The president of Part-I-Tyme, manufacturer of salty snack foods, is dismayed over the dismal sales results for the past six months. A new product, a deluxe cookie, had been taste-tested and consumers’...

The president of Part-I-Tyme, manufacturer of salty snack foods, is dismayed over the dismal sales results for the past six months. A new product, a deluxe cookie, had been taste-tested and consumers’ responses were very positive. Part-I-Tyme’s sales force consists of over 5,000 truck-driver distributors who have excellent reputations with their customers. Part-I-Tyme’s president is convinced that the sales force enthusiastically supports the new product line, but it’s obvious that something is wrong. How would you determine the nature of the problem? Can you use the model of salesperson performance in this situation?