to do a diploma in marketing or a Masters
in Marketing and this according to them
qualify them to be marketers.
It is also becoming difficult to find
PhD holders in marketing who have a
marketing related background both in
undergraduate and Masters Level. Some
lecturers even think that anyone can
teach marketing even without having the
undergraduate grounding in the area. This
can only mean that if nothing is urgently
done to the marketing profession in terms
of regulation and positioning then we can
as well forget about it and watch it die a
natural death.
Human Resource which faced the same
challenge is now regulated and has
found their space and has positioned the
profession very well. They are making
it difficult for anyone to practice HR
without proper grounding in HR Matters
and have introduced a mandatory
professional course to certify anyone
practicing HR. The law has also ensured
one cannot practice HR or be employed
in HR without being a member of IHRM.
Marketing on the other end has very
low barriers and anyone gets into the
profession. There is no law that regulates
the profession neither are there any
certifications as such for one to be a
marketer. The few marketing bodies that
exist are not vibrant and are rarely heard
in matters marketing.
I would for instance expect the Marketing
fraternity to call shots during appointment
of directors in Brand Kenya Board, Kenya
Tourist Board and other key marketing
government parastatals. Instead it is
assumed that anyone can market Kenya
and the Kenyan products as long as they
look nice and are eloquent.
The marketers need to rethink of this
profession and create barriers for entry
for those without proper marketing
knowledge and skills for today everyone
is a marketer and they even lecture the
skilled marketers on the subject in board
rooms.
Way Forward
So what is the way forward? The
marketing profession needs to take its
rightful position in the society. There is
need for lobbying to have the profession
embedded in the law to regulate who can
and who cannot practice marketing. There
is need to also have the various marketing
bodies hold career talks in institutions of
higher learning and sensitize the learners
the benefits of taking marketing as an
option.
The CEO’s should also ensure they give
ALL students taking marketing option
direct attachments and thereafter jobs
taking into consideration the performance.
Those in interview board rooms even for
promotions and merchandising jobs,
should refuse to employ those that have
done other options to do marketing
related assignments. Let us show the
world that one needs to be schooled and
grounded in the area to even get those
small marketing jobs.
There is also need for a Strategic and
forceful Marketing Body that would
spearhead the negotiations, lobby the
government as well as have a framework
of how this will be achieved. Above all
let the marketers be seen and heard in
mainstream media articulating issues that
affect this country and how best we can
market our country and its products. Yes
we can!
Dr. Mary Mugo is a Senior
Lecturer and Dean Business
and Economics at Multimedia
University of Kenya. She is an
author, and Consultant in Strategic
Management,
Marketing,
Leadership, and Human Resource
Management: You can commune
with her on this or related matters
vide email at: Mugojemima@
gmail.com, or visit her website at:
www.marymugo.com.