Journal of Management and Entrepreneurship Research
Vol. 7 No. 2 (2026)

Enhancing Salesforce Performance through Knowledge Sharing and Customer Orientation: The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy

Muhammad Sirojuddin Amin (Universitas Islam Malang, Indonesia)
Alfian Budi Primanto (Universitas Islam Malang, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
15 Jul 2026

Abstract

Objective: This study examines the influence of knowledge sharing and customer orientation on salesforce performance through the mediating role of self-efficacy among restaurant salespeople in Indonesian MSME settings, addressing the psychological mechanisms linking these antecedents to performance and the potential for overconfidence bias. Research Design & Methods: A quantitative approach used questionnaires distributed to 380 restaurant salespeople (frontliners, waiters/waitresses, and cashiers) in Malang Raya, selected through purposive and convenience sampling; data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings: Customer orientation has a positive and significant direct effect on salesforce performance, while knowledge sharing has no significant direct effect. Both knowledge sharing and customer orientation positively influence self-efficacy; however, self-efficacy negatively and significantly affects salesforce performance and negatively mediates the effects of knowledge sharing and customer orientation on performance, indicating overconfidence bias. Implications & Recommendations: Restaurant MSME management should prioritize customer orientation while carefully managing knowledge sharing programs, and must monitor and calibrate employee self-efficacy to prevent overconfidence. Training should incorporate objective feedback, realistic goal setting, and adaptive selling development so self-efficacy remains motivating rather than complacency-inducing. Contribution & Value Added: This study challenges the conventional positive assumption of Social Cognitive Theory on self-efficacy, showing empirically that self-efficacy can negatively influence performance through overconfidence bias, extending the theory into Indonesia's food and beverage MSME context and offering original empirical evidence and managerial insight.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jmer

Publisher

Subject

Decision Sciences, Operations Research & Management Economics, Econometrics & Finance Social Sciences

Description

JMER: Journal of Management and Entrepreneurship Research (p-ISSN: 2723-1658; e-ISSN: 2723-1666) provides a venue for high quality manuscripts dealing with management and entrepreneurship in its broadest sense. The editorial board encourages manuscripts that are international in scope; however, ...