In my opinion the Product Manager should have the final say about whether to release a product.

If the Product Manager stays true to their responsibilities and operates within a product driven company, they fulfill all criteria to have the final say in any product centered decision. The following criteria justify the Product Manager’s decision-making power.

The Product Manager has a deep knowledge of the targeted customer. They have strong insights into actual user behavior, user groups and customers. They take into account their issues, pains, desires and thought processes that influence a buying intention. This knowledge is generated through qualitative and quantitative learning.

The Product manager has a deep understanding of product- but also business-related key performance indicators. The Product Manager is always up to date about recent developments and uses analytics to improve their decision-making.

The Product Manager has extensive knowledge about broader business topics as well as stakeholder management and transparency about operational constraints. The Product Manager knows various important stakeholders and convinces them that their requirements/expectations are acknowledged and that the product decisions and deliverables are consistent with the overall company strategy.

The Product Manager knows the industry and their relevant market. Trends, market developments, customer behavior/expectations and competitors are known to the Product Manager. Key-learnings and potential threats are considered in the decision-making process as they impact the product.

All in all, the key responsibilities mentioned above give the product manager every right to have the final say about whether to release a product.