Exploring the impact of FMCG industry's trends on product management : How do the latest trends and changes in expectations within the FMCG industry affect product managers?
Gouranton, Agathe (2023)
Pro gradu -tutkielma
2023
School of Business and Management, Kauppatieteet
Kaikki oikeudet pidätetään.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20231024141105
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20231024141105
Tiivistelmä
This research aims at exploring the impact of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods industry’s trends on product management, and more specifically, how the latest trends and changes in expectations within the FMCG industry affect product managers. The theoretical part of this research consists of a literature review investigating the concept of product management within the FMCG industry, the historical evolutions of the roles since is first definition in the 1930’s, as well as the five main trends impacting the FMCG industry. Based on the knowledge gathered in the theoretical part, an empirical qualitative study was held in July 2023 focusing on six French product managers working in FMCG companies, with at least three years of experience in both the position and industry. The empirical part of the thesis provides deeper insights on product management and product manager concepts while exploring their evolution within the FMCG industry and provides an assessment of the key trends in the FMCG industry.
This research aims at fulfilling four objectives. First, the research aims at providing a clearer and contemporary definition of product management and deeper knowledge about the product manager’s role, missions, and responsibilities within the FMCG industry. Second, the research aims at developing a deeper understanding of the main trends affecting the FMCG industry – technological innovation and digital transformation, increasing customer expectations, need for data-driven decision-making, growing call for sustainability and social responsibility as well as relentless competition and shift of private labels – and assessing the importance of their impact on product management. Third, the research aims at reviewing the main changes in the role, missions and responsibilities of the product manager and exploring how they adapt in terms of methods, tools, and capabilities to these new trends. Finally, the research aims at exploring the potential reasons for failure or causes of drawbacks in the adaptation to changes for product managers to help avoid or prevent product's induced failure.
This research aims at fulfilling four objectives. First, the research aims at providing a clearer and contemporary definition of product management and deeper knowledge about the product manager’s role, missions, and responsibilities within the FMCG industry. Second, the research aims at developing a deeper understanding of the main trends affecting the FMCG industry – technological innovation and digital transformation, increasing customer expectations, need for data-driven decision-making, growing call for sustainability and social responsibility as well as relentless competition and shift of private labels – and assessing the importance of their impact on product management. Third, the research aims at reviewing the main changes in the role, missions and responsibilities of the product manager and exploring how they adapt in terms of methods, tools, and capabilities to these new trends. Finally, the research aims at exploring the potential reasons for failure or causes of drawbacks in the adaptation to changes for product managers to help avoid or prevent product's induced failure.