R&D and marketing typically come at product development from different angles, and R&D’s “things” approach is often at odds with marketing’s “people” focus. In companies where R&D is very powerful, marketers can sometimes be heard complaining about products that are hard to understand and use. Where marketing is more in charge, R&D’s complaints tend to be about a lack of imagination, of too many incremental innovations.
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New!
HBR Learning
Marketing Essentials Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Marketing Essentials. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Learn how to communicate with your customers—strategically.