In- or outsourcing of the sales force? What is better? The case of the construction sector

The paper aims to understand and analyse the determinants of the in/outsourcing processes in the construction sector and, especially, in the residential market. To this end, a qualitative research on a sample of small firms has been carried out through 15 interviews. The main objectives of the research are: 1) studying the relationships between construction firms and real estate agents; 2) analysing the main factors which push the construction firms to manage directly the sales of their products or otherwise to externalise that function. The findings reveal in the sample a prevalent attitude to in source the selling function in order to have a direct relationship with the customers and to suggest the most suitable residential product to them.