Different Perspectives Between Product and MarketingDivision towards Product Critical Success Factors and ItsStrategic Importance in Telecommunication Sectors

Todays situations force telecomunication company to continuously evaluate, select and prioritizeits product portfolio in order to determine the strategically important products. An analysis of criticalsuccess factors that determine product’s strategic importance acts as a good introduction to reviewand manage the product portfolio as well as to seek ways to develop the product. To achieve this, thecompany is required to have good alliances and collaborations between departments, develop a clearfocus and seek innovative ways of doing business, particularly between marketing and product divisions.This study analyzed the alignment between product and marketing divisions of a telecommunicationcompany in Indonesia, in determining the company’s strategic products. The results indicatedthat both divisions agreed on using financial performance and revenue as the most important criteriaand sub-criteria for identifying strategic product. However, the divisions also faced some different visionsin selecting alternative criteria. The Product divisions were more focused on technical spesificationof product, while the Marketing division were more oriented on customer and market conditions.The study reported the consequences of these difference in practice.