Segments of marketers based on a perceived importance of marketing knowledge and skills

The purpose of this article is to define and empirically verify a range of knowledge and skills which are necessary in order to segment marketers, based on their perceptions of the importance of such marketing knowledge and skills. To empirically verify the importance of marketing knowledge and skills, a 28-item measurement instrument was developed. Responses from 235 marketing vice-presidents, marketing directors, sales directors or company presidents/owners in Slovenia were obtained (an 11.8% total response rate). The results reveal four clusters of marketers; marketing specialists, marketing generalists, non-marketers and marketing generals. General and leadership skills are highly evaluated, together with the knowledge and skills related to competition and the company’s market position. Consistent with the general prejudice about marketing people, creative thinking skills and imagination are very important, especially to marketing generalists in our survey. Yet, the knowledge and skills related to consumer behaviour and marketing communication are less important, especially to marketing generals and non-marketers. Certain implications for marketing education and practice arise from the survey.