Title: What makes a product manager? A dynamic capabilities view of product management

Authors: David J. Finch; Nadège Levallet; Sharon M. McIntyre; Kelsey Pyde

Addresses: Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta, Canada ' University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA ' Bissett School of Business, Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta, Canada ' Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Abstract: Today's dynamic environments require constant product innovation and have led to significant changes in product development processes and the Product Management (PM) function. Despite its strategic importance, we still lack clarity about the competencies needed to succeed in a PM role, and educational opportunities are limited in undergraduate academic and professional development contexts. Consequently, this study uses a content analysis method to examine the extent to which competency resources, as well as contextual factors (i.e., firm size, age, sector), impact the PM function. We explore our research questions through a dynamic capabilities' perspective. Findings demonstrate that an organisation's desired resources when recruiting PMs are indeed influenced by contextual factors and that meta-skill resources predominate, followed by PM task-specific and domain resources. We contribute to research and practice by providing guidance to PM educators and trainers as well as developing a conceptual model for future research.

Keywords: product management; dynamic capabilities; marketing; employability; skills.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPD.2023.133056

International Journal of Product Development, 2023 Vol.27 No.3, pp.213 - 244

Accepted: 20 Apr 2022
Published online: 29 Aug 2023 *

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