I heard this from management over and over again during my engineering career.
It never occurred to them that nothing gets sold until something get's built. They took this part for granted.
The more pertinent question is why does American business culture emphasize and reward sales more than engineering?
In other words, how do you logically explain why the guy who sells the product gets a share of the revenue but the guy who built it doesn't?
There are members and outcasts.
Members are rewarded and nurtured. Outcasts are restricted, controlled and overruled. In American business society, engineering will forever be an outcast --- not because it's logical but because it's a tradition --- one that the cult rarely breaks.
Outcasts are rarely allowed to voice an opinion (Example: Boeing). The overall structure is really descended from the plantation system which is a variation of the even older feudal system.
The only real escape for an outcast --- refuse to play the game, start your own business --- which I did decades ago.
Unfortunately, plenty of vaporware gets sold.
One salesperson, once.
Do I hate them? No way, I don't hate them, I kind of wish I had some of the social skills they had during that period.
But still not working the weekend to build what you already sold, sorry not sorry. I'll look at it on Monday.
The only time I have seen this is with startups --- where they are cash strapped so engineers building the new product are given *equity* instead of wages.
Equity can be created simply by issuing stock --- which for a startup with negative cash flow is basically worthless at the time.
This is highly risky for the employee. If the product/company is wildly successful, early employees can get rich. But most startups fail --- so more often, they're left with nothing to show for their work.
I have seen sales people get *recurring* commissions --- where they get a piece of every future sale to a particular client. Even if they have no involvement in the purchase. In extreme cases, they make good money doing nothing.
Engineers never get paid for doing nothing --- because they are not members of the ruling class.