80% respectively. According to a study with current success rate diarrhea related deaths can be virtually eliminated by 2030. Another successful program is “End Polio” program which eradicated polio from world except from Pakistan and Afghanistan [4][6]. This termination of funds to WHO can waste all previous efforts in developing countries. On the other hand despite of all efforts still 19.4 million children did not received prescribed dose of vaccines. Data analysis revealed among these  60% of children belong to 10 developing countries namelyAngola, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Viet Nam [4]. These countries mainly rely on foreign funding and Non-Government Organization (NGOs) for child health care programs.

Antecedents and Consequences of Sales Force Intrinsic Motivation: An Integrated Model

How can sales force be motivated for superior sales productivity? This question has consistently been asked by sales management since long. While sales quota based compensation are frequently used to improve performance, critics highlight potential dark side of such schemes resulting into extrinsic motivation of poor quality as it would not be sustainable and bring counter-productive work behaviors. Numerous practicing managers and academics recite now-familiar motivational mantra that motivation comes from the self, not from desire for money. Although intrinsic motivation has long been theorized as strong predictor of performance particularly for the jobs requiring creativity, yet empirical evidence does not seem to converge. Moreover, knowledge is strikingly limited of how informal controls intrinsically motivate sales force to perform their job in creative fashion to be star performers. It provides strong stimulus to address the research question of how sales force intrinsic motivation is influenced by largely ignored informal sales force controls (antecedents) such as optimistic sub cultural control (workgroup level context) and spirit at work based control (job level context) which, in turn, drive sales performance directly and indirectly by sales force creativity (consequences). Moreover, it is advocated that if indeed different selling situations exist, then there will be high likelihood that each type of sales force, for example trade (Fast Moving Consumer Goods; hereinafter FMCG) and missionary (Pharmaceutical) sales force of this study, may respond differently to contextual factors, such as informal sales force controls of this study, resulting into differential influence on motivation, behavior and performance. Surprisingly, knowledge regarding the effect of the type of sales force selling situations for critical sales force outcomes is limited at best. This issue provided thrust for this study to address important research question of whether or not effectiveness of newly introduced informal sales force controls is contingent upon selling situations of trade (FMCG) and missionary (Pharmaceutical) sales force. An integrated conceptual model is proposed by uniquely merging complementary insights from conceptual logic of informal controls, componential theory of creativity and self-determination theory. Mixed method sequential explanatory research design is used to empirically test the proposed model by employing structural equation model. In focal quantitative phase, data is collected by structured survey questionnaire from 1065 frontline field sales force, both sales persons and sales managers, of 60 sales organizations of FMCG and Pharmaceutical industries in Pakistan. In follow-up qualitative phase, eleven semi-structured interviews of the survey respondents are used to interpret and corroborate key quantitative findings. Findings indicate that intrinsic motivation does not automatically translate into improved sales performance. Actually, sales force intrinsic motivation first stimulates their creative performance of selling job which, in turn, improves their sales performance. Analysis clarifies the role of intrinsic motivation that it is contextually influenced attitudinal state cultivated by both informal sales force controls. Spirit at work based control has important role in nurturing sales force creativity, which consequently improves their sales performance, over and above that is mediated by intrinsic motivation. Whereas optimistic sub cultural control stimulates sales force creativity, by cultivating intrinsic motivation, which results into their improved sales performance. Interestingly, these relationships do not differ significantly across selling situations of trade and missionary sales force disconfirming the assumption of heterogeneity of such selling situations. This thesis provides potential aid to theoreticians and practitioners to appreciate and understand complex mechanism of effectively designing informal sales force control levers by highlighting the importance of intermediary markers of sales force intrinsic motivation and creativity for developing high performing sales force operative in highly competitive FMCG and Pharmaceutical industries, characterized by cut-throat competition, challenging sales quotas and escalating customer demands, in the context of developing country of Pakistan. From practical stand point, this thesis enriches sales management understanding that trade and missionary selling situations are not sufficiently diverse to cause differential perceptions of informal sales force controls. Key Words: Sale Force Control, Informal Control, Workplace Spirituality, Islamic Work Ethics, Organization Sub Culture, Intrinsic Motivation, Creativity, Sales Performance, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Pharmaceutical Industry, Sales Person, Sales Manager, Developing Country, Pakistan.