A new survey of companies’ chief executives and senior management by the University of Sydney has found that “marketers lack basic strategic marketing skills”.
Researchers at the University’s Marketing Discipline at the Faculty of Economics and Business surveyed 300 key decision makers about the strategic marketing skills required within their organisations.
The national survey asked open-ended questions including which marketing needs they perceived as important and how those needs could be met.
Researchers found “a distinct lack of strategic skills in marketing professionals”, which they identified as being a major problem for the industry.
Respondents included chief executives, directors and senior managers from a range of company sizes from sole proprietors to very large organisations.
Program director Pennie Frow said: “Once upon a time, understanding the marketing process was seen as an added benefit for senior managers. Now however, most managers realise the intrinsic importance of marketing to all aspects of their business and they won’t advance, much less employ, anyone who doesn’t have a sound grasp of marketing strategy.
“The important thing to take out of this research is that businesses want competent, well-rounded graduates who understand the big picture. They want graduates who not only know the basic tools of marketing, they want those who know how to use these tools to deliver business results.”
The study also highlighted an apparent lack of opportunity for middle managers to continue their professional development, augment and up-date their marketing skills and learn how to achieve a leading role across their organisations. The Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Sydney is offering a new Master of Marketing Degree for the first time in February 2009.
