Education and training of engineers for marketing

This paper reviews the education and training of engineers for marketing from two perspectives. The foundations that should be given at undergraduate level and the development of professional skills after graduation. The view is advanced that a highly structured approach aids students in assimilating the key concepts quickly. To this end a number of models and frameworks have been developed. Possibly the most important role of engineers is in the development and improvement of products or services. The age old problem is should products be market led or technology driven? An engineer with marketing skills is able to do both and this is essential not only to devise appropriate products but in an age of decreasing product life cycles to reduce the time to market