Defined job roles are needed now more than ever: product, project and marketing managers
- Kendal Ann
- May 12, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: May 19, 2020
Is there a difference between a product manager, project manager, and marketing manager? All three of these roles have related duties - marketing products in a way that entices customers to make a purchase, management of new projects featuring new product launches, responsibility for the success of product lines. The division of job duties is often blurred, and there can be an overlap on what is required by each role; however, as business has evolved, a distinct division between these three roles has developed. It is recommended, based upon research, that these roles be separated. By doing so, more attention and expertise will be given to facilitate the growth and success of product lines within a retail business.
Due to the nature of retail, products are a core focus of any retailer's business. There is an opportunity to explore the theory of product management and whether there is a difference between project management. Product management is a broad subject, and the study of its importance and scope has been heavily debated [1]. The theory's popularity is primarily due to consumer goods companies, who did not successfully manage individual goods until the implementation of the practice [2]. Proctor and Gamble is often credited to the development of the theory in the 1930s [1; 3], but it did not become known as common practice until the 1950s when the Association of National Advertisers released results stating that 85% of consumer goods companies were using product managers [2]. In the 1960s, product management became part of the specialized functions within an organization, and it is at this time that roles such as product manager, brand manager, category manager, and technical product manager became known [1; 4]. Over the course of time, and throughout the literature, these titles have been used interchangeably. Results from the use of such titles have added confusion and broadened the scope of the theory [5] and could be attributed to the reason why there is no true specified body of knowledge for product management.
With the product as the focal point of management and the business structure, all activities are centered around the product line to ensure successful creation, production, and marketing [1]. Buell [2] first described the role of the product manager as a need to assist the chief marketing executive when there were too many product lines for one executive to manage within a functional organization, and the role of the product manager was to plan and coordinate aspects of the marketing mix for individual goods or product lines [2]. In recent decades, a new definition of the role of the product manager has been presented. Gorchels [4] states that the product manager is a middle manager and is responsible for the management, marketing, and development of existing products or new products, where products can refer to goods or services. Ebert [5] presents the product manager as someone who is responsible for the success of the given product(s) within a business portfolio and determines what product(s) should be made and how [5]; and, the product manager is responsible for the entire value chain of a product(s) and monitoring of the product life cycle [5]. In conclusion, what really separates product management from other studies is the requirements of the role to cover all phases of the product life cycle without a timeline [5].
As presented by Ebert [5], there is now a difference between product manager, project manager, and marketing manager. In previous literature, marketing was part of the product manager role [2; 5]; however, Ebert [5] suggests that the marketing manager is responsible for understanding consumer and market trends, how to present and sell a product to consumers and the market, and is focused on pushing the sales plan through marketing channels to ensure product success. In addition to the marketing manager within the organizational structure, the project manager is also present separate to the product manager. A project manager is responsible for executing a specific project or contract on a specified time and budget [5]. The product manager's role has evolved, but it still works closely with the marketing manager and project manager. Ebert [5] infers that most product managers have a background in either marketing or engineering.
Product Managers, Project Managers, and Marketing Managers are now individual roles.
It today’s retail environment, there is a large number of retailers who are downsizing and restructuring their business model. While taking the step to restructure may result in a financial benefit, there is potential it could lead to a loss of valuable employees and confidence in the business. As explained, there is a need to separate the roles of product manager, marketing manager, and project manager, but in some instances, it is not financially possible to retain all roles. It is recommended that when going through a restructure detailed attention needs to be given to updating the duties and responsibilities of all job roles. If it is found that not all positions can be retained, roles should be combined where there is the most overlap in job duties.
As explained in the article on Innovative Change Management (which you can find here), changes to a business model need to address the "people" aspect and not just products and processes. It is recommended that these job roles be separated, and it is also recommended that the correct steps are taken to ensure that team morale is not negatively affected.
It is believed by separating out these roles and hiring experts within each category, an increased amount of attention will be applied to ensure the success of product lines. Marketing managers will be able to leverage their creativity and focus on how to get products out into the market instead of focusing on what new products to create. Project managers can focus on completing projects on time and on budget. And finally, product managers can use their skills and expertise to identify opportunities for new product lines and when to transition away from lines that are showing signs of declining performance. All three of these roles work together, and it is essential that there are open lines of communication between all departments. In conclusion, by allowing employees to leverage their knowledge and skills by dividing out these three roles, the business has the potential to grow.
Have you worked in any of these areas? What is your opinion?
Resources:
[1] Roach, D. (2011). The impact of product management on SME performance. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 18(4), 695–714. https://doi.org/10.1108/14626001111179758
[2] Buell, V. (1975). The Changing Role of the Product Manager in Consumer Goods Companies. Journal of Marketing, 39(3), 3–11. https://doi.org/10.2307/1250895
[3] Prevel Katsanis, L., & Pitta, D. (1995). Punctuated equilibrium and the evolution of the product manager. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 4(3), 49–60. https://doi.org/10.1108/10610429510097645
[4] Gorchels, L. (2001). The Product Managers Handbook: The Complete Product Management Resource (2nd ed.). Lincolnwood, IL: NTC. doi: 10.1036/007138989X
[5] Ebert, C. (2007). The impacts of software product management. The Journal of Systems & Software, 80(6), 850–861. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2006.09.017
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