ERPakademi

PAZARLAMA PLANI BECERİLERİNİ GELİŞTİRMEK: TEORİYİ VE PRATİĞİ BİRLEŞTİRMEK
Giriş
Pazarlama planının bu günkü iş dünyası ile ilgisi ve faydası soruya açık bir durumdadır. Genel şüphecilik, pazarlama teorisinin etkili pazarlama pratigine nasıl dönüşeceğini vurgular. Bu çalışmada biz özellikle pazarlamanın çekirdek aletlerinin birisinin yürütülmesini çevreleyen zorluklarla ilgilenmekteyiz. Pazarlama planının yeterliliğinin nasıl arttırılıcağı konusunda iş-temel eğitim programı yöneticilere pratiğe uygulamadaki problemlerin üstesinden gelinmesinde yardım eder. Bu yaklaşım, öğrenmenin bilim ve iş yeri arasında devamlı iki yönlü bir akış olan, iş- temel alınan bir programı kurmak için, katılımcının asıl iş yüküyle pazarlama planı becerilerini nasıl birleştiortaya çıkartır.
Pazarlama Teorisi Ve Pazarlama Pratiği
Pazarlama disiplinindeki iyi-dokümanlı güven krizinin, pazarlama teorisinin pazarlama pratiğine uyluamda eksikliğinden kaynaklana bir buyutu vardır. Pazarlama yönetim teorisinin temel aletleri ve ilkelerinden şüphe ediliyor, ve modern iş için onların ilgisi sorgulanıyor. Üstelik pazarlama teorisinin ortak gerçeklerle birleşmesindeki yetersizlik iş topluluğunda hayal kırıklığını gösterdi.
Böylece pazarlama düşüncelerinin teorik destekleri artan bir tehtidin altına gelmektedir ve çoğunlukla modern iş çevresine herhangi bir ilgli eksikliği olarak algılanıyorlar. Pazarlama teorisi ile pazarlama planı arasındaki dengeyi düzeltme arayışı, akademik personel tarafından en çok dikkate alınan bir pazarlama kavramıdır. Bu kendisinin gelişmesi, uzaması ve arıtılmasıdır. Pazarlama planı ideal olarak pazarlama teorisiyle pratiği arasında köprü oluşturmalı, ama pratisyenler arasında hak ettiği işlevliliği bulamamıştır. Bu açıdan, burası firmanın teoriyi pratiğe geçirmede en çok zorlanacağı yerdir.
Pazarlama Planı Süreci
Yukarıda resimlendiği gibi, literatür, pazarlama planı sürecini çevreleyen birçok işlemsel zorlukların suçlamalarına doymuştur. Planlama ve örgütsel verimlilik arasındaki ilişki ile ilgili çok sayıda araştırma projesi bulunmaktadır. Yine de sonuçlar çatışmaktadır; bazı araştırmacılar bu ikisi arasında pozitif bir ilişki olduğunu söylerken bazıları tutarlı bir ilişki olmadığını söylüyorlar. Dolayısıyla, işe almanın sonucu olarak şirket performansını yükseltme fikrinde planlama süreci ve iyi bilinen pazarlama karar verme tekniklerinin uygulanmasının doğruluğu henüz kesin olarak ispatlanmadı.
Mc Donald, resmi planlama modellerinde pratisyenlerin bile pazarlamada daha yapısal bir yaklaşıma ihtiyaç olduğunu farkedebildiklerini vurguladı. Pratisyenlerin literatür tarafından belirlenmiş yaklaşımları kullanmak için aramalarına rağmen, hak edilen yarar gerçekleşmemiştir.
Etkili pazarlama planıyla ilgili bir çok işlevsel zorluklara rağmen, bir çok araştırma planlamanın şirketin büyümesinde ve gelişmesinde çok büyük rolü olduğunu savunur. Mc Donald’ınpazarlama planlaması literatüründe şu şekilde bir ifadede bulundu “İlişkili olunan faaliyetlerin daha iyi sınıflandırılmasının talep edilen faydaları, çevreden haberdar olma, yönetim arasında daha iyi iletişimin geliştirilmesi, ve daha iyi, kaynakların kullanılması, ve böylece almak için orada olmak şeklinde görünmek , ve, pazarlama planlaması ile ticari başarı arasında güçlü bir ilişkinin varolması”
Ancak, biz bu çalışmada pazarlama planı sürecinin faydalarını tartışmak yerine bazı ana eleştirilerin düzeltilmesi konusuna önem veriyoruz.
Mc Donald’ın önerisi; asıl pazarlama planının en küçük rekabetçilerin bile hayatta kalmasına olanak tanıyacak şekilde işe bir yaklaşım olmasıdır. Onun işaret ettiği, yönetici için sihirli bir formülün var olmamasıdır. “Pazarlamada, Aladdin’in lambası gibiörgütün hayallerini gerçekleştirecek, bir eşitlik yoktur”
Mc Donald pazarlama planında karşılaşılabilecek zorlukları on engelde özetlemiştir:
1. Pazarlama stratejisi ve taktiği arasında kargaşa
2. İş çalışmalarından pazarlama işlevini ayır etme
3. Pazarlama işlevi ile pazarlama fonksiyonu arasında karmaşa
4. İşlevsel çizgiler boyunca baskın olan örgüt yapısı
5. Derinlik analizinde beceri eksikliği
6. Çekirdek pazarlama yönetimi bilgisinde ve becerisinde eksiklik
7. Süreç ve çıktı arasında kargaşa
8. Pazarlama planına stratejik yaklaşımdaki eksiklik
9. Amaçlara öncelik tanıma ihtiyacı
10. Daha uygun pazarlama kültürüne olan ihtiyaç
Mc Donald’ın en önemli tezi; eğer geliştirmekte adresli bir etkili süreç eksikliğinde değilse, bir organizasyonun yönü sonuçlanabilir. Akademik personel ve pratisyenler bu yüzden, teori / pratik boşluğunu bu pazarlama planı engelleri bakımından kapatmak için yollar aramaya başlamışlardır.
Yönetim Ve Pazarlama Planı Yeterliliği
Yeterlilik tanımı birçok faklı görşlerde basılmış ve yorumlanmıştır. Bu çalışma yeterliliği davranışşal davranışşal açıdan tanımlamaktadır. Tarihi ve gerçekten, çok çağdaş iş sayısız yeterlilik listesinin ve becerinin üretimiyle sonuçlanmıştır.bir çok sayıdaki ortak iplikler öneriyorki; bütün yöneticilerin etkili performansında ortak olan görev ve teknikler olabilir ama bu ihtiyaç bir bireyin belirli koşuluna ve/veya belirli bir durumu içindir. Bu çeşit yeterlilik yapılarının daha fazla bir yönü, diğerleri aradaki farkı ayır ederken bazı çalışmaların “yetenekler” ve “beceriler”terimlerini birbirinin yerine kullanmasıdır. Bu çalışmada yeterlilik, belirli bir zamanda ve durumda belirli bir problemin yada belirli bir görevin performansı ile ilgili kesin kararda yararlanılan beceri ve yeterliliklerin tamamı olarak tanımlanmıştır.
Pazarlama yönetimi genel yönetim ile analiz, planlama, yürütme ve kontrol süreçlerini içerdiği derecede benzerdir. Bu bakımdan yeterlilik yapısını anlamak iş-temel pazarlama programını öğrenmeyi geliştirmek için önemlidir.
Yukarıdaki çalışmanın hepsinden bir anahtar sonuç, yine de, kesin idare yeterliliklerinin, onların cinsle ilgili yönüne rağmen pazarlamanın belirli hareketliliğine daha uygun oldugumudur? Bu çalışmanın çekirdek teması, etkili pazarlama planlayıcısının ne çeşit yeterlilikler gerektirdiği ve McDonald tarafından ana hatları çizilen pazarlama planı engellerinin üstesinden gelmeye yardım edebilip edemeyeceği.
Carson, etkili pazarlama karar-verme süreci için istenilen pazarlama yeteneklerinin geniş bir listesini çıkarmıştır. Bunlar; vizyon, yaratıcılık, liderlik, iletişim, motivasyon, insiyatif, sezgi, analitik düşünme, yargı, örgürsel yapılabilirlik, bilgi ve şebekedir.
Yeterlilik literatürünün anahtar yönlerini düşündüğümüzde McDonald’ın pazarlama planına on engeli ile bu engellere adres olabilmeye gerektiren pazarlama yetenekleriylebir bağ kurmamız mümkün olabilir.

Pazarlama planı engelleri Gereken yetenek
1. Pazarlama stratejisi ve taktiği arasında kargaşa Yargı, bilgi, vizyon
2. İş çalışmalarından pazarlama işlevini ayır etme Bilgi, vizyon, taahhüt
3. Pazarlama işlevi ile pazarlama fonksiyonu arasında karmaşa Bilgi, iletişim, yargı, analitik düşünme
4. İşlevsel çizgiler boyunca baskın olan örgüt yapısı İletişim, örgütsel yapılabilirlik
5. Derinlik analizinde beceri eksikliği Analitik düşünme, yargı, vizyon
6. çekirdek pazarlama yönetimi bilgisinde ve becerisinde eksiklik Yargı, bilgi, analitik düşünme
7. Süreç ve çıktı arasında kargaşa Bilgi
8. Pazarlama planına stratejik yaklaşımdaki eksiklik Analitik düşünme, vizyon, bilgi, taahhüt
9. Amaçlara öncelik tanıma ihtiyacı Liderlik, vizyoni yargı, iletişim, örgütsel yapılabilirlik, taahhüt
10. Daha uygun pazarlama kültürüne olan ihtiyaç Örgütsel yapılabilirlik, vizyon, iletişim, bilgi, liderlik

Bağlantıların Tartışması
McDonald pazarlama taktikleri ile stratejileri arasında var olan karmaşıklığı yöneticinin pazarlama bilgisi ve stratejik plana alışmasıyla vurgulamıştır.Pazarlamadaki bilgi ve beceri eksikliğinin pazarlama işlevi ile pazarlama kavramı arasındaki karışıklığın kökü olduğunu işaret etmiştir.
Müsait verinin muazzam miktarlarından etkili pazarlama planı yaparken karar için ihtiyaç duyulan zekayı analiz etmek ve damıtması için birçok idarecinin yetersizliği, çokça geliştirilen analitik beceri için bir ihtiyacı gösterir. Tartışılan bir vaka vardır ki; analitik beceriye olan şhtiyaç yöneticilerin planlamaya sistemetik yaklaşımının eksikliğinin anahtar nedenidir. Düşünülmesi gereken bir beşka nokta ise, yetenekli bir pazarlama planlayıcısının liderlik kapasitesini ispatlaması. İletişim becerisi iyi ve etkili pazarlama yönetiminin pratiğinde önemli yer tutmaktadır. Şüphesiz ki, düşmana ait birleşmiş bir çevrede planlama sürecinin yönetimi, yüksek derecede bağlılık, vizyon ve deneyim gerektirir.
Pazarlama Planı Yeterlilik Boşluklarını Tanımlamak
Yeterlilik literatüründe bazı deliller var ki; yetenek geliştirme performanslarını kurarak teori ile pratik arasındaki boşluga köprü oluşturmayı sağlamaya çalışan yöneticilerin ve pazarlama eğitmenlerinin var olduğu.
Kolb’un ögrenme çemberinde olduğu gibi, bütün yetenek geliştirme yaklaşımlarının, içeride ortak neye neye sahip olduğu, yine de, bütün onların kendi değerlendirmesinin bazı derecesini karıştırdığı, ve çekirdek idaresinde öncül teorik modeller olduğudur. Kolb’un ileri sürdüğü deneysel öğernme döngüsü, bir öğrenme modeli sağlar ve insanoğlunun büyüme ve gelişme basamaklarını yansıtır.
İş-Temel Öğrenme Kavramı
İş-temel öğrenme kavramı, yeni bilgiler geliştirmede deneyim ve paratiğin bir çeşit birleşmesini beraberinde getirdi. Levy et.al.(1989) iş-temel öğrenmeyi şu şekilde tanımladı: “öğrenmeyi iş rolüne bağlamak” ve üstlenilen iş faaliyetlerinindeneyimlerinden türetildiğini açıkladı. Bu yüzden iş-temel eğitim yüksek öğrenimin otoritesini sorguluyor ve daha belirgin olarak akademik kurumların bilgisi ile diğer öğrenme kaynaklarının bilgisi hakkındaydı. Kısa dönem öğrenci yerlerinden lisans ve lisansüstü kurslarına kadar bir çok farklı çeşitte iş-temel öğrenme türleri vardır.
İş-temel eğitim birçok ayırdedici özelliğe sahiptir.
• Öğrenci, öğrenmenin merkezi olur
• Birlikçi, işyeri ve akademideki ortaklığı içerir
• Teoriyi bir yerde tutar harekete yönelir
• Teorik ve pratik anlayışlar üretir
• Eğitmeyi ve eğitimi kapsar
• “öğrenen çalışan” kavramını yaratır.
İş-temel öğrenimin bireyin beceri ve yeteneklerini yapılandırmadaki etkililiğine
rağmen pazarlama yeterliliği alanında ki kullanılabilirliği hakkında çok az araştırma vardır.
On Engelin İş-Temel Öğrenim Yaklaşımıyla Üstesinden Gelmek
Ulster üniversitesinde yöneticilerin pazarlama planı yeteneklerini geliştirmeleri amacıyla bir program hazırlandı. Bu diğer geleneksel yönetim programlarından radikal olarak farklı bir araştırma. Bu yolla bireyler şirketlerine özgü özel durumlar ve fırsatlar için kendi öğrendikleri deneyimleri değiştirebilirler.
Programın temel amaçları
1. Katılımcıları kendi özel ihtiyaçlarına göre pazarlama planı yaklaşımını değiştirmeye teşvik etmek
2. katılımcıların temel pazarlama planı kararlarını anlamalarını geliştirmek
3. katılımcıların pazarlama planı yeteneklerini geliştirmek
Bu ozaman pazarlama planının engellerinin üzerinden gelmek için etkili kişisel ve profesyonel gelişme sürecini yapılandıran bir kurum oluyor.
Bireysel yeterliliğin sonucunda katılımcılar pazarlama teknoloji transferinin birçok yönüne maruz kalırlar. Anahtar pazarlama planı yeteneği olan bilgi,deneyim, analitik düşünme, liderlik, vizyon, örgütsel yapılabilirlik, taahhüt,iletişimi geliştirmeyi ararlar veMcDonald tarafından öne sürülen pazarlama planı engellerine doğru konuyu yöneltirler. Bu şu yollarla yapılabilir.
1)BİLGİ: Pazarlama bilgisi transferi anlaşılmaz bir dil ile iletilir.
2)DENEYİM: Deneyim programın devam eden temelinde bütünü oluşturan çekirdektir. Kolaylaştırıcılar tarihsel bir esasta olan pazarlama faaliyetleri hakkında düşünmesi için katılımcıları cesaretlendirdi. Katılımcılar arasında pazarlama pratiklerindeki farklı deneyimleri hakkında tartışmalar ortaya çıktı.
3)ANALİTİK DÜŞÜNME: Swot analizi ve Ansoff matriksi gibi temel analitik araçlar grup sunumunun bir parçası olarak gösterldi. Bu sürec diğer üyelerle düşüncelerin paylaşılmasını ve kendini yansıtma analizini cesaretlendirdi.
4)LİDERLİK: Katılımcılar, Piercy ve Morgan tarafından yapılan öneriler ile tutarlı bir şekilde örgütlerini yönetmek yolunu gösteren pazarlamayı geliştirmeyealışmaya cesaretlendirildiler. Çalışan motivasyonu ve takım kurma problemleri pazarlama kavramı çevresinde şirket çapında bir birleşmeyi beraberinde getirdi, sık sık düzenli grup tartışmaları arttı.
5)VİZYON: Bir fırsat odağının bakımı, pazarlamanın gelişmesi için önemlidir ve planlamanın doğası gereğidir. Vizyon amaçların ve hedeflerin faaliyet planı ile nasıl gerçekleşeceğini belirlemekte ve kıt kaynakları sıralamakta gereklidir.
6)YARGI (KARAR): Bunun odağı ise, tamamlanmamış bilginin eksik olan parçalarını toplayabilme ve etkili seçim yapabilme. Bu yolla katılımcılar pazarlama planlarını nasıl geliştireceklerini aramaya cesaretlendirilirler.
7)ÖRGÜTSEL YAPILABİLİRLİK: Pazar alanındaki fırsatların değerini arttırmak için kaynakların nasıl sıralanacağı ve yönetileceği ile ilgilidir. İnsan kaynakları, fiziksel kaynaklar ve finansal kaynaklar buna dahildir.
8)TAAHHÜT: Yeni bilginin kazancı olan emsal ve kolaylıklardan kritik yoruma maruz kalmanın olduğı iş-kitap, programın katılığı, devam eden kişisel gelişmesine taahhütü test etti. Katılımcının bu çeşit faaliyetlerinde işe alması için onların güveninin arttığı daha büyük bir pazarlama yeteneğini onların şevki ve motivasyonu ile beraber geliştirdi.
9)İLETİŞİM: Etkili bir şekilde iletişim kurabilme hem yazılı hem sözlu sunumların ayrlmaz bir parçasıdır. Buna ek olarak planlanmış pazarlama faaliyetlerinin içsel ve dışsal odakları rafine edilmiş iletişim becerisi sunar ve ke şirketin tanıtım karmasını geliştirir.
Sonuç
Bu çalışmada, yöneticinin pazarlama planı yeteneğini geliştirmek için iş-temel ögrenim yaklaşımının faydalarını inceledik. Gelişme süreci katılımcıların pazarlama planı yaparken yanıt vermek zorunda oldukları meydan okumaların belirlenmesi ile başlar. Bu çalışma pazarlama planının zorluklarının üstesinden gelmek için gerekli olan yetenekleri vurgulamıştır ve uygulama yöneticilerinin pazarlama planın karar vermesini arttırması için olan geliştirme programından nasıl bilgili olacaklarını göstermiştir.
Pazarlama planının herhangi bir şirketin gelişmesine etkisi şüphesizdir. Buna rağmen, uygulamacı yöneticiler pazarlama planı sürecinde her çeşit zorlukla karşı karşıya gelirler. İş- temel öğrenim yaklaşımı ile ilgili araştırmalar devam ediyor. Ancak daha açık araştırmalara ihtiyaç vardır.

ASIL MAKALE

Developing
marketing
planning skills
69
Developing marketing
planning skills: combining
theory and practice
Jimmy Hill, Pauric McGowan
Lecturer in Marketing and Entrepreneurship, Department of Marketing,
School of Management, University of Ulster at Jordanstown,
Northern Ireland, and
Pauline Maclaran
Senior Lecturer, School of Management, The Queen’s University of
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Introduction
The relevance, and indeed usefulness, of marketing theory in today’s business
environment is increasingly open to question. This general scepticism has led to
a progressive emphasis on how to translate marketing theory into effective
marketing practice which has taken many forms, ranging from traditional
management education in business and universities, to action learning
programmes and to government led and sponsored local enterprise initiatives.
In this paper we concentrate specifically on the difficulties surrounding the
implementation of one of marketing’s core tools, the marketing plan as outlined
by McDonald (1989). We suggest how the development of marketing planning
competencies through a work-based learning programme can help a practicing
manager to overcome many of the problems of its application in practice. This
approach incorporates the building of marketing planning competencies in
conjunction with the actual workload of the participant to construct a work-based
programme in which the learning is a continuous two-way flow between
academia and the workplace.
Marketing theory vs marketing practice
The recent and well-documented crisis of confidence in the marketing discipline
(Brown, 1995) has to a large extent centred around the lack of applicability of
marketing theory to marketing practice. For example Brady and Davis (1993)
have called for the marketing function to reinvent itself in order to reflect the
new competitive environment and Clancy (1992) blames the marketing myths
perpetuated by academics for encouraging “death-wish” marketing amongst
practitioners. Basic tools and tenets of marketing management theory are being
doubted and their relevance for the modern business questioned. For example
Hooley (1995) demonstrates that many of the differences predicted by the
product lifecycle, one of the most long-established models for marketing
analysis and planning, are not supported by the evidence from his own
Journal of Marketing Practice:
Applied Marketing Science, Vol. 4
No. 3, 1998, pp. 69-84. © MCB
University Press, 1355-2538.JMP:
AMS
4,3
70
research; Brown (1993) disparages the Boston Matrix; Wortman (1993) sees
traditional marketing research as inhibiting rather than enhancing the process
of innovation in certain industries; Buttle (1994) refers to consumer behaviour
as a theoretical blackhole, calling for a new paradigm which seeks less to
control consumers and more to understand them; and many believe that the
marketing concept itself is essentially flawed (Brownlie and Saren, 1992; Nilson,
1992; Gummesson, 1987).
Moreover, this general disillusionment with the inability of marketing theory
to match corporate realities has also been evidenced from within the business
community. Brownlie and Saren (1992) have pointed out that many non-academic
voices, for example, senior business people, consultants and
journalists, are listened to in preference to marketing academics. Freeling (1994)
has drawn our attention to chief executives who are claiming that marketing is
no longer capable of driving profitable growth and who accuse marketers of not
understanding the economics of the business or of different channels of
distribution. In their survey Marketing at the Crossroads Coopers and Lybrand
(1994) identify a large gap between the classical role of profitable marketing and
how marketing is practiced by marketing departments within 100 blue chip
organisations. They go as far as to describe the marketing department as
“critically ill” and in need of urgent treatment, warning that the winning
companies will not have “ivory tower marketeers”.
The theoretical underpinnings of marketing thought are, thus, coming under
an increasing threat and often they are being perceived as lacking any relevance
for the modern business environment. In seeking to redress this balance
between marketing theory and marketing practice it is the marketing concept
itself which has tended to receive the most attention from academics. This has
been in terms of its development, extension and refinement as, for example,
witnessed by the recent proliferation of relationship marketing literature. The
marketing plan, which ideally should be the bridge between theory (the
marketing concept) and practice (the functions of marketing), has received
much less attention in terms of its basic operability in the hands of the
practitioner. Yet, arguably, this is where a firm will have the most difficulty in
putting theory into practice (Greenley, 1983; Greenley and Bayus, 1993; Lindsay
et al., 1982; McDonald, 1992; Shiner, 1988; Unni, 1981; Wood and LaForge, 1979).
Let us consider briefly the nature of the marketing planning process.
The marketing planning process
As illustrated above, the literature is replete with accusations of the many
operational difficulties that surround the marketing planning process. There
have been a large number of research studies into the relationship between
planning and organisational effectiveness. The findings however have been
conflicting, with some researchers confirming a positive relationship (Ansoff,
1969; McDonald, 1989; Unni, 1981), or no consistent relationship between the
two, (Lindsay et al., 1982; Wood and La Forge, 1979). So the idea that company
performance improves as a consequence of engaging in a planning process and.Developing
marketing
planning skills
71
applying well known marketing decision making techniques has not proved
easy to confirm conclusively. Greenley and Bayus (1993) carried out a
comparative study between firms in the United States and the United Kingdom.
This showed how practitioners perceived marketing decision-making
techniques to be of little value to them in helping to make key marketing
planning decisions.
The shortcomings of the formal planning models were also emphasised by
McDonald (1989), who pointed out that even practitioners recognised the need
for a more structured approach to their marketing. Although some practitioners
did seek to use such approaches as prescribed in the literature, the claimed
benefits did not materialise. The marketing decision makers had often
experienced such poor outcomes that the whole field of marketing planning was
at risk of being brought into disrepute, (see also Matsuda and Hirano, 1983;
Shiner, 1988).
Despite the many operational difficulties that have been documented in
relation to effective marketing planning (Greenly and Bayus, 1993; Hooley et al.,
1990; McDonald, 1992), much research advocates the value of planning for a
firm’s growth and development (Bracker et al., 1988; Fletcher and Hart, 1989;
McColl-Kennedy et al., 1990; Piercy, 1991; Weinrauch et al., 1991). McDonald
(1989, p. 7) in a review of the marketing planning literature states that “the
claimed benefits of better co-ordination of interrelated activities, improved
environmental awareness, better communication among management and
better use of resources, and so on, appear to be there for the taking and there is
a strong relationship between marketing planning and commercial success”.
Whilst we are not disputing the benefits of the marketing planning process,
it is important in the context of this paper to consider some of the main
criticisms levelled at it. These are quite extensive and are summarised in
Table I.
Many of the criticisms about marketing planning shown in Table I are also
reinforced by McDonald (1989, 1992). He suggests that in essence strategic
marketing planning is an approach to business, that can enable even the
smallest competitor to survive successfully. There is, he points out, no simple
magic formula to administer. “There is no marketing equivalent of Aladdin’s
lamp, which can make an organisation’s dream come true” (McDonald, 1992,
p. 4). In essence, he contends that strategic marketing demands a perceptive and
intelligent analysis of both the company and its business environment. The
resulting plan, then, requires equal proportions of perspiration and inspiration
to make it come alive, and be brought to fruition. McDonald (1989) summarises
these difficulties in marketing planning under the following ten barriers:
(1) Confusion between marketing strategy and tactics.
(2) Isolation of marketing function from business operations.
(3) Confusion between marketing function and marketing concept.
(4) Prevailing organisational structures along functional lines..JMP:
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(5) Lack of skills in in-depth analysis.
(6) Confusion between process and output.
(7) Lack of core marketing management knowledge and skills.
(8) Lack of a disciplined, systematic approach to marketing planning.
(0) Need to prioritise objectives.
(10) Need for a more appropriate marketing culture.
The essential thesis of McDonald’s (1989) work is that if these barriers are not
addressed a lack of effective progress in developing an organisation’s direction
could result. The challenge to both academic and practitioner, therefore, is to
find ways to begin to close the theory/practice gap in respect of these marketing
planning barriers. It is suggested here that a competency based approach might
provide a solution, although Hooley et al. (1990) caution that any solution must
go beyond the development of competencies which merely address the
application of marketing techniques (see also Leppard and McDonald 1991).
Therefore, what is required is a specifically tailored approach that develops a
range of core skills that enable the development of a total marketing planning
competency. We outline how a work-based learning programme can effectively
address this challenge. Given that such a work-based learning approach
Insufficient consideration of the organisational and Piercy and Giles (1989)
human realities facing the marketing planner Giles (1991)
The rigidity and sequential nature of the marketing Piercy and Giles (1991)
planning process Christopher et al. (1980)
Marketing planning needs to be organisational
specific McKee et al. (1990)
Too little strategic thinking Cousins (1990)
Winer (1965)
Insufficient consideration of various company plans
by marketing planning process Greenley (1983, 1986)
Firms tend to cherry pick those elements of the
planning process which they find most attractive Cousins (1990)
A non marketing planning culture is too often
confused with an efficiency culture Saker and Speed (1992)
A lack of marketing planning competency leads to Greenley (1983)
adoption and implementation difficulties Christopher et al. (1980)
Evidence of a lack of managerial confidence in the
analytical tools and portfolio matrices used in the
marketing planning process Day (1992)
Management judges the marketing planning process
to be intrusive and irrelevant in their business Day (1992)
Table I.
Criticisms of the
marketing planning
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incorporates a strong competency dimension, it is appropriate to consider those
aspects of the competency literature most relevant to the design of such a
programme.
Management and marketing planning competencies
Our understanding of the term marketing competency is grounded in the
management literature as reported in Boyatzis (1982). There are many different
published views and interpretations of competency definition. It is important to
point out, however, that this paper defines competency from a behavioural
perspective. This means that a competent marketing planner is one who, when
observed, demonstrates that he is competent in respect of a particular activity.
Historic and, indeed, much contemporary work has resulted in the
production of numerous lists of competency and skills frameworks (Boak, 1991;
Boyatzis, 1982; Burgoyne, 1989; Cahoon, 1987; Klemp, 1980; Pearson, 1989). A
number of common threads suggests that there may be tasks and techniques
common to the effective performance of all managers, but these need to be
specific to an individual’s circumstances and/or to a specific situation. A further
aspect of such competency frameworks is that some studies use the terms
“skills” and “competencies” interchangeably, whilst others clearly distinguish
between the two. In this paper competency is defined as a manifest constellation
of other competencies and skills which are harnessed at a specific time and
circumstance with respect to the resolution of a particular problem or the
performance of a particular task (Hill and McGowan 1996).
Marketing management is similar to general management insofar as it is a
process involving analysis, planning, implementation and control. Competency
frameworks, whilst suggesting, tasks and techniques common to the effective
performance of all managers, also recognise the individual manager’s particular
circumstance, environment and task needs (Driver, 1990; McKee et al., 1990;
Rhyne, 1986; Shrivastava and Grant, 1985). In this respect, it is important to
understand the significance of a competency framework in the development of
a work-based learning marketing programme.
Unlike management competency, however, direct reference to marketing
competencies are few. Those that do exist are limited in their appropriateness
for marketing management decision making (Carson et al., 1995; Hill and
McGowan, 1996; Kuratko and Hodgetts, 1995; Middleton and Long, 1990). One
key conclusion from all of the above studies, however, is that certain
management competencies, in spite of their generic aspect, are more applicable
to the specific activities of marketing. A core theme in this paper is to establish
what competencies an effective marketing planner requires, and in particular,
those that may assist in overcoming the barriers to marketing planning as
outlined by McDonald (1989).
Carson et al. (1994, 1995) developed an extensive list of marketing
competencies that are desirable for effective marketing decision-making. These
include vision, creativity, leadership, communication, motivation, initiative,
intuition, adaptability, analytical thinking, judgement, organisational ability,.JMP:
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knowledge and networking (see also Hardy, 1992; Hill and McGowan, 1996). Hill
and Fallis (1995) in a development of this research, identified motivation,
stamina and commitment as particularly important additional competencies for
effective marketing management decision making.
Having considered the key aspects of the competency literature it is now
possible to make linkages between McDonald’s (1989) ten barriers to marketing
planning and specific marketing competencies required to address these
barriers. Table II below outlines these linkages.
Discussion of linkages
It can be seen from Table II that there are nine key marketing planning
competencies. These are knowledge, experience, analytical skills, leadership,
vision, judgement, organisational ability, commitment and communication. A
comparison with McDonald’s (1989) analysis of the ten barriers indicates that
these are indeed crucial marketing planning competencies. For example, when
McDonald (1989) writes of the confusion that exists between marketing tactics
and strategy he highlights the limitations of a manager’s marketing knowledge
and strategic planning orientation. Similarly, his thoughts on the isolation of the
marketing function from the wider operations within the company emphasise
not only a lack of understanding of marketing but also point to a weakness in
communication skills and, arguably, poor judgement. This lack of marketing
knowledge links to other barriers identified by McDonald (1989). He explicitly
refers to the lack of knowledge and skills in respect of marketing, implying that
Marketing planning barriers Competency required
1. Confusion between marketing and tactics Judgement/knowledge/vision
2. Isolation of marketing function from
business operations Knowledge/commitment/vision
3. Confusion between marketing and Knowledge/communication/judgement/
marketing concept analytical
4. Prevailing organisational structures
along functional lines Communication/organisational ability
5. Lack of skills in in-depth analysis Analytical/judgement/vision
6. Confusion between process and output Judgement/knowledge/analytical
7. Lack of core marketing management
knowledge and skills Knowledge
8. Lack of disciplined, systematic approach
to marketing planning Analytical/vision/knowledge/commitment
9. Need to prioritise objectives Leadership/vision/commitment/judgement/
communication/organisational ability
10. Need for more appropriate marketing Organisational/vision/communication/
knowledge/leadership Table II..Developing
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this competency deficiency is at the root of the confusion between the
marketing function and the marketing concept. This lack of marketing
knowledge reveals itself in something as straightforward as having no
understanding of the marketing mix framework.
The inability of many managers to analyse and distil the intelligence needed
for effective marketing planning decision making from the vast amounts of
available data indicates a need for greatly improved analytical skills. This is a
significant competency deficiency identified by McDonald (1989). Further, the
lack of analytical skills can be more subtly detected in his contention that
confusion exists between process and output in respect of the planning process.
There is also a case for arguing that this need for analytical skills is a key
reason why managers lack a systematic approach to planning.
Another aspect worthy of consideration is the need for a competent
marketing planner to demonstrate leadership capability. This quality is
particularly important in overcoming what McDonald (1989) refers to as
“organisational barriers”. The nature of such barriers will be, of course,
dependent on organisational size and structure. The need for organisational
leadership to resolve interfunctional conflicts and to manage the interfunctional
interface is of critical importance (see also Boyatzis, 1982). The nature of
marketing planning entails a company wide perspective and so reinforces the
need for leadership ability.
Communication skills have been widely documented as being important to
the good and effective practice of marketing management. The barriers to
marketing planning which McDonald (1989) outlines, serve to reinforce the
desirability of such skills. For example, enhanced inter-organisational
communication can do much to ameliorate hostile corporate cultures.
The management of the planning process in a hostile corporate environment
undoubtedly requires a high degree of commitment, vision and experience.
Indeed where there is evidence of a lack of a systematic approach to planning
there is often a concomitant lack of commitment amongst individuals
responsible for planning. Vision in many ways epitomises the whole of the
marketing planning process. The ability to set objectives, to see the way
forward in a turbulent environment, to foresee difficulties that might arise over
the planning horizon, and the ability to innovate, are all implicit in the
competency of vision. Nor should the competency of experience be undervalued
in terms of its vital role in the effective performance of marketing planning.
Whilst everyone possesses experience to varying degrees not all managers
utilise this to its maximum potential. A consideration of McDonald’s (1989)
barriers points very firmly to the need for planners to draw on, develop and
learn from experience. Indeed, an important aspect for marketing planners is to
draw on the experiences of those around them during the construction of plans
for their organisations.
Addressing the marketing planning compeltency gaps
There is some evidence in the competency literature that management and
marketing educators have attempted to bridge theory and practice gaps by.JMP:
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constructing programmes of competency development. In respect of
management, Whetten and Cameron (1991), Quinn et al. (1990) and Mumford
(1988) have, for example made significant contributions. More recently Carson
et al. (1995) and Hill and McGowan (1996) have considered ways of developing
specific marketing competencies. What all the competency development
approaches have in common, however, is that they nearly all involve some
degree of self assessment and are premised on core management theoretical
models, such as Kolb’s (1984) learning circle. In developing this circle Kolb
contended that experiential learning theory provides a model of learning and
adaptation processes that reflect the stages of human growth and development.
This learning circle, which moves from concrete experience, through reflective
observation, abstract conceptualisation and active experimentation, is also
consistent with the structure of human cognition. The key is that for effective
learning to take place all four stages of the learning cycle must be completed. A
work-based learning approach to developing marketing competency draws on
this work and facilitates this type of learning through not only the use of self
assessment, but through building a programme around the individual
marketing practitioner. The characteristics of work-based learning are
considered further below.
The concept of work based learning
There has been an emphasis in the past on a quest for what was assumed to be
“objective” knowledge together with an assumption that, once acquired,
knowledge could be codified and taught in the classroom as universal laws.
This has been blamed for the bifurcation of theory and practice into separate
domains (Raelin and Schermerhorn, 1994). As a result the two positions have
become polarised, with academics developing theory and practitioners
applying it. It is now increasingly understood that all knowledge is the product
of its historical and social context. Both in recognition of this fact and in order
to remedy this gulf between theory and practice, many management theorists
have called for an integration of knowledge with experience (Beck, 1994; Raelin
and Schermerhorn, 1994).
The concept of work-based learning brings about just such an integration
with its emphasis on experience and practice as a way of developing new
knowledge. Levy et al. (1989) define work-based learning as “linking learning to
the work role” and demonstrate that it is derived from the experience of
undertaking work activities. It therefore should be commonplace as it is
accessible to most people. Yet, the potential of this type of experiential learning
has frequently been ignored by academics as a valid source of knowledge.
Indeed, work-based learning poses challenges because it raises questions about
the authority of higher education and, more significantly, about the knowledge
claims of academic institutions versus the claims of other sources of learning
(Brennan and Little, 1996). It works on the premise put forward by Pedler (1974)
that for learning to be truly effective it must turn traditional thinking on its
head by turning students from passive receptacles into active learners. Instead.Developing
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of taking a traditional pedagogical approach (i.e. input orientation), a work-based
learning approach examines what the student is currently doing in the
workplace (i.e. output orientation). It then applies appropriate academic theories
to this analysis in order to attain a better understanding (Portwood and Garnett,
1995).
There are many different types of work-based learning, ranging from short-term
student placements through customised courses to full undergraduate and
postgraduate programmes as run at the Universities of Middlesex and Luton. A
full work-based learning approach will go beyond the concept of action
learning, described by Portwood and Garnett (1995) as its “progenitor”. This
means recognising that there is a curriculum in the workplace; one that creates
new relationships between the various management disciplines. The emphasis
is on holistic and integrative processes with collaborative and shared ownership
in planning, implementing and evaluation which takes place primarily in and
through the workplace.
Work-based learning has several distinctive characteristics:
• student becomes the centre of teaching;
• primarily inter-disciplinary;
• co-operative, involving partnerships in workplace and academia;
• orientated to action and grounded theory;
• the production of new theoretical and practical insights;
• encompasses both training and education;
• concept of the “learned worker” (Portwood, 1993).
The concept of work-based learning puts the student at the centre of the
teaching by examining his/her learning needs in respect of the current
workplace. By implication, this introduces an inter-disciplinary element, as
requirements in a work situation are seldom reliant on a single discipline.
Projects in the workplace will frequently draw on several theoretical
backgrounds to ensure success. The “project nature” of the workplace further
implies a strong co-operative dimension; within the company in the sense of
departmental team work and contribution from separate business functions;
within the university, where different disciplines may be required to co-operate
to inform the project; finally and, perhaps most significantly, between academic
staff and the employer organisation to guide and facilitate individual learning.
The important factor in this co-operation, from a work-based learning point of
view, is that the knowledge from one side is not privileged over that from the
other as practice and theory merge and support each other. The whole
programme of learning is thus orientated to action with experience in the
workplace drawing on various theoretical backgrounds. In this way new
insights emerge from the ongoing learning cycle of theory/experience/
reflection/theory, ensuring that the development of any new theory will be truly
“grounded”. It is important to note that as theory is generated it is also being.JMP:
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tested. A particular benefit to industry is that within such programmes of
learning, training (known outcomes) can be accommodated alongside education
(unknown outcomes) producing what Portwood (1993) describes as “the learned
worker”.
Despite the recognised effectiveness of work-based learning programmes in
relation to the building of individual skills and competencies (Bridges, 1993;
Eraut, 1994), there has been little investigation of its usefulness in the
marketing competency area.
So far we have identified the marketing planning competency gaps. We have
also considered the characteristics of the work-based learning approach. We
will now outline below a work-based learning programme which was geared to
enabling the practising manager to overcome the marketing planning barriers
and to develop appropriate marketing planning competencies.
Addressing the marketing planning competency gaps: overcoming
the barriers with a work-based learning approach
A programme was developed by the University of Ulster with the aim of
helping company managers to develop their competency in marketing planning.
This was exploratory in nature, differing radically from other traditional
management training programmes in that it sought to adopt a learning
approach which more readily incorporated the participants’ working
environments. In this way individuals could tailor their learning experience to
the specific circumstances and challenges inherent in their respective
companies. Key constituents of the learning approach were, suitably tailored
marketing technology transfer and the proactive development of appropriately
identified “marketing competencies” (Carson et al., 1994). The specific aims of
the programme were:
(1) To encourage participants to develop an approach to marketing
planning tailored to their specific needs.
(2) To develop participant’s appreciation and understanding of the key
aspects of marketing planning decisions.
(3) To develop the marketing planning competencies of participating
managers.
An important challenge for the presenters of the programme was to make
participants consciously aware of their inherent strengths with respect to
marketing planning. This, then, provided an important foundation on which to
build a process of effective personal and professional development in order to
overcome the barriers to marketing planning.
The programme ran for ten weeks and focused on a number of important
marketing management issues. Specific topics addressed were the role and
importance of marketing in the individual’s firm and its future prospects,
finding and keeping customers, assessing marketing opportunities, sourcing
new product ideas, competitive analysis, and coordination and integration of.Developing
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the company’s total marketing effort. Initially there was an exchange of
information on marketing issues between the presenters and participants.
Then, working in groups of an average of five members, participants were
encouraged to raise , discuss and propose solutions to real and immediate
marketing problems. Plenary sessions provided opportunities to share results
with the wider group. Common themes emerging from the groups were
highlighted and discussed further. Cross fertilisation was encouraged. The
focus of every meeting was to identify and seek solutions to practical marketing
problems that were confronting the manager on a daily basis for which they
were actively seeking possible and workable solutions.
As a key control measure, participants on the programme were expected to
construct a “work-book”, in which they kept a log of the key marketing
decisions that they made during the programme. In maintaining this work-book,
participants were encouraged, as part of the overall work-based learning
approach, to reflect on their own specific learning needs at each stage of the
programme as it developed. The work-book was gradually built up over the ten
weeks, forming the basis of their own personal marketing plan. This record of
“decisions made” also provided the programme presenters with a means to
evaluate the impact on participants’ personal development and on their
marketing decision-making competencies.
From the outset of the programme, participants were guided in carrying out
self-assessment of their levels of competencies in each of the key areas
previously highlighted: knowledge; experience; analytical skills; leadership;
vision; judgement; organisational ability and commitment. This self-assessment
stage was facilitated by programme co-ordinators and focused on
an examination of particpants’ marketing strengths and weaknesses. These
strengths and weaknesses were considered in the light of their individual
marketing problems. Participants then looked at how they might use their
marketing competency strengths to overcome marketing competency
weaknesses. This process is detailed in Hill and McGowan (1996). Participants
thus identified the key competencies on which they should focus at an
individual level.
As a consequence of the individual competency assessment participants
were exposed to various aspects of marketing technology transfer which
sought to develop the key marketing planning competencies of knowledge,
experience, analytical skills, leadership, vision, judgement, organisational
ability, commitment and communication, thereby addressing the ten barriers to
marketing planning as outlined by McDonald (1989). This was done in the
following ways:
(1) Knowledge: The transfer of marketing knowledge was communicated in
a jargon-free way. For example, facilitators adopted an interrogative
approach to encourage participants to reflect on successful customer
relationships and to discuss their own individual ways of doing business.
During these discussions, emerging themes of success were used to.JMP:
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illustrate how areas of weakness might be overcome. At the same time,
the facilitators introduced core marketing concepts.
(2) Experience: The experiential dimension was a core constituent of the
programme on an ongoing basis. Facilitators encouraged participants to
think about their marketing activity on an historical basis. Then they
stimulated discussion between participants around differing experiences
of marketing practice. Finally they suggested that participants should
implement and experiment with the new knowledge as it accumulated in
order to see what worked in improving day-to-day marketing practice.
(3) Analytical skills: Core analytical tools such as the SWOT analysis and
Ansoff’s (1969) product/market matrix were introduced as a part of
group presentations. The work-book provided participants with a tool to
develop their critical thinking about their approach to planning and the
usefulness or otherwise of such frameworks. The process involved
sharing their thinking with other members and further encouraged a
self-reflective analysis.
(4) Leadership: Participants were encouraged to develop a marketing
orientation that guided the way in which they led their organisation,
consistent with the recommendations made by Piercy and Morgan
(1989/1990), to bring about marketing-led strategic change. Problems of
employee motivation and the team building required to bring about a
company-wide integration of the marketing concept were frequently
raised through regular group discussions. Responsibility for leading the
discussion was rotated amongst participants to assist the development
of leadership skills.
(5) Vision: The maintenance of an opportunity focus is crucial for the
development of marketing and is inherent in the very nature of planning.
Vision is required to determine how aims and objectives will be realised
through action plans and the marshalling of scarce resources. Building
on past experience and knowledge, participants were encouraged to
have confidence in their ability to recognise opportunities with potential
to help their future business success.
(6) Judgement: The focus of this was to develop an ability in gathering
together disparate pieces of often incomplete information and making
effective choices. In this way, participants were encouraged to make
choices on how they sought to develop their marketing planning and to
submit these decisions for response and feedback from their peers and
the facilitators. Judgement as a competency is acquired through the
recognition of the value of experience. The review process as an integral
part of marketing planning forced participants to assess the effect of
marketing actions to date. Accordingly, they were able to hone and
improve, through knowledge acquisition and experimental/experiential
learning, their judgement skills..Developing
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(7) Organisational ability: The challenge here was to develop the ability to
marshal and manage resources to fully maximise the value of
opportunities in the marketplace. Such resources included human,
physical and financial assets. Through plenary group discussions, which
focused on implementation of the marketing plan, participants were
guided in structuring the internal arrangements of their companies.
Typical examples of these were, the development of action plans and
time schedules, the allocation of inter-functional responsibilities, the
planning and scheduling of resources and the establishment of effective
control mechanisms. The emphasis throughout was to maintain the
holistic perspective so essential to the workplace.
(8) Commitment: The work-book, the rigor of the programme itself, the
exposure to critical commentary from peers and facilitators, the
acquisition of new knowledge, tested the commitment to ongoing
personal development. As participants developed a greater marketing
competence their confidence to engage in such activity increased,
together with their enthusiasm and motivation. As a consequence they
became increasingly committed to the value and importance of the
planning process to their individual companies.
(9) Communication: The ability to communicate effectively was integral to
every aspect of the course through both oral and written presentations.
In addition, the internal and external focus of planned marketing
activities served to refine communication skills, in particular through the
development of their company’s promotional mix. A communication
competence was also encouraged through exercises in which
participants presented and defended their views on marketing issues to
peers. They were also encouraged to formalise the communications
management of industry contacts such as suppliers, customers, support
agencies, distributors and so forth.
Conclusions
In this paper we have demonstrated the usefulness of a work-based learning
approach in developing a manager’s marketing planning competencies. The
development process began with an identification of the challenges that
participants had in responding to doing marketing planning. This paper
highlighted those competencies required to overcome marketing planning
difficulties as described in Table II, and showed how they informed the
development of a programme to improve marketing planning decision making
amongst practising managers.
There is no doubting the value of marketing planning to the effective
development of any business. In spite of this, practising managers encounter all
sorts of difficulties with the marketing planning process. Research into the
efficacy of the work based learning approach is ongoing. However a key lesson
which has emerged at this early stage is the need for a curriculum in the work
place premised on the argument that learning occurs more effortlessly in an.JMP:
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individual’s own working environment and when the prospective participants
can see practical as well as academic benefits accruing. Given the arguments
presented above there exists a clear need for further research in the area and it
is incumbent on marketing academics, consultants, educators and change
agents to address some of the implicit and explicit challenges that this paper
has raised.
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Makalenin Analizi

Bu çalışma sonucunda pazarlama planı sürecinde yöneticinin sahip olması gereken bir çok beceri olaması gerektigine karar verebiliriz. İş-temel egitim süreci ise pazarlama yöneticilerinin sahip olması gereken becerilerin geliştirilmesine farklı bir sistemle katkıda bulunur.
Bir işletmenin başarısında, finansal ve fiziksel olanaklar kadar, sahip olduğu yetenekler ve benimsediği liderlik biçimide büyük önem taşır. Çünkü parasal ve maddesel kaynakların rasyonel ve etkili bir biçimde yönetilmesini sağlayan o işletmenin yöneticisidir. Yönetici fikir yaratmak, planlama, örgütleme, yürütme, motive etme, haberleşme ve kontrol görevini yerine getirir. Tüm bu işlevler arasında önderlik etmek ve yol göstermek de vardır. Bir yöneticinin yanında çalışanları etkili olarak yönlendirme yeteneği, onun yönetme konusundaki gücünü olumlu yönde etkiler. Benimsediği liderlik biçimi ve bu konudaki nitelikleri aynı zamanda işletmenin yöneticisi olan küçük işletme sahiplerinin başarısındada önemli rol oynar.(Luther, 1999)
Alptugan (1998), bir yöneticide bulunması gereken özellikleri şu şekilde sıralamıştır.
• Zeka
• Sorumluluk
• Yazılı ve sözlü haberleşme yeteneği
• İnsiyatif sahibi olma
• Karakter (güvenilirlik, özdisiplin, azim…)
• Temsil etme yeteneği
• Yüreklilik
• Başkalarına karşı duyarlı olma
• Teknik bilgi ve yetenek
• Ticari bilgi ve yetenek
Litaratürü derinlemesine tarayan Stogdill, başarılı önderlerin genel olarak şu özelliklere sahip olduklarını ortaya koymaktadır.
• Güçlü bir başarma arzusu,
• Hedeflerin istikrarlı bir biçimde izlenmesi,
• Problem çözme ve fikir üretmede yaratıcılık ve zeka,
• Kendinden emin olmak,
• Olayların davranışsal sonuçlarını kabul etmek,
• Kişiler arası strese daha az maruz kalmak,
• Belirsizliğe tahammül,
• Diğer insanları etkileme yeteneği,
• Sosyal ilişkilere şekil verebilme yeteneği,
Pazarlama organizasyon yapısının en önemli amacı, pazarlama kaynaklarını en etkin, mali açıdan en olumlu şekilde kullanarak, işletme hedeflerine ulaşılmasına katkıda bulunmaktır. Bu, teoride çok kolay gibi görünsede aslında ulaşılması zordur. İyi planlamalar pazarlama başarısı için tek neden olmasa da, pazarlama müdürünün hedeflerini ve düşüncelerini düzenlemesi ve sonuçlara ulaşması açısından çok önemli ve yararlıdır. Ancak, en iyi planların bile en mükemmel sonuca ulaştırmayacağı göze alınırsa pratikteki başarının önemi ortaya çıkıyor.(Wilson, 1999)
Başarılı bir pazarlama müdürünün özellikleri:
Pazarlama müdürü, belli başlı pazarlama metod ve teknikleri hakkındaki tüm bilgilere sahip olmalıdır. Bu onun sekiz önemli pazarlama taktiği hakkında bilgili olduğunu gösterir: piyasa araştırmaları, ürün gelişimi, fiyat belirleme, dağıtım, halkla ilişkiler, reklam, satış promosyonu ve satış. Elbette bu saydığımız konuların hepsinde deneyimli olmaları beklenemez. Burada, işletmenin içinde bulunduğu iş kolu ve endüstrisi önemlidir. Seçenekler ona göre değerlendirilecektir.(Gilligan ve Lowe,1994)
Pazarlama müdürü, bir yönetici gibi diğer insanlar üzerinde etkili olmalıdır. İşe alma, seçme, eğitme, planlama ve kontrol konularına hakim olmalıdır.
Pazarlama müdürü, belki de en önemli özelliği olan idare etme ve yönlendirme fonksiyonlarını kullanmayı bilmelidir. Bu, uzun dönemli hedef belirleme ve bunlara ulaşma için stratejiler belirlemek anlamına gelir. Bu arada da, organizasyonun verimli ve heyecanla işlemesini sağlar. İşletmenin diğer fonksiyonları olan finans, üretim, araştırma ve geliştirmefaaliyetlerine de ilgi göstermeli ve üst düzey yönetimin bir parçası olduğunu hissettirmelidir.(Pride ve Ferrell, 1995)
Tüm yeteneklerin toplandığını varsaysak da önemli olan iletişim kurma yeteneği asla unutulmamalıdır; özellikle karşısındakini ikna etmeyi beceremeyen bir pazarlama müdürü düşünülemez. Çalışanlarını motive etmek, onları yönlendirmek, müşteriyi ikna etmek için bu yetenege çok ihtiyacı vardır.
Elbette bir pazarlama müdürü etkili ve başarılı olmak istiyorsa, satış konusunda oldukça yetenekli ve deneyimli olması gerekir. Bunu da, daha önce pazarlama planlaması ve ürün yönetimi konularında çalışarak kazanabilir. Değişik departmanlarda çalışarak deneyim kazanmak, hem ilerdeki başarıyı pekiştirecek, hem de değişen koşullara ayak uydurabilmeyi sağlayacaktır.
Açık fikirli olmakta pazarlama müüdrlerine olumlu puanlar kazandıracaktır. Etrafındaki insanların ve başarılı yöneticilerin bilgi ve deneyimlerini kullanmayı bilen bu açık fikirli müdürler daha çabuk yükselme imkanına sahip olacaklardır.
Sistemetik olarak; problemleri, olanakları, verileri, çözümleri sistematik bir şekilde değerlendirmek de başarılı bir pazarlama müdüründe olması gereken bir özelliktir.
Pazarlama müdürünün işletmenin bir parçası olduğu unutulmamalıdır. Yeri geldiğinde kendi departmanının çıkarlarını işletme çıkarları karşısında feda etmek zorunda kalabilir. (Wilson, 1999)
Bütün bu çalışmalardan çıkardığımız bir sonuç ver ki; hangi departmanın yöneticisi olursa olsun, bir yönetici mutlaka belli başlı özelliklere sahip olmalıdır. Bu özellikler genellikle kişilerin içlerinden gelmektedir. Hiçbir eğitim programı bir bireyin belli başlı yeteneklerini yoktan var edemez, ancak geliştirebilir. Bu geliştirme süreci birçok farklı eğitim sistemleriyle sağlanabilir. Görev ekibi çalışması, vak’a tartışması, simulasyon ve oyunlar, grup tartışması, bireysel çalışmalar, kısa konferans, davranış modeli ve video bantları kullanımı.(Abella, 1996) İş-temel eğitim süreci ise teori kadar pratiğede önem veren bir eğitim programı olarak, özellikle pazarlama planlaması süreciyle ilgili olan yöneticilere, sahip oldukları beceri ve yetenekleri arttırmada destek sağlar. Ayrıca pazarlama planı yapılırken karşımıza çıkabilecek problemlere de yöneticilere bu yetenek ve becerileri kazandırarak çözüm önerir.