Using the MARS Model to Analyze CDA Hardware Associates' Sales Data

This case study examines the below-average sales figures of Store #34 of CDA Hardware Associates using the MARS model, which considers motivation, ability, role perceptions, and situational factors. Motivation, an internal drive affecting an employee's course, passion, and persistence, influences performance. Ability, encompassing in-built aptitudes and learned capabilities, enables effective job accomplishment. Role perceptions clarify an employee's individual duty in achieving organizational goals, impacting coordination and performance. Situational factors, external circumstances beyond employee control, can hinder or facilitate sales. The analysis suggests that deficiencies in any of these MARS elements could contribute to the store's underperformance.

1
The below average sales figures of Store # 34 of the CDA Hardware Associates could be
explained with the help of MARS Model. The MARS acronym is the short form for the four
prime aspects of individual behaviour and performance - motivation, ability, role perceptions
and situational factors, because of the influence of various internal and external factors
(McShane & Von Rosenstiel, 2015).
Motivation is a prime factor in influencing an individual’s behaviour and impacting their
performance. It is the internal drive that influences the course, passion and persistence of an
employee and the choices that he or she makes. The course that an employee takes
determines the efforts that they out in certain tasks, and they are often driven by the
objectives set. The passion or intensity that an individual possess in a job is the quantum of
labour put in by the employee. Persistence is the total time devoted in making the effort. For
example, employees might be motivated to achieve the sales target set for the month, but only
few of them would devote sufficient efforts and time towards this endeavour. (Von
Rosenstiel, 2011)
Ability is referred to as the in-built aptitudes and learned capabilities that are required to
accomplish any job effectively. Aptitudes are the god-gifted abilities possessed by employees
which assist them to acquire the new tasks faster and do them successfully. Learned
capabilities are the talents currently held by employees. The abilities enable employees to
perform better and enhance their productivity. For example, employees who are good in the
art of persuasion are able to sell products better than those who do not possess such talent.
Those who are not good in the skill of persuasion might not be able to perform as effectively
as those who excel in this skill. (Von Rosenstiel, 2011)
Role Perceptions describes the individual role of the employee in achieving the group’s
objectives or organisational goal. The factor makes clear the individual duty assigned to
the employee, and if the same is clear to him then he or she can perform the job
successfully. For example, if all the employee in the department is clear about what is
expected from them or their role, then they will be able to effectively carry them out
and also increase the coordination between them. However, not all employee have a
better understand of their individual responsibility, which leads to lower sales figures.
(Von Rosenstiel, 2011)
Situational Factors are the circumstances prevailing which influences the individual
behaviour and performances. These are the external conditions which are beyond the
control of the employees, and restricts or enable their performance. The overall economy,
government policies or financial state of the organisation impacting the sales are examples of
the situational factor that can hinder or facilitate the sales of the products. (Von Rosenstiel,
2011)

2
References
McShane, S. L., and Von Glinow, M. A. (2015). Organizational Behavior: Emerging
Knowledge, Global Reality, Seventh Edition. Singapore: McGraw-Hill Education.
Von Rosenstiel, L. (2011). Employee behavior in organizations. On the current state of
research. management revue, 344-366.