Marketing management: a degree program that opens doors
Very popular and widely available
The course is very popular, which is why the best-known institutes offer it. It can be completed as a Bachelor, MAS or CAS. When choosing, the question is what long-term goals you have and which course offers the best opportunities. "In addition, it is aimed exclusively at strategic issues. For this reason, prospective students should always make a realistic assessment of the extent to which they will be able to influence strategic decisions in their own or possibly a new position," advises Laura Braun, Head of Studies at the Institute of Marketing at the University of St.Gallen.Working with customers should also be considered realistically: "The marketing manager is particularly worthwhile if you see 'customer centricity' as your vocation, but want to keep yourself open to various developments and functions in marketing or sales in the future," explains Michel Vinzens, Director of the Swiss Institute of Business Administration (SIB).
Key positions in companies
Those who are aware of these factors can look forward to an exciting career. "After graduation, marketing managers will have the strategic understanding, skills and tools to master the future challenges facing companies. This trains managers who will take on key positions in Swiss companies," explains Prof. Dr. Marc K. Peter, Head of Competence Centre Digital Transformation at the FHNW School of Business.
Study program has developed strongly
Over time, the marketing manager has naturally evolved considerably. The digital transformation has increased the requirements for a modern management approach. However, digital communication continues to reach its limits, which is why a connection and supplement to analog communication still needs to be created and mastered. "We therefore focus on digital platforms, channels and tools on the one hand, and on the other hand we meet the need for a holistic approach," explains Peter.Michel Vinzens also feels this change at SIB: "Today we expect a fast and simple 24-hour service with as much choice as possible - at a fair price. If we can't find what we're looking for due to the vast amount of information, we want competent advice from the sales team - better than I can quickly google online myself, of course."
Mastering challenges with case studies
The University of St.Gallen is also facing up to modern developments: "Due to rapid economic and technological developments, today's marketing managers are confronted with increasing complexity and rising customer expectations." Only by taking a holistic view of markets, competitors and customers can managers adapt business models with foresight, develop innovative concepts and successfully differentiate themselves from competitors in the market."This process is supported by the intensive marketing management course, which not only presents theoretical concepts but also puts them into practice by means of transfer tasks, case studies and supervised project work," explains Laura Braun.
Marketing managers of the future are diverse
The future brings new challenges. "In the future, the technological components, driven by the IT ecosystem, will become even more central. The marketing manager will become a technology expert, a business economist and also a bit of a psychologist and will be at the center of a modern company. However, future managers will also have to be able to coordinate technological developments with existing management concepts and approaches," says Marc K. Peter from the FHNW, an approach shared by Laura Braun from the University of St.Gallen. She sees managers as the interface between marketing, communication, sales and business model development. "As a result, managers are increasingly required to work in an interdisciplinary manner and coordinate projects in coordination with various functions and hierarchical levels," says Braun.
Away from advertising, towards more diversity
Michel Vinzens from the SIB is also moving away from advertising and towards more diversity: "It is becoming increasingly difficult to convert a mediocre product into a blockbuster with a reasonable advertising budget. The marketing manager of the future will therefore focus less on advertising and instead develop various, often more creative measures to appeal to customers, increasingly using their analytical, data-based customer understanding to convince customers of the offer where they are - whether offline or online."
