Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the effects of psychological capital (PsyCap)—comprising hope, resilience, optimism, and self-efficacy—on job engagement and burnout among salespeople in the pharmaceutical distribution sector. It further explores the mediating role of coping strategies. Research design, data and methodology: Data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 207 sales representatives working at pharmaceutical companies in South Korea. The questionnaire employed validated scales to measure PsyCap, coping strategies, adaptive selling behavior, selling effort, and emotional exhaustion, each rated on a five-point Likert scale. Reliability and validity were confirmed, and structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. Results: Results showed that PsyCap was positively associated with adaptive selling behavior and selling effort, and negatively associated with emotional exhaustion. Mediation analyses revealed that problem-focused coping strategies mediated the positive links between PsyCap and both selling effort and adaptive selling behavior, whereas emotion-focused coping explained its negative association with emotional exhaustion. Conclusions: This study highlights the role of psychological capital as an internal resource that fosters job engagement—positive work state—and reduces burnout. By identifying coping strategies as key mediators, the findings offer actionable insights for enhancing salesperson well-being and effectiveness in the pharmaceutical distribution sector.