## View Poll Results: What motivates Salepeople

Voters
3. You may not vote on this poll
• Work Itself

2 66.67%
• Work Conditions

1 33.33%
• Security

1 33.33%
• Salary

2 66.67%
• Responsibility

2 66.67%
• Relations with supervisor

1 33.33%
• Relations with peers

2 66.67%
• Recognition

3 100.00%
• Personal Life

1 33.33%

2 66.67%
• Growth

2 66.67%

0 0%
• Achievement

2 66.67%
• Status

1 33.33%
• Supervision

0 0%
• Realtions with subordinates

0 0%
• Winning Orders

2 66.67%
• Bonus

2 66.67%
• Quality of service

2 66.67%
• Making customers happy

2 66.67%
Multiple Choice Poll.

# Thread: Factorials, Combinations, Permutations & Probability

1. ## Factorials, Combinations, Permutations & Probability

A Masters student in Sales (me) is conducting a sales motivation census. Each question has 16 factors of motivation. The respondent has 16 points available to score 'relative importance' against each or any of the factors. Every score must add up to 16. The respondent is allowed to score ‘all 16 points against one factor’ or ‘1 point against all 16 factors’ or any combination in between; however the total points scored must always add up to 16.

Questions:-
1. How many unique answer combinations are there?
2. How many unique answer permutations are there?
3. If the census contained 10 similar questions and a million salespeople took part. What's the probability of 2 people scoring exactly the same answers throughout the survey?

- Clue! I've calculated the question long hand on smaller 'factors' and 'points' and spotted a trend (albeit I don't understand the relationship) Try the same question with only 2 factors adding up to 2 points.
then 3 factors adding up to 3 points
then 4 factors adding up to 4 points etc.

The answer must include the formulas used and application of workings.

1st correct answer will receive an acknowledgement in my Master’s dissertation + a signed copy.

2. This thread has been reopened. I will answer the first question to start things off
Originally Posted by Beaumop
A Masters student in Sales (me) is conducting a sales motivation census. Each question has 16 factors of motivation. The respondent has 16 points available to score 'relative importance' against each or any of the factors. Every score must add up to 16. The respondent is allowed to score ‘all 16 points against one factor’ or ‘1 point against all 16 factors’ or any combination in between; however the total points scored must always add up to 16.

Questions:-
1. How many answer combinations are there?
this is $( \# \text{ of factors})^{16}$

here we can think of assigning a point to a factor as choosing a factor. that is, if a person assigns 3 points to a factor, we think of it as the person having 16 choices in total, and chooses the same choice 3 times. since the person can assign all points to a factor, the number of choices remain constant at the number of factors there are to choose, and the person can make the choices up to 16 times, at which time the person would run out of points they can assign to a factor.

also, you should probably make some distinctions on the factors you have posted. one can argue that "growth" and "advancement" essentially describe the same thing, for instance. what's the difference?

3. ## That's what I thought - Until I started plotting them!

Thank you for reinstating my question – It’s a lot harder than everyone thinks!

Q1 - It's a conditional combination question. IE every answer must add up 16. The answer offered (I believe) includes every combination from 16x1 (which is OK) through to 16x16 (which adds up to 256... not 16)

The poll may have caused this confusion; because I can't structure it the same way as my question.

The factors are based on Herzberg's Motivation Hygiene Theory (1968). I agree with your comments - they are confusing. In fact I've already made the decision to:-
1). Change the descriptions in line with 21st century language.
2) Provide descriptions using sub factor constructs.
3). Use factors more appropriate to Salespeople.

Regards

Paul

4. PS - Does anybody know the best character set to use within MS Word for mathematic notation?

Regards

Paul