What is a Marketing and Operations Management Concentration?

Marketing and Operations ManagamentA marketing and operations management concentration in an undergraduate or graduate degree program is becoming increasingly popular among both students and employers. A marketing and operations manager can take knowledge from the areas of both marketing and operations to make the informed decisions necessary for positive outcomes in operations such as new production development to trend analysis.

The Marketing and Operations Management Concentration

A number of business and business administration degrees offer options for specializing in a particular area; one increasingly popular option for that specialization is in marketing and operations management. Students begin a course of study with general business credits such as courses in accounting, economics, finance, information systems, management strategy, production technologies, and statistics. These courses help students to build a foundation for completing advanced coursework in both marketing and operations management.

A student completing the requirements for the marketing and operations management concentration will have the ability to manage many different business operations of all types of firms and organizations, whether service or product based. Some of the operations overseen and controlled by marketing operations management professionals include analysis of consumer trends and demand, assessment of marketing plans, automation and implementation of production and workflow processes, revenue improvement, brand management, and recommendations for product, production, or service changes.

Operations Management Courses

The operations management courses in the concentration prepares students to handle processes such as design, maintenance, control, and operation of business systems. To do so, a professional in operations management must have knowledge in business practices, production processes, and the actual products and services.

Courses that help to prepare a graduate to manage operations include product design, web-based products and services design, models and applications in business, and fundamentals of business operations management. For additional information on knowledge needed in operations management, visit the Association for Operations Management website.

Marketing Courses

Another important part of business operations is the marketing of products and services developed, designed, and overseen by operations management professionals. Students in a marketing and operations management concentration are likely to take several courses in advanced marketing in order to best prepare for making the decisions to increase profit through advertising and marketing techniques.

Common courses on the marketing side of the concentration include retailing principles, product development, pricing strategies, marketing strategies, new product management, and sales management. Additional information can be found at the Sales and Marketing Executives International website.

Related Resource: Business Marketing Services

Careers in Marketing and Operations Management

The combination of both marketing and operations management courses allows a student to gain knowledge and skill in both areas. After graduation, students are able to transfer that knowledge and skill into the workforce by working in order to develop the products and services consumers demand. Ultimately, the concentration is intended to enable graduates to positively influence a company’s innovation, customer response, and product or services development. Professionals in this field are a part of practically every industry, including education, insurance, manufacturing, technology, health care, and more.

Skills from research and analysis to strategic and creative thinking are a daily part of the marketing operations manager position in practically every type of industry. With a marketing and operations management concentration, graduates have a number of choices for which career path to take.