Training Management Professionals for the Promotion Sector: Insights from Educational Practices

Abstract

The article examines the gap between the traditional academic training of promotion-sector specialists and the needs of the industry, which has transitioned to hybrid work formats, automation, and the integration of digital platforms, and now requires managerial skills from employees at all levels. The purpose of the article is to summarize the experience of implementing the specialized course "Management of Advertising and PR Structures" as an innovative educational model for training managerial personnel. The research is based on the Action Research concept using methods of participant observation, analysis of students’ performance products, and reflective surveys. The authors analyse the four-module architecture of the course, which rejects the linear "theory to practice" approach in favour of an integrative, project-based learning approach. It is proven that the key tool for shaping managerial thinking is a system of practical case studies: developing organizational structures for communication agencies, project planning of integrated campaigns, competitive environment analysis, and modelling team interaction. Students master management as a decision-making process, justifying their choice of management models and resources. Special emphasis is placed on the importance of integrating innovative digital tools (task trackers, analytics systems, and artificial intelligence) into the educational process as an integral part of the media market’s managerial ecosystem. The results of the study confirm that a well-thought-out combination of academic theory and practice-oriented work formats overcomes the false dilemma between academicism and practicality. This cultivates in master’s students the ability to think in terms of processes, resources, and structures, and to take responsibility for the final business outcome. Prospects for further scientific research are outlined, in particular, the development of tools to measure managerial competencies and a comparative analysis of similar practices at foreign universities.