Summary While there is abundant research practice in sales and sales management, a considerable amount of knowledge is based on theories and paradigms that have been forward-looking in decades past. To keep pace with a demanding market, paradigms and theories will need to be overhauled. According to authors Rackham and DeVincentis: Sales forces are caught in the middle. On the one hand, their customers have changed dramatically in terms of how they purchase and what they expect. On the other hand, their own companies have shifted, going through downsizing, restructuring and cost-cutting. Traditional boundaries, such as those between sales and marketing, have crumbled. Sellers are faced with more products, introduced more quickly, with shorter life cycles and less competitive differentiation. Recently, researchers who have no discipline in the sales and sales management arena have promoted the idea that it is a necessity for companies to support customer value, thus making it easier to implement marketing strategies. Customer value is defined as the difference between the benefit a customer sees from a market offering and the costs of obtaining those benefits. Not only do the most successful sales forces adapt quickly to critical changes, they also implement new customer strategies, continually generate new products, and constantly look for areas where performance can be improved. The authors used this article as a way to provide insight into their view of changes impacting sales and management practices. Analysis and Criticism Overall, this article is very well written. Although the audience was not stated, I believe it was aimed at marketing and sales management personnel, as well as corporate personnel...... middle of the paper...... it's a burden, I should once again disagree. In today's society, technology is everything, so online shopping, sales-related emails, etc. Just being able to speak from an outside perspective, I believe the use of technology would make a marketer's job easier. Can technology and customer expectations change rapidly? Yes, however I feel that if you know your information from the start, adapting won't be difficult when the time comes. Conclusion In conclusion, the main external environmental influences are technological advances, customer evolution, competition and ethical/legal aspects. New advancements and trends in sales are generating demand. With this demand comes opportunities that require innovative new approaches and rapid adaptation to all ends of the sales management spectrum. Overall the article was thought provoking and enlightening.