Abstract

This article examines product management from the viewpoint of the marketing manager, an individual who is usually the immediate superior of the product manager. The objective of product management is to focus managerial attention on specific products or brands which could not be adequately managed by one person. Product managers need clearly defined authority and specifically assigned responsibilities. At a minimum, product managers should be given responsibilities matched with commensurate authority over units and activities directly linked to a product's marketing effort. Recent descriptive analyses from several studies of product manager behavior and performance provide support for these views, though some evidence indicates an imbalance between authority and responsibility at various decisional points in the product management system. Another issue receiving recent research attention concerns the product manager's relations with staff and functional managers. This linkage role may range from that of an expeditor of product information to a strong influence agent for significant product change.