The Senior Marketing Officer: An Academic Perspective

Abstract

This article reports the summary observations and opinions associated with the performance of the senior managerial task and reassesses the marketing educator's responsibilities in light of the experience. The observations and opinions are based on a recently completed two-year experience as Senior Vice President of Marketing for the Searle Optical Group (Pearle Vision Centers). Critical observations are made about the role of marketing in the firm, the most vital aspects of the job, the art-science debate, marketing and finance, working with people, dealing with inflation, and time pressures. These observations are then discussed in the context of the marketing educator s teaching, research and service responsibilities.