The product manager is concerned with the development and launch of products, whereas the project manager coordinates, manages and supervises the projects. In this article as well as in the PROJECT IT podcast, we will introduce you to the main differences between these two roles in order to clarify these two crucial roles in a successful organization. The podcast on project management | ( Yohan Pagnoux ) Wondering what differentiates a project manager from a product manager? Although similar, these two functions entail very different responsibilities. The product manager is interested in the features and functions of the products. He ensures that new products or new product features meet customer needs and business objectives. The project manager, on the other hand, is interested in the monitoring and chronology of projects. It is responsible for the coordination, management and supervision of these. Although very different, the roles of product manager and project manager often come together to ensure project success. To understand the difference between a project manager and a product manager, let's start by distinguishing between a product and a project. Portrait of a company professional in a meeting room Project and product : what are the differences ? A product is a good that meets the needs of a given group (also called “target market”). This product can be software as well as jewelry, or even a service (consulting service, for example). All products follow the same lifecycle, from development to market testing to commercialization. A project is a set of tasks to be accomplished in order to achieve a specific objective. Projects are associated with results and deliverables, which can be very varied: redesigning a website or creating a new internal process, for example. As you can see, there are notable differences between a product and a project. Now let's learn the difference between product management and project management. What is Product Management ? Product management is the oversight of product development within an organization. Product management encompasses every aspect of the product lifecycle, from the analysis phase to managing release. The team of a manual worker. What is Project Management ? Project management refers to the organization, monitoring and execution of work within a project. It involves managing stakeholders, tasks and progress of the project, monitoring it until its completion and putting in place the tools necessary for success. Project management requires the collaboration of teams, favored by the use of tools and the organization of cohesion activities. Product Manager vs Project Manager As you can see, a product and a project are two very different concepts, just like a product manager and a project manager. Typically, a product manager spends their time overseeing product needs: coordinating with the product development team, prioritizing various product launches, and creating a product strategy. The project manager spends his time overseeing project needs. He assigns tasks, organizes kick-off meetings, solves problems to achieve business objectives and completes his work in order to achieve project objectives on time.

Labor shortages and skills mismatches are a definite risk to economic growth and the creation of new jobs. In sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, supply chain management, information technology management & digitalization, and project and product management, demand is increasing and performance is decreasing, as employers simply cannot find enough qualified people to fill vacancies. These challenges call for a common approach. This is why Leclerc Consulting Group, publishes this article accompanied by the podcast of Nicolas Guynat Founder and President of the Mare Nostrum Group recorded during the Human Capital meetings, organized by PRISMO, on February 06, 2020 in Grenoble, a position paper presenting recommendations for a political response to the problems encountered. Human Capital Meeting | ( Nicolas Cuynat, PDG de Mare Nostrum, président du FCG ) As various current studies show, the job market is extremely tight, with more vacancies than people actively looking for a job. Labor shortages can have a huge societal impact. Several sectors have been heavily impacted during the pandemic and need staff more than ever to be able to carry out their mission, especially since with the aging of the Western population, workers are leaving the labor market in large numbers. Two engineers working on a partially disassembled small aircraft engine. Skills mismatch According to OECD estimates, over the next decade, technology is likely to transform more than a billion jobs, or almost a third of all jobs worldwide. The World Economic Forum estimates that we will have to requalify more than a billion people by 2030. In addition to digital skills, specialized relational skills will be particularly in demand, in a work environment that has become hybrid. Architect and his client looking at the hologram of a house project. Workers, governments, and businesses must therefore prioritize the development and implementation of agile education and training systems that will respond to the changing world of work. Leclerc Consulting Group encourages the acquisition and development of skills to support employability through the definition of training courses adapted to the needs of companies and different employment areas.

Transportation and logistics management have a common and primary objective which is to move inventory/goods through a company's supply chain effectively and efficiently. A well-implemented logistics management enables active management of the supply chain, thus offering companies enormous advantages in terms of saving time and money. Both areas of command execution should operate simultaneously for optimal results. You cannot afford to miss opportunities due to not prioritizing this essential service function. Logistics and transportaions. But what is “Logistics” ? Logistics focuses on the entire order fulfillment process, it refers to the receipt, production and distribution of goods and materials in the quantities requested by the customer to their final destination. It is also the strategy that determines how your business stores products in its warehouse, tracks orders, and delivers products to its customers. In fact, logistics should be viewed as an overall business unit that oversees and coordinates the entire customer order fulfillment process. Air transport And Transportation ? Transportation focuses on managing physical delivery. It is considered a logistics sub-unit. He is the key to all the operations of the flow of goods ensuring the movement of products from the places of orders to the storage areas and takes care of the deliveries to the address of the customers. Products are delivered by land, air or sea. Sometimes referred to as transportation logistics, this function is divided into three important areas that a business must engage in: Operations management Organization of vehicles and fleet Infrastructure administration Railway transport Transport, Logistics how does it combine ? Transportation is part of the process. Logistics further provides for inventory planning, storage of goods and demand forecasting in addition to delivery. Optimizing your supply chain performance means meeting your customers' needs at the lowest possible cost. A transport network that meets the needs of your business while remaining economical and absolutely necessary. This allows you to resolve unforeseen issues and improve customer service without any downtime or disruption to your service process. These two elements combined will make it possible to practice logistics management, effectively and efficiently. Maritime transport Harmonize Transport and Logistics activities It is seen that transportation and logistics must work in tandem to fulfill customer orders as planned at the lowest possible price. This is one of the reasons automation technologies is on the rise among companies that provide transportation and logistics services. Thanks to new information technologies, managers can systematize predictable and redundant tasks across the entire supply chain network without any errors and at a fraction of the cost. In addition to automation, data logging is also on the rise. Logistics and transportation can participate in data collection and analysis separately and together. In the long term, it allows companies to access valuable information about their supply chain with circumstance monitoring information. It is therefore crucial to actively and efficiently manage your transportation and logistics business units allowing your entire supply chain to operate seamlessly and ensure: Execution of orders on time and at the best cost. The optimization of inventory flows allowing a reduction of inventories by using efficient transport techniques. Plus, you can improve your warehouse's operational efficiency, reduce lead times, and save on storage expenses. Reducing the “Carbon” footprint. As you streamline your logistics approach, you will automatically reduce your CO2 emissions due to the optimization of your transport process itself. Road transport In conclusion The impacts of the 2020 health crisis and the shock waves that followed have drastically impacted all commercial activities on a global scale. The logistics and transport sector has been hit the hardest. Companies working in this sector must recover quickly and offer their clients solutions that take into account the reality of the current international market. It is important to keep the right balance between the activities related to transport and those related to logistics. It is vital for the company to have the right information at the right time in order to be able to make the right strategic decisions, taking into account that transport and logistics activities represent a huge percentage of the costs associated with the products. If you would like more information on the subject, do not hesitate to contact us at Leclercconsultinggroup@gmail.com

In the context of projects, contract management refers to a host of activities ranging from negotiation to renewal of contractual agreements, including coordination and implementation of terms of reference. A badly negotiated contract can very quickly turn into a nightmare, even in some cases, bringing the company to bankruptcy... In order to avoid this, it is important to have already defined internally, its own criteria and limits in terms of acceptable contractual commitments. There are firms specializing in the field of contract management that can support you for these purposes. Business people sign contract. In general, this begins with the pre-contractual phase which includes the drafting of the contract, internal negotiations and with third parties and the process is completed at the signing of the contract. This is followed by the execution of the contract, the monitoring of deadlines and indicators, the implementation of various changes and additions, and finally the keeping of contractual data. When implemented correctly, contract management processes ensure that budgets and capabilities are aligned with project objectives. Contract management is considered effective if it is carried out transparently within the organization and is integrated into the management and control of the project. It always involves the team members to make their contributions and achieve results, while carefully monitoring the performance and deadlines of the subcontractors and partners involved in the execution of the contract. Contractify : What is Contract management? Contracts ensure that operational and financial objectives are met and that risks to the business are minimized. Typically, contracts contain things like payment terms, negotiations, workflow, service expectations, and compliance obligations. It is important for the company to have real-time visibility of all aspects of its projects and especially its contracts, as it allows executive management to make informed, data-driven decisions and to proceed quickly. to the necessary corrections in order to avoid risks and pitfalls. Business people talking in meeting. The monitoring of contractual relations between the company and service providers, suppliers or customers, are complex supervision processes that often require a review and validation of the said contract by specialists versed in commercial law and having an excellent knowledge of the business activity. With the opening of markets on an international scale, competition is fierce, many companies must absolutely review their operational process including their productivity, their management/performance indicator, their management of the workforce, their management of purchase and supply and especially their contract management, because these will affect their profitability, see their existence in the more or less long term. Good contract management and operational efficiency go hand in hand, and to achieve this, the experts and specialists of Leclerc Consulting Group can support you in this upgrading process.

The Digital Revolution is here, and it's here to stay. We speak today of the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”. Companies that have not taken the digital turn will be called upon to disappear…. The establishment of a coherence of digital activities by consolidating and aligning all the digital efforts of the company in a continuous process, of creation and then implementation of a digital strategy, is today essential to the success future of any organization that wants to continue to thrive. Woman wearing VR glasses in office Nowadays, the term digitalization has become common in the business world. There is even talk of the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”. Digitization does not only impact companies in the technological sectors but today affects all types of companies, in all sectors of activity combined. Even if its practice is still not very widespread in companies, whether you are a multinational or a small SME, whether you are in an industrial field, a service company, a non-profit organization, a bank, a transportation, very soon you will be forced to convert and adapt your business and your services to the new wave of digitalization of the economy. The 21st century is and will be the world of digital transformation, which offers considerable opportunities to companies, and everyone must, today, learn to become a real digital player in order to remain competitive. The challenge today is the lack of knowledge of companies as to the strategy and tactics to adopt in order to succeed in this transition in the digital age. Digitalization around the world But what exactly is “the digitalization of a company”? The digitization of an organization is a global transformation of the company that must be done across its entire "value chain". Social networks are part of this digital transformation, but only represent a tiny part of the transformation process. Digitization affects the operation of companies in all their activities (purchasing, supply, communication, management, production, process, customer, subcontracting, partners, etc.). Digitization requires a complete and structural overhaul of the operation of the company and must be fully integrated into its strategy, hence the need to review and adjust its business model and strategies. Digitization requires the implementation of a digital strategy to cover all of the organization's processes, ranging from the collection of information through the review of the business model, the structure of the company, the human capital, processes, skills, capacity and availability, products and services, etc. In fact, it is a continuous improvement process that must continually be adapted in order to respond to new opportunities. Engineer with digital tablet examining development of industrial product. The implementation of digitalization always starts with a collection of data and information (inventory of digital resources) from the point of view of the digitalization of the company. This work will allow the organization to get a clear idea of ​​its digital maturity, its situation vis-à-vis its competition, and the means at its disposal to improve its digital efficiency and effectiveness. Then, an action plan for digital initiatives linked to the digital strategy must be developed to seize opportunities for the development of innovative products and services. Each department of the company plays a vital role in digital success. Putting performance measures in place will help assess success and optimize results. The monitoring and continuous improvement of the user and customer experience are key elements for the success of a digital strategy. Our experts can help you, do not hesitate to contact us Leclercconsultinggroup@gmail.com