I think product management should advocate for the business; design should advocate for the user
Advice for designers interested in joining a start-up
Jiyan Naghshineh Wei
211

I would say both should center on the user, but work with the business vision (or Execs) to balance business goals. Especially if your users ARE the life blood of the business. That being said, to your point, that value changes from company to company and it is important for the applicant to know what it is.