Customer orientation as a mediator of the influence of locus of control on job performance

Although the effects of locus of control (LOC) on job performance are well-documented, the mechanisms that explain those effects remain unclear. The authors propose that customer orientation plays an important intervening role between LOC and job performance. Data are analysed from responses by 175 salespeople working in duty-free shops in Taiwan's international airport using a structural equation modelling approach. The results show that customer orientation partially mediates the effects of LOC on job performance. The findings reveal the importance of behaviours that benefit customers, and the disadvantages of persuasive selling behaviours on the performance of first-line salespeople in retailing. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are also discussed.