perhaps you can help me understand the difference between Up

perhaps you can help me understand the difference between Upstream and Downstream product management?

You said: “Upstream functions basically means as a manufacturer creating and maintaining relationships with all the stakeholders upstream the supply chain like suppliers, designers, etc. Gorchel ⁱ  defines upstream function as, “Upstream product management includes developing roadmaps for various audiences and at different levels of details; creating relationships with customers, suppliers, and industry leaders; and getting business sign off for new initiatives”(Gorchel, 2015). Managing new product development through the concept-to-commercialization cycle is also within the realm of upstream product management.”

I think Gorchel is quite clear that the upstream role of the Product Manager happens before the product launches, and is the approval to create a new product, and not the mechanics of how that product will be made and distributed. The tools of upstream product management are roadmaps and supporting research to define a market need.

On the other hand, downstream Product Marketing happens after the new product has been “signed-off” by upper management. It is managing the steps and timing necessary to bring the product to market, and most likely results in edits or updates to the upstream roadmaps.

I found this article helpful “The Strategic Roadmap vs. Product Roadmaps: The Destination and Turn-by-Turn Directions” (Mansour, 2015) ⁱⁱ

Do you agree, or have I missed something?

Solution

Usually producers initially fix their target customers from the total population and design a product or services to fit their needs, it is called upstream marketing. It means, the producers initially focus on their target segment marketers/customers, and based on their needs these people decides and develops products and services. The process starts with identifying the potential customers from total market, and fulfiling their needs. It focus and analyse the end users utilise the product and what competitive advantage they looks for, the price levels, etc.

On the other hand, downstream marketing focus on promoting a product or service into the market, and motivate people to buy the product/services. It will be happens through providing promotional activities like advertisements, brand building, communicating to the customers, maintaining relations with customers and so on. The acceptance of the product is in the hands of the customers.

The major difference between Upstream and downstream marketing are: in Upstream marketing producers first fix the targeted customers and design product/services to satisfy them. In downstream marketing, producers initially produce products/services and later search for customers, to whom the product will suited or needed.