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University Website Design in International Student Recruitment: Some Reflections
Abstract
This chapter proposes a new conceptual framework of university website design as a communication tool in marketing higher education to international students. It provides some perspectives as to why current web advertising may not be an effective marketing strategy and offers a few website design as an effective marketing tool to reach out to international students across the globe. The author proposes that in addition to the standard information on academic programs and tuition fees, university websites could be customized to provide specific information for different regions regarding country affiliations, cultural needs and admission requirements.
Supplementary resource (1)
... Websites and social media have become a unique media for brands to communicate these values (Gökerik, et al., 2018). Prospective students, researchers, and partners often consider the website as a source of information (Mogaji, 2016b), more so it can be updated regularly, it is accessible to a global audience, and content can be well detailed and easily updated. ...
... The emergence of the Internet has enabled many end-users to search for information themselves as there is a practically immeasurable amount of information, with its own unique set of information characteristics (Knight & Spink, 2008;Xie, 2010). The Internet has also become an important marketing communication tool for recruiting university students, as prospective students check the websites to get quick information and insight into life at the universities (Mogaji, 2016b). The Internet offers geographically remote students a means to access the universities and information on their courses (Armstrong & Lumsden, 2000). ...
... These findings are relevant for University administrators working on creating a platform for academics branding. Secondly, it added to the study of digital branding, recognizing the role of websites in higher education (Mogaji, 2016b;Saichaie & Morphew, 2014;Ortagus & Tanner, 2019), Universities need their website to market their programs, present their faculties and facilities. ...
The growing interest in the Internet and other digital technologies, transforming the practice of education has led to the emergence of novel uses of new media for engaging with stakeholders. This study explored the web profile academic staff in Nigerian Universities to understand how academic staff are using the platform to position their academic brand in this digital age. The ALARA model of information search was adopted, taking on a qualitative approach in understanding how information are presented and accessed on websites. The analysis revealed that academic staff are not taking ownership and responsibility for their pages, and they are making little effort to develop their academic brand in this digital age. This study contributes to knowledge of academic branding; with implications for University administrators working on creating a platform for academics branding. This study also contributes to the literature on the general guidelines on usability evaluations of websites to improve staff profile webpages.
... Market segmentation stems from knowing your target market and the students a university wants to recruit. In the HE sector, segmentation of student markets into segments of students with comparable needs and/or characteristics permits universities to match positioning strategies based on core differentiating points to specific target markets (Mogaji, 2016). ...
... It has become evident, that universities can no longer solely rely on a mass marketing strategy and approach to recruit students (Mogaji, 2016). Target marketing or segmentation can allow a university to target specific growth areas, especially in the African HE sector, which has been mandated by its governments to recruit a more diverse study body (Mogaji, 2016). ...
... It has become evident, that universities can no longer solely rely on a mass marketing strategy and approach to recruit students (Mogaji, 2016). Target marketing or segmentation can allow a university to target specific growth areas, especially in the African HE sector, which has been mandated by its governments to recruit a more diverse study body (Mogaji, 2016). ...
An empirical study was conducted amongst national and international students at a South African university. International students indicated that university brochures and website, recommendations of former students and information from the International Office were considered important factors in their university of choice. National students indicated that the recommendation from a former student or friend, university website and visits by university representatives were the important factors they considered. The main factors in terms of marketing and recruitment tools students accessed were adverts in media, university websites, university fairs and word of mouth. The results of this chapter will assist the international offices and marketing departments to identify the important factors to consider and focus their attention on, when recruiting students, specifically from Africa.
... Prospective students want to know the content of the course, number and pattern of assessments, accreditation with a relevant professional body and their career options if they decide to study the course (Mogaji, 2016b). Often, students may want to check the prospectus for information about their program, but there are some restrictions. ...
... Universities website has been considered an essential source of information for students. The internet has become an important marketing communication tool for recruiting university students, as prospective students check the websites to get quick information and insight into life at the universities (Mogaji, 2016b). The internet offers geographically remote students a means to access the universities and information on their courses (Armstrong & Lumsden, 2000). ...
... Thus, to market higher education in an increasingly global environment, university websites offer a convenient way to reach out to the students across the world. Gomes and Murphy's (2003) study explored how educational institutions use their websites to market to prospective students, suggesting a two way communication between the University and the prospective students, the Universities will have to provide the information for the student and it is expected that it will be relevant and timely for the searching prospective students (Mogaji, 2016b). Previous studies as also suggested that it is essential for universities to pay attention to how they communicate with their prospective students through their websites, and to update them regularly. ...
Deciding which university to attend and what course to study are essential choices for prospective students. Given Universities’ websites have been considered a vital source of information for prospective students, this study explores the quality and quantity of information about undergraduate programs available in African Universities. The study adopts the ALARA Model of Information Search on website, a novel methodology, which brings together case study research, stakeholder roleplay and netnography. Taking the role of a prospective student, the research explores the availability, location, accessibility, relatability and actionability (ALARA) of information provided on University websites. The study found that prospective students are short-changed as the Universities are not providing enough information for them to decide. More than 70 per cent of the best Universities in Africa did not provide any information for their prospective students about the programs they intend to study. The study offers both theoretical and managerial implication. It extends knowledge about marketing higher education, understanding student information search. The study also highlights implication for University Managers, Academic staff, Marketing Communication Team, Information and Communications Team and other teams responsible for developing and updating the Universities’ website with current and relevant information about the programs offered by the University.
... With the advancement of information technology, websites have become a vital marketing communication tool for recruiting students, as they are often the first point of search for prospective students in terms of general information as well as insight into university life. However, the universities' websites are not solely designed to provide information for prospective students because they are obliged to present a lot of information on their website to various stakeholders such as the media, prospective students and staff (Mogaji, 2016a). Unlike the websites, prospectuses are specifically designed to provide information for prospective students and therefore provide more coherent narratives associated with student recruitment. ...
... Various studies have explored the information search pattern of prospective students. In most cases, they are under-informed on important matters regarding their choice and some of the students did not consider it necessary to become personally involved in an information search (Mogaji, 2016a;James et al., 1999;Menon et al., 2007Menon et al., , 2010. Furthermore, many students only search for information about local universities and may not search further if they feel their needs have been met. ...
... Menon et al. (2007) also noted that students who considered the choice of higher education important were found to be more likely to engage in an information search, while students who felt that the choice of higher education was not important did not seem to bother with collecting significant information. Building on Menon et al. (2007), Mogaji (2016a) argued that universities should stimulate information searches by prospective students by providing relevant information through promotional campaigns, invitations to prospective students for visits to the university premises, and well-designed websites. In a similar vein, Menon (2004) suggested that higher education institutions can focus on their comparative strengths, making their university appealing through advertisement and by maintaining informative websites. ...
Purpose
Prospective students are exposed to abundant choices, and they are eagerly searching for information to select the best universities for themselves. Likewise, prospectuses are regularly produced by universities to meet this information needs; the purpose of this paper is to examine the key marketing messages used in their prospectuses.
Design/methodology/approach
The 2017 undergraduate prospectuses of 121 universities in the UK (out of the 134 members of University UK) were thematically analysed using NVivo10.
Findings
Messages were predominantly about the location, the course, student experience, credibility and career progression. They are framed in an appealing way, filled with facts and figures, images of beautiful buildings and smiling students, testimonials of facilities and experiences that form a sense of compatibility and belonging.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides insights for the higher educational institutions to enhance their future marketing communications strategies in terms of effectively differentiating one university from another by highlighting the predominantly used appeals among 121 prospectuses and the need for adopting a more consistent approach between the clearing period and non-clearing period in terms of designing the prospectuses. This study has considered only the print platform, and therefore future studies should also look at social media and university websites in the context of the integrated marketing communications.
Practical implications
Accurate and coherent narratives should be provided, taking into consideration the diverse nature of target audience. Universities need to realise that they can be held responsible for the promises presented in their prospectuses. Using the city appeal by many universities may be challenging, as there is need to attract students not just to the city itself, but to the university’s campus.
Originality/value
Having a significantly larger sample than any other previous studies in this field, the empirical evidence provided in this paper is rich and in-depth, thanks to the size and age of the sample as well as the integrated and combined methodological approach. Five keys themes with sub-themes, descriptions and examples were provided, suitable for future research in higher education marketing.
... These strategies include advertising through traditional media like TV and print, engaging in relational marketing through open days, direct communication with school graduates, and school visits. Additionally, the appointment of international country managers to represent universities in different global regions, alongside the use of social media platforms and blogs, international rankings play a key role in building a university's reputation abroad (James, 2022;Schäfer & Walgenbach, 2024;Angulo-Ruiz et al., 2016;Naidoo et al., 2016;Mogaji, 2016;Williams et al., 2016;Hipsher & Bulmer, 2016;Naidoo & Wu, 2014;Gai et al., 2016;Humfrey, 2011). ...
... Tools such as websites are crucial for making university information readily available, but simply having a website is not enough to enhance awareness. Researchers like Mogaji (2016) advocate for using differentiated marketing strategies in website development, which involves tailoring the content, design, and other elements to meet the specific needs and preferences of students from various regions. Additionally, enhancing student awareness extends beyond merely providing information and involves managing the university's reputation. ...
This paper investigates the efficacy of incoming international events in fostering international educational exchange and enhancing cross-cultural appreciation between Indian and Russian academic communities. The program aimed to introduce Indian students to diverse educational programs available at the host university, focusing on disciplines not traditionally associated with Higher Education in that vast country. A qualitative research approach was employed, involving participant observation, interviews with participants, and analysis of feedback collected during the event. This methodology enabled an in-depth understanding of the student's educational and cultural experiences throughout the program. The program successfully engaged students from 15 leading Indian universities, offering a rich blend of academic lectures, interactive workshops, and cultural activities. Participants noted a heightened awareness and enhanced appreciation for the host university's educational quality and cultural richness. Additionally, the program proved effective in challenging pre-existing stereotypes associated with the country's educational offerings. This positive outcome underscores the program's efficacy in fostering a deeper understanding and mutual respect between students and the host institution. The Students Week was a critical initiative in strengthening educational and cultural ties between both countries. By providing Indian students with firsthand experiences of the northern city's academic opportunities and cultural heritage, the program not only broadened the educational perspectives of the participants but also laid the groundwork for future collaborations between the two nations.
... È evidente che i risultati di certe ricerche sono connessi a realtà geografiche, sociali ed economiche tra loro molto differenti (come nel caso di questa ricerca che è stata svolta presso un'università canadese), ma rimane il fatto che un Ateneo deve essere preparato nel differenziare le proprie strategie di reclutamento sulla base del background nazionale e culturale dei potenziali studenti internazionali, al fine di avere dei risultati positivi nella propria strategia di reclutamento (James-MacEachern & Yun 2017, p. 15), soprattutto in relazione a una campagna di promozione digitale. Come ricordaMogaji (2016), "la segmentazione è un'importante teoria di marketing che può essere presa in considerazione durante lo sviluppo di una strategia di marketing utilizzando i siti web. Questa è diventata una pratica più comune ora, poiché rende facile identificare i requisiti dei segmenti all'interno di mercati specifici e abbinarli agli obiettivi strategici dell'organizzazione"(Kotler 2003, citato da Mogaji 2016). ...
... Ad esempio, le esigenze di uno studente internazionale che proviene dall'Africa sono diverse da quelle di uno studente internazionale proveniente dalla Cina e, di conseguenza, è necessario un approccio di marketing mirato differenziato per raggiungerli efficacemente (ibid.).Segmentazione e differenziazione si rivelano essere, dunque, fattori determinanti per operare su specifici mercati, che in questa sede differenzieremo da un punto di vista culturale e geografico. In un suo testo dedicato ad alcune riflessioni sul design di siti web universitari per il reclutamento di studenti internazionali, lo studiosoMogaji (2016) propone l'utilizzo di un quadro concettuale per la comunicazione di marketing proattiva delle università e la ricerca di informazioni da parte degli studenti che utilizzeremo anche in questa sede, perché si adatta perfettamente all'idea del modello Between di segmentare il target fornendo immediatamente e con chiarezza le informazioni utili, distinte per Paese di provenienza.Quadro concettuale per la comunicazione di marketing proattiva delle università e ricerca di informazioni da parte degli studentiFonte:Mogaji, 2016, p. 104 Sulla base di questo quadro concettuale, l'Università deve fornire specifiche informazioni al mercato di studenti internazionali. In questo caso, il quadro concettuale identifica tre gruppi all'interno del mercato studentesco internazionale: "Ad esempio, tre gruppi potrebbero essere quelli degli studenti internazionali provenienti da Asia, Africa o Medio Oriente che necessitano di diverse informazioni prima di prendere una decisione; qui l'università dovrebbe fare uno sforzo per indirizzare intenzionalmente questi studenti con informazioni riguardanti le loro esigenze culturali, l'affiliazione delle università con la regione, le tasse universitarie o anche gli equivalenti delle loro qualifiche ai fini dell'ammissione" (ivi, p. 105). ...
This doctoral research investigates the use of cultural factors in website design for developing an intercultural communicative model to connect universities and international students, called Between.
A multidisciplinary approach that encompasses the field of the internationalization of the universities, interculturality, diversity, communication and cultural models is applied to the digital communication of the international universities.
Key Words: cultural diversity, higher education institutions, internationalization, intercultural communication strategies, corporate communication, intercultural design, Hofstede, Hall, user centered design, universities, international students
... They need to be updated about the university's progress, but the question remains around the effective way of engaging with these stakeholders in Nigeria. As Adefulu et al. (2020) found, students will often rely on word of mouth through parents, families, and siblings to choose a Nigerian university they will attend; this question if prospective students are following and engaging with social media content of a particular university, to see various activities going on in the University or if they have (Mogaji, 2016b). Notwithstanding, universities need to change these dynamics and endeavour to provide relevant information and nudge students to engage (Anyogu & Wayne, 2020). ...
... needed. The logo doesn't need to be designed by a staff or student. 4. Communicate the new identity. It is essential for stakeholders to know of the new identity, to be aware that something is changing. Therefore, the university should put effort into building its digital presence. This effort includes updating the website (see Anyogu & Wayne, 2020. Mogaji, 2016b and 2021b about university website design) and ensuring the social media presence of the university is well-curated (see Farinloye et al., 2021;Olaleye et al., 2020a, for social media strategies and Sharma et al., 2022a, for the usage of social media channels by higher education leaders). Other marketing communication strategies (includ ...
Public relations (PR) and brand communication are integral aspects of marketing communications that strategically disseminate information about an institution’s nature, values, and offerings. With a more empowered audience, increasingly demanding social environment, and globalisation, public sector institutions in Africa are continuously faced with the need to project a positive brand image. Effective PR can help build a positive brand image for the public sector through communication of government agenda, programmes, and offerings that meet citizens’ needs and deliver value. The contributing authors of this book have recommended PR and brand communication practices that will enhance the public image of public institutions in Africa. Particularly, improved citizen engagement, positioning of public institutions’ brands, creating awareness of governments’ products and services, and technology-driven public relations, amongst others, will help change the narrative of public institutions in Africa. Finally, the incorporation of African philosophies that will enhance communications, improve public relations and promote the interests of multiple stakeholders is recommended as we reimagine the future of public relations in the African continent.KeywordsPublic sector institutionBrand communicationAfricaPublic relationsGovernment
... They need to be updated about the university's progress, but the question remains around the effective way of engaging with these stakeholders in Nigeria. As Adefulu et al. (2020) found, students will often rely on word of mouth through parents, families, and siblings to choose a Nigerian university they will attend; this question if prospective students are following and engaging with social media content of a particular university, to see various activities going on in the University or if they have (Mogaji, 2016b). Notwithstanding, universities need to change these dynamics and endeavour to provide relevant information and nudge students to engage (Anyogu & Wayne, 2020). ...
... needed. The logo doesn't need to be designed by a staff or student. 4. Communicate the new identity. It is essential for stakeholders to know of the new identity, to be aware that something is changing. Therefore, the university should put effort into building its digital presence. This effort includes updating the website (see Anyogu & Wayne, 2020. Mogaji, 2016b and 2021b about university website design) and ensuring the social media presence of the university is well-curated (see Farinloye et al., 2021;Olaleye et al., 2020a, for social media strategies and Sharma et al., 2022a, for the usage of social media channels by higher education leaders). Other marketing communication strategies (includ ...
This chapter examines public relations (PR) in sub-Saharan Africa’s public sector. It discusses the theoretical perspectives of public relations and their application to the public sectors in Africa. We reviewed existing literature on public relations in sub-Saharan Africa’s public sector and the findings suggest that offline and digital media have played significant roles in Africa’s public relations over the past decades, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. These tools have been deployed by the public sector for reputation management, crisis communication, information sharing, and feedback. However, the prevalent PR models and strategies practised in Africa may not be too effective in building public trust and resolving a crisis. We recommend that the public sector, in its quest to build public trust and resolve crises, should understand and adopt appropriate theories/models such as the situational theory of publics, the situational crisis communication theory (SCCT), and the systems theory, for effective PR and crisis management in Africa.
... Globalisation has become the focal point of higher education, as universities compete in the closely connected, global, free-market economy that is currently reshaping higher education (Mogaji, 2016b), Irrespective of the country or the type of university, the competition for higher education enrolment is acknowledged as institutions compete with each other within and across their municipal, national and continental borders to connect with prospective students. The reduced funding from Government for the public universities and the increasing number of private universities to meet this growing demand for tertiary education is also shaping the marketing strategies of universities. ...
... Academic services provided through the website have been operational for some time, but they are still not practical or effective. [3]. Because there are several stages that students must go through on the website in order to access this information, such as logging in and then selecting the menus provided, such as study plans, study results, and others. ...
... In addition, there is another way, namely, by accessing educational websites, so students do not need to go to campus [2]. Academic services provided through the website have been running first but are still not practical and effective [3]. Because on the website, there are several stages that students must go through when they want to access this information, including having to log in and then choosing the menus provided, such as study plans, study results, and others. ...
... Jak zauważono, ewolucja Internetu była spowodowana przez podmioty prowadzące dwa rodzaje pracy instytucjonalnej: alokację środków i asymilację (Buscaa, Bertrandias 2020, s. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. Jednocześnie S. Kiriakidis, E. Kefallonitis i A. Kavoura, badając wpływ technologii informacyjno-komunikacyjnych na rozwój szkolnictwa wyższego, w szczególności sposób ich wdrażania do procesów organizacyjnych, marketingowych i edukacyjnych, wskazują na wysoką produktywność ich wykorzystania w kierunku promocji marki instytucji edukacyjnych (Kiriakidis, Kefallonitis, Kavoura 2019, s. 545-558). ...
... There are also practical considerations to consider when developing an effective website. When students visit the websites of universities, they should be able to get the information they need to make informed decisions, and the images on the websites should reflect the life in the new country, the facilities to be encountered, the resources, the culture and even the weather (Mogaji, 2016). Poock and Lenfond (2001) stated in their study that content and organisation/architecture are the most important features of university websites. ...
International student mobility is increasing around the world and the number of students who prefer Turkey for higher education is increasing every year. It is also important for universities to be able to influence students' preferences and attract more successful students. The most used and most important means of universities to introduce themselves to students coming from another country, to leave a positive image and to increase their organisational attractiveness are the corporate websites of universities. Universities create an image about themselves with the visuals they use on their websites. The aim of this study is to examine how universities in Turkey appeal to foreign students to look attractive. For this purpose, it has been examined by using visual content analysis whether there are contents that will positively affect the organisational attractiveness of the university for foreign students on the home pages of the websites of state and private universities in Turkey. Among 129 state and 74 private universities in Turkey, 25 universities were selected by proportional stratified sampling method. The codes determined as a result of the visual analysis were gathered under four themes. It has been found that universities mostly include their scientific studies on their websites, and private universities give more space than state universities to the educational environments, buildings, campuses and visuals of their students interacting in these environments, which create the first impression of the university for international students.
... A study in the United States found that on average, students had 3.03 institutions in their consideration set (Stephenson et al., 2016), while in the UK, the average consideration HEI set size was 6.01 (Dawes & Brown, 2002), which highlights students' effort in gathering information about these HEI before making their choice. In a study conducted in the UK (El Nemar, Vrontis, & Thrassou, 2018) it was found that information is a continuous innovative process and not a stage, and so students are continually searching for information through innovative methods (Mogaji, 2016). This information flow and information gathering are critical to both students and HEI (El Nemar et al., 2018). ...
... How can these messages be strategically positioned to appeal to the students? As internet plays a crucial role in communicating and engaging with the students (Mogaji, 2016), how updated is the website to provide information? How are student engaging with social media? ...
Understanding how student decides which University is important, more like understanding the consumer behaviour in order to develop the strategic marketing communications to engage with the students. In the competitive higher education market, developing strategies to reflect the decision making proves of the students is important for any University that wants to remain viable and attract partnership and global recognition. This concluding chapter on explorations on Student Choice in Africa presents practical implication and critical insights into factors influencing students’ choice of higher institution in Africa. Agenda for future research were also provided. It is anticipated that this will shape further discussion and theoretical advancement which will be relevant for scholars, students, managers, practitioners, and policymakers in the field of higher education marketing.
... Managers should be aware that different stakeholders (staff, students, parents, prospective staff, and funders) are accessing the website for information, and relevant information should be made available (Mogaji, 2016b;Olaleye et al., 2018). The layout and user interface should be appealing and inviting. ...
Marketing managers of higher education institutions need to acknowledge the trends that have changed the landscape for higher education marketing. African universities must make an effort to integrate their marketing communications to reach prospective students and other stakeholders. The best of Africa’s universities, probably those in the top 500 in the world, can also form a consortium to develop campuses in other emerging markets of the world, such as China and India in Asia, Mexico in North America, Turkey in Europe, and Brazil in South America. Trained and qualified human resources, who possess the sophisticated know-how that will determine where resources should be deployed immediately in the universities’ marketing plans, are needed within the team. The task of building brand applies to both established universities which need to build their existing brands, and also new universities with new brands that need to be developed.
... Globalisation has become the focal point of higher education, as universities compete in the closely connected, global, free-market economy that is currently reshaping higher education (Mogaji, 2016b), Irrespective of the country or the type of university, the competition for higher education enrolment is acknowledged as institutions compete with each other within and across their municipal, national and continental borders to connect with prospective students. The reduced funding from Government for the public universities and the increasing number of private universities to meet this growing demand for tertiary education is also shaping the marketing strategies of universities. ...
... Maintaining an adequate rate of student enrolment is essential for universities to remain commercially viable. Thus, the university must use multiple marketing strategies including their website to provide information for prospective students on their student-centred teaching culture, employability, and career support, investment in facilities, and resources to enhance student experience in order to attract and recruit new students (Mogaji, 2016). ...
The higher education landscape is changing. The global competition for students’ enrolments has increased around the world. Universities are competing within their home market as well as in the international market. As government funding for public universities is reducing, there is pressure on universities to seek additional income by increasing their student enrolment. Attracting and enrolling students has become increasingly more challenging, as student behaviour is changing. These challenges present the need for higher education institutions to be more strategic in their approach to reaching out to prospective students. This concluding chapter on strategic marketing of higher education in Africa presents practical implications and critical insights into strategic marketing and brand communications of higher education institutions in Africa. Agenda for future research were also provided. It is anticipated that this will shape further discussion and theoretical advancement which will be relevant for scholars, students, managers, practitioners, and policymakers in the field of higher education marketing.
... Managers should be aware that different stakeholders (staff, students, parents, prospective staff, and funders) are accessing the website for information, and relevant information should be made available (Mogaji, 2016b;Olaleye et al., 2018). The layout and user interface should be appealing and inviting. ...
Marketing managers of higher education institutions need to acknowledge the trends that have changed the landscape for higher education marketing. African universities must make an effort to integrate their marketing communications to reach prospective students and other stakeholders. The best of Africa’s universities, probably those in the top 500 in the world, can also form a consortium to develop campuses in other emerging markets of the world, such as China and India in Asia, Mexico in North America, Turkey in Europe, and Brazil in South America. Trained and qualified human resources, who possess the sophisticated know-how that will determine where resources should be deployed immediately in the universities’ marketing plans, are needed within the team. The task of building brand applies to both established universities which need to build their existing brands, and also new universities with new brands that need to be developed. © 2020 selection and editorial matter, Emmanuel Mogaji, Felix Maringe, and Robert Ebo Hinson; individual chapters, the contributors.
... Secondly, Managers needs to ensure that their values are well communicated to the stakeholders. This involves updating the website to highlight what the university offers (Mogaji, 2016), social media profile with content creation strategies providing relevant contents regularly, well designed and informative prospectuses, user-friendly and engaging mobile applications and public relations. The stakeholders must know what the University has to offer. ...
African Universities are making an effort to offer values and enhance the human resources and development of the continent. Also, there are growing demands for higher education places on the continent. This paper offers a theoretical insight into the value delivery systems of the Universities and the factors influencing choice. The chapter is theoretically positioned to recognise the co-creation of value between the University and prospective students. University is delivering value through their teaching, curriculum relevance and development courses. They offer values with regards to education for enhancing human resources of a country and research making impacts in the society. Prospective students engaging with these values through their decision-making process is however essential, presenting a common ground for informed decision making which is anchored on information provided by the Universities and information processing by the students. African Universities must make information readily available to prospective students in order to make an informed decision. This chapter extends theoretical knowledge on value creation, student choice and marketing of higher education. Implications for managers with regards to the value audit, communication and engagement are also presented.
... A study in the United States found that on average, students had 3.03 institutions in their consideration set (Stephenson et al., 2016), while in the UK, the average consideration HEI set size was 6.01 (Dawes & Brown, 2002), which highlights students' effort in gathering information about these HEI before making their choice. In a study conducted in the UK (El Nemar, Vrontis, & Thrassou, 2018) it was found that information is a continuous innovative process and not a stage, and so students are continually searching for information through innovative methods (Mogaji, 2016). This information flow and information gathering are critical to both students and HEI (El Nemar et al., 2018). ...
The factors affecting students’ choice of higher education is essential for the university’s management. Various research across the world has been carried out to understand how students select their preferred universities for tertiary study; however, there is a shortage of insight from an African perspective. Specifically focusing on a federal university in Nigeria, this study aims to explore factors influencing students’ interest in the school and why they selected it as their study location. A structured questionnaire from 282 undergraduate students based on stratified random sampling was used to understand these choice factors. The study found that personal interest greatly influenced students’ decisions, followed by parental influence, university reputation, university ranking, and fees. The results provide an understanding of students’ choices for universities in a Nigerian context, which is a loose representation of the general influences of students’ choice for study sites on the continent. This would enable stakeholders working in the Nigerian education sector including academics, administrators and practitioners and international collaborators to understand the most effective ways to reach out to prospective students and draw useful lessons for universities' marketing strategies, which could be recommended not only in Nigeria but in Africa at large.
... This is corroborated by Angulo-Ruiz et al. (2016) as they found that HEI staff are factors that profoundly affect the evaluation of a tertiary education provider selection. As suggested by Le, et al. (2019), information regarding scholarship opportunities should be clearly stated, and career prospects after graduation should be emphasised in promotional campaigns via university websites, to target the international student segment (Mogaji, 2016b). ...
An understanding of postgraduate students’ choice criteria for universities selection is essential for marketing higher education, securing the long-term success of the universities, as well as its marketing strategy. While previous studies have focused on developed countries and undergraduate students, this chapter explores factors influencing postgraduate students’ decision making. The study recognises that the rapid expansion of the enrolment of undergraduates has also stimulated students’ enthusiasm for postgraduate studies and importantly, postgraduate students have prior experience in a university service environment (compared to undergraduate students). The semi-structured interview was conducted with first-year postgraduate students at a private university in South-West, Nigeria. Some of the participants were new to the university while some did their undergraduate studies there. Findings from the study revealed four key factors which are the desire to study for a postgraduate degree, the facilities of the University, including its geographical location, the courses on offer and influence of other stakeholders like parents, siblings and friends. This influence of stakeholders aligns with the fundamental values in a collectivist culture like Nigeria. This study contributes to the literature on higher education marketing, especially in Africa and for postgraduate students. The chapter presents an integral insight into marketing higher education in Nigeria and Africa, as this is an under-researched area.
... In the academic literature Armstrong et al. (2014); Winter and Thompson-Whiteside (2015); Winter and Chapleo (2017); Simpson and Marinov (2016); Mogaji (2016); Rutter et al. (2017) all cited the paper but not in any attempt to pursue the question of misleading marketing. Five papers, however, did reference the research to take forward its key theme. ...
In 2013 this journal published the paper ‘Integrity in Higher Education Marketing: A typology of misleading data-based claims in the university prospectus.’ It argued that UK universities were using data and statistics in a misleading way in their advertising and proposed a nine-part typology to describe such claims. The present paper describes the subsequent responses in national media and academic writing. It then analyses recent developments in the regulation of university marketing in the UK, where the Advertising Standards Authority has publically rebuked universities and issued new guidance. Rulings against six UK universities are analysed and the paper considers the extent to which the new guidance addresses the nine types of misleading claims. The paper goes on to consider how issues such as this come to be addressed by regulators and what incentives will encourage universities to ensure the integrity of their marketing.
Information content is the first factor to consider when creating a successful website. However, a limited number of studies focus on this factor of creating a university’s website, especially a website for a design course, as it is different from others. Moreover, most university websites do not include and involve students’ needs in the website design process. Therefore, this research aims to investigate what information on a postgraduate design course website leads prospective students to be interested. This research set up online group interviews for 37 design program students in Thailand in March 2021 with three structured questions about what ideal content they would like to have on a design course website. Before interviewing, all participants were asked to watch presentations and review the top five design university websites. After that, the researchers transcribed and used thematic coding analysis; these were analyzed, discussed, and rechecked by four researchers for reliability. The findings show participants prefer to see “curriculum information,” “students’ and lecturers’ showcases,” and the “strength and uniqueness of the curriculum.” Regarding multimedia/video presentations, most students prefer “presenting by storytelling,” “presenting by both students and lecturer,” and “presenting by students.” In terms of infographics and motion graphics, they need “details of the curriculum,” “branding and strength of the curriculum,” and “occupations or opportunities.” Finally, this research contributes to knowledge by presenting what information to include on a postgraduate design course website and how to present it. As a result, universities could improve their
design course website to match the target group’s needs and increase marketing competition and recruitment.
This chapter recognises the need for public universities to enhance their brand reputation and reposition their brands to appeal to diverse audiences. Even though the market dynamics suggest that they have many students willing to fill their limited spaces, public universities still need to improve their brand assets and, therefore, beyond their abounding student number, have a holistic view of the changing and evolving higher education landscape. We adopted an integrative literature review approach to critically review and synthesise the literature on higher education brand positioning which enables us to develop a new theoretical framework and perspective. The framework identifies four critical constructs for positioning public university’s brand through marketing communications—the university’s strategic plans, the marketing communications team, marketing communication plans, and the key performance indicators. This chapter presents a key theoretical contribution to ongoing bodies of work around higher education marketing. The study offers insights for university managers and practitioners on developing public university brands which include identifying a clear relationship between positioning and the target group at each stage of communication, communicating goals to achieve positioning, developing creative concepts that match brand values, using multiple media mix to achieve branding objectives, and monitoring and evaluating communication effectiveness. Specifically, the study suggests some checklists and questions for administrators to consider regarding their communications strategies.KeywordsUniversityBrandMarketing communicationBrand positioning
Over the past three decades, the internationalization of higher education has evolved from a marginal position to a central focus for higher education institutions worldwide (Knight & de Wit, 2018). International students, as important actors in internationalization, contribute to academic, cultural, economic, and technological developments, and global competency and reputation of the destination countries and universities. Although internationalization and international student engagement have been addressed in universities’ diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, few researchers have examined U.S. universities’ organizational attitudes and underlying assumptions toward their international students. Through a combination of neo-racism and critical discourse analysis frameworks, we purposefully selected 10 public and private national universities with a broad geographic distribution and analyzed their website discourses of support in academic, social, and cultural adjustments provided for international students and discuss the promotion of intercultural awareness for both domestic and international students. Findings show that despite a relatively high level of intercultural awareness in supporting international students presented in some universities, more provide limited support and present deficit thinking and even overt discriminative discourses on international students. We argue the need for two-directional communications and understandings over one-directional demands and expectations from universities to students in the globalized era. Findings also reveal the necessity for universities to promote intercultural awareness, implement more inclusive university policies, and improve their support for international students.
The growing interest in the internet and other digital technologies transforming the practice of education has led to the emergence of novel uses of new media for engaging with stakeholders. This study explored the web profile academic staff in Nigerian universities to understand how academic staff are using the platform to position their academic brand in this digital age. The ALARA model of information search was adopted taking on a qualitative approach in understanding how information are presented and accessed on websites. The analysis revealed that academic staff are not taking ownership and responsibility for their pages, and they are making little effort to develop their academic brand in this digital age. This study contributes to knowledge of academic branding with implications for university administrators working on creating a platform for academics branding. This study also contributes to the literature on the general guidelines on usability evaluations of websites to improve staff profile webpages.
The emergence of the Internet has enabled many end-users to search for information themselves as there is practically immeasurable amount of information, often the owners of the website are not held responsible for the quantity and quality of information made available for their users to make an informed decision. The paper presents a novel methodology to explore understand how websites owners. The ALARA Model of Information search on Website is a new theoretical and methodological approach for understanding the quantity and quality of the information provided by Information Custodian. ALARA is an acronym that stands for Availability, Location, Accessibility, Relatability and Actionability. A detailed description of the methodological approach is presented. The paper ends with applicability options and the limitations of the model.
Diese Arbeit untersucht die Einflussfaktoren der Hochschulwahl von Studenten im Allgemeinen sowie die Unterschiede der Hochschulwahl von Studenten zwischen kostenfreien Studienangeboten und kostenpflichtigen Studienangeboten im Speziellen und führt einen Ländervergleich der Einflussfaktoren der Hochschulwahl von Studenten durch. Es wird nachgewiesen, welche Faktoren auf die Hochschulwahl von Studenten Einfluss nehmen und darüber hinaus, dass erhebliche Unterschiede in Bezug auf die Einflussfaktoren der Hochschulwahl zwischen kostenfreien und kostenpflichtigen Studienangeboten bestehen. Zudem werden die Einflussfaktoren ausgewählter Länder auf Basis einer Literaturanalyse empirischen Forschungen dargestellt und die Unterschiede zwischen den ausgewählten Ländern im Vergleich zu den in Österreich originär erhobenen Daten aufgezeigt. Hintergrund der Forschung ist die Überlegung, wovon die Entscheidung von Studenten, ein Studium an einer öffentlichen und/oder privaten Hochschule zu beginnen, abhängt sowie zu untersuchen, ob es länderspezifische Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede in Bezug auf diese Einflussfaktoren gibt. Ziel der Arbeit ist es, Entscheidungskriterien der Hochschulwahl auf Basis einer Literaturanalyse darzustellen und auf dieser Basis eine empirische Untersuchung in Österreich durchzuführen, die mit Untersuchungen aus anderen Ländern vergleichbar ist. Die Literaturanalyse zeigt, dass es diesbezüglich in den Ländern Polen, Malaysia, Kanada, Frankreich, Schweden, Deutschland, Portugal und Türkei empirische Untersuchungen gibt. Der erste Teil der Arbeit ist daher den theoretischen Grundlagen und internationalen Studien der Hochschulwahl sowie Einflussfaktoren der Hochschulwahl von Studenten in Österreich gewidmet. Im empirischen Teil wird eine quantitative Untersuchung mit dem Ziel, möglichst repräsentative Ergebnisse für Österreich zu erhalten, durchgeführt. Dabei wurden vorrangig durch persönliche Interviews am Standort von österreichischen Hochschulen auf Basis einer quotierten Stichprobe in Summe 800 Studenten davon 400 in kostenfreien und 400 in kostenpflichtigen Studienangeboten befragt. Die quantitative Untersuchung orientierte sich dabei an vergleichbaren Untersuchungen in anderen Ländern, um letztlich einen Ländervergleich der Entscheidungskriterien von Studenten hinsichtlich der Hochschulwahl vornehmen zu können.
As globalization has become the focal point of higher education, competition has become a central preoccupation. Competition is closely connected with a global free-market economy. Combined with the impact of globalization and the development of the global “knowledge economy”, these competitive forces have resulted in the global competition phenomenon that is currently reshaping higher education. Many developments characterize global competition in higher education. This article discusses some of these developments, including (1) the rise of global university rankings, (2) declarations by nations to have a world-class university, (3) the development of regional units of control and reform, (4) the development of cross-border quality assessment practices, and (5) the internationalization of universities.
Abstract. This paper examines misleading marketing claims in UK university prospectuses. It reviews earlier studies suggesting that the imagery and language of university marketing can be misleading. It considers the use of data and statistics by universities in their advertising – a topic not previously studied. From a sample of UK university prospectuses a typology of misleading data-based marketing claims is proposed, with nine categories: omission of facts and selective reporting; misleading wording; misleading inferences about an attribute; misleading associations between attributes; misleading endorsements; claim-fact discrepancies; falsehoods; carefully crafted comparisons, and claims without a reference point. Because choosing a university is so important to students and because universities aspire to high ethical and scholarly standards, the issues raised by these findings are significant. The two bodies empowered to address this issue in the UK do not take a proactive approach and so it must fall to universities themselves to address the ethical challenges raised by misleading marketing.
Purpose
– The purpose of this study is to examine the innovations in the international activities of not-for-profit (NFP) universities. While the entry mode literature is well addressed, particularly by international marketing and business scholars, an academically interesting and managerially relevant question relates to the applicability of extant research to the emerging phenomenon of internationalization in the NFP sector.
Design/methodology/approach
– Using an inductive constructivist qualitative methodology grounded in 12 case studies of internationalization in the NFP education sector, this study applies Dunning’s eclectic framework as its theoretical anchor.
Findings
– This study identified that entry mode choice in the NFP context may not always be reconciled with extant literature derived mostly from a for-profit context. In particular, the broader definition of offshore equity investment is in sharp contrast to previous entry mode research which is largely, if not exclusively, grounded in a for-profit context.
Originality/value
– Extant frameworks developed to explain the entry mode phenomena tend to assume a profit maximization philosophy. The propositions advocated in this study are a step further to develop our understanding of internationalization of NFP universities.
College and university websites play an important role in the college search process. This study examines the textual and visual elements on the websites of 12 colleges and universities. Findings suggest that websites communicate a message consistent with private purposes of education and inconsistent with those linked to public purposes.
The conceptualization of the Personal Involvement Inventory was a context-free measure applicable to involvement with products, with advertisements, and with purchase situations. The empirical work to develop this measure was mainly validated with respect to product categories. This paper extends the construct validation of the PII to involvement with advertisements and also demonstrates that the PII may be reliably reduced from twenty items to ten items. There is some indication the revised PII may then be broken into two subscales representing a cognitive and affective grouping.
The authors propose that "ethnic self-awareness"-a temporary state during which a person is more sensitive to information related to his or her own ethnicity-moderates consumer response to targeted advertising. Ethnic self-awareness occurs when a person engages in a process of seif-categorization and uses ethnic criteria as the basis for this categorization. The authors hypothesize that "ethnic primes"-visual or verbal cues that draw attention to ethnicity-direct self-categorization and increase ethnic self-awareness. To test these hypotheses, the authors conduct two experiments. Using 109 Asian and Caucasian participants, Experiment I assessed the impact of exposure to an Asian ethnic prime on ethnic self-awareness and on response to targeted television advertising. Exposure to an ethnic prime increased the rate at which participants spontaneously mentioned their ethnicity in self-descriptions (a measure of ethnic self-awareness) and caused participants to respond more favorably to same-ethnicity spokespeople and advertising that targeted their ethnicity. Experiment 2 tested the theory in a print advertising context and extended the design by manipulating the type of ethnic prime participants saw (Asian or Caucasian) and the market that the focal advertisement targeted (Asian or Caucasian). Experiment 2 replicated the findings of Experiment I when the focal advertisement targeted Asians, but not when it targeted Caucasians.
The study functions as marketing intelligence inputs for the UK Government, the British Council as well as academic marketing planners for constructing their marketing opportunities-threats audits, it investigates international students’ perception about the UK education and it researches UK performance in the world markets for international education. UK education has been known to be the best in the world. For many years, the UK universities have enjoyed a high reputation and have benefited in accelerating its market penetration worldwide. Unfortunately, this superiority has begun to decline. Other countries are strongly emerging with their quality education. The study shows that UK competitors achieved a remarkable growth of their international students’ enrolment while the UK achieves only a marginal growth with declining market penetration abroad. The findings confirmed the central importance of pricing, product and promotional variables in designing and marketing UK education abroad.
This article focuses on a neglected aspect of international trade in services i.e. trade in Higher Education. The purpose of the research endeavour is to draw together the determinants of this trade using its most visible aspect - foreign students. There are many categories of foreign student, but the study is confined to those students who opt to complete higher educational outside the home country. There is much competition among host nations for international students and the factors influencing demand for and supply of university places for foreign students are considered, using medical education as a case study. Little if any attention has been given to theory generation in this field and this study was undertaken to redres the balance. The model presented here clearly illustrartes the many variables which impact on a student's decision to stydy overseas, and their choice qf destination, the most critial one being information.
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical model that integrates the different groups of factors which influence the decision‐making process of international students, analysing different dimensions of this process and explaining those factors which determine students' choice.
Design/methodology/approach
– A hypothetical model is presented which shows the purchase intention as an independent variable dependent on five factors: personal reasons; the effect of country image, influenced by city image; institution image; and the evaluation of the programme of study. The consideration, whether conscious or unconscious on the part of the prospective student, of the different elements making up the factors included in this study will determine the final choice made by that student.
Findings
– The limitations of this study stem from the nature of the study itself. As a theoretical model, it aims to integrate the factors identified in the existing literature. Thus, future research must try to examine the existing relationships among the aforementioned factors. In particular, it must analyse the weight of each factor on the purchase intention, and the relative importance of each element for the factor it belongs to. Therefore, determining the relative importance of each element and factor would constitute an important source of information for future work in international marketing.
Originality/value
– There are few studies which try to tackle the decision‐making process of the prospective international student from an integrated point of view. This paper contributes to bridging that gap.
The importance of social media as platforms of social interaction, communication and marketing is growing. Increasing numbers of businesses in various industries have already integrated or plan to integrate social media applications into their marketing programs. Higher education institutions show increased interest in the potential of social media as a marketing tool. Particularly important is the potential of these tools to reach and attract future students. An important issue for research is to understand how potential students use social media and what their role is in the decision making process of choosing a program of study, a University, or College. This paper identifies market segments among future students based on the use of the social media and examines the impact of the social media on the choice of a higher education program and institution.
The study is based on data collected by means of a national survey among future university students in the Netherlands. Future students are pupils from the last two years of secondary education. Market segmentation was carried out based on the use of social media, by means of a cluster analysis and a factor analysis; the latter proved to be the best choice since it produced more differentiated market segments.
The findings indicate the existence of three distinct segments in the population of future students in the Netherlands on the basis of social media use. Another major finding of the study is that future students are mostly interested in social interaction and information seeking when using social media, while the content contributed by this group is limited to photo and video sharing. Compared to traditional communication channels social media still play a secondary role in the students' choice.
While penetration of social media is extremely high among future students, the impact of these in the choice of study and institution is relatively low compared to more traditional forms of university marketing. This paper provides university marketers with a useful insight into the developments in the market and discusses various options and opportunities for engaging social media as effective marketing tools
Using the Foote, Cone and Belding (FCB) grid model and functional matching effects as theoretical frameworks, this study analyzed 1356 primetime TV commercials to assess the extent to which there is a functional match-up between think and feel product types and utilitarian and value expressive message appeals in contemporary TV advertising. Additionally, the use of sales promotion techniques in those TV commercials relative to the FCB model's think/feel and involvement dimensions was analyzed. Results reveal that utilitarian appeals were used more in commercials for think products while value expressive appeals were used more in spots for feel products. Presence of sales promotions in the TV commercials was found to differ by product involvement rather than by the prediction of the functional matching hypothesis. The results suggest that contemporary TV advertising practice is more complicated than conceptualized in the four quadrants of the FCB model (i.e. relative to the integration of product, message, and sales promotion techniques). Discussion and implications of the results are presented.
This study seeks to extend our knowledge of marketing strategy implementation in the context of international student recruitment. Strategy implementation remains an area of limited focus in the marketisation of higher education literature. Employing a mixed-design methodology on universities in the UK, US, Australia, and New Zealand, a conceptual model is presented and tested on 570 mid-level international marketing managers. Four overall constructs are found to be significant strategy implementation factors: implementation related outcome variables, dimensions of commitment, strategy, and role factors. In light of these findings, several implications are advanced for university management. The study also makes important theoretical contributions: it contributes to a growing body of literature on marketing of higher education; it adds a more nuanced theoretical foundation of marketing strategy implementation by focusing on academic institutions rather than business firms; and it enriches the theory of marketing strategy implementation by taking a cross-national analytical approach.
In the age of information technology and with the rapid growth of the World Wide Web, the spectacular growth trend in e-business, that has been experienced so far, is expected to continue. Since the introduction of the first commercial website in 1994, electronic commerce has spread across the globe as a marketing, sales, and communication phenomenon, changing the fact of some business sectors. Companies seeking to achieve significant benefits through e-business need to create an effective and usable web presence to ensure successful interaction and communication with their employees, partners, and customers. Web services are being widely deployed throughout business, education, government, and other organizations. The Internet creates a new business environment, far different from anything that has come before; because it lets a company conducts its entire set of business processes and practices online. As the dependency on web technology increases, the need to assess the factors associated with website success increases as well. This paper reviewed the most recent evaluation criteria methods, which were used in different e-business services. Furthermore, it proposes general criteria for evaluating the quality of any website regardless of the type of service that it offers. The dimensions of the criteria are content quality, design quality, organization quality, and user-friendly quality. These dimensions together with their comprehensive indicators and checklist can be used by web designers and developers to create quality websites to improve the electronic service and then the image of any organization on the Internet.
The article analyzes the content of college viewbooks, which are designed to entice students to enroll in the universities that they represent. Viewbooks are considered a very important medium by which institutions communicate with prospective students. The authors look at the content of a wide variety of college viewbooks, examining common themes, the ways in which themes vary by institutional type and control, and what messages are communicated to students about the academic purposes of higher education.
Viewbooks are an important medium for enticing students to apply to colleges. But what messages are conveyed in them? This study offers an in-depth examination of 48 viewbooks using content analysis. The findings point to the predominance of a highly privatized conception of a college education.
The paper explores the dynamics of competition in higher education. National competition and global competition are distinct,
but feed into each other. Higher education produces ‘positional goods’ (Hirsch 1976) that provide access to social prestige
and income-earning. Research universities aim to maximise their status as producers of positional goods. This status is a
function of student selectivity plus research performance. At system-level competition bifurcates between exclusivist elite
institutions that produce highly value positional goods, where demand always exceeds supply and expansion is constrained to
maximise status; and mass institutions (profit and non-profit) characterised by place-filling and expansion. Intermediate
universities are differentiated between these poles. In global competition, the networked open information environment has
facilitated (1) the emergence of a world-wide positional market of elite US/UK universities; and (2) the rapid development
of a commercial mass market led by UK and Australian universities. Global competition is vectored by research capacity. This
is dominated by English language, especially US universities, contributing to the pattern of asymmetrical resources and one-way
global flows. The paper uses Australia as its example of system segmentation and global/national interface. It closes by reflecting
on a more balanced global distribution of capacity.
Purpose – Web design has been identified as a key factor for the acceptance and success of the websites and electronic commerce. The purpose of this paper is to analyse, from a marketing point of view the main aspects that could influence online users' perceptions and behaviours, in order to achieve a successful e-commerce website. Design/methodology/approach – An extensive literature review was developed emphasising the special role that web design could play in the interaction user-interface. Besides, the methodology related to benchmarking allows firms to know the best practices and to learn some key lessons for developing their businesses online. Findings – The literature review affirms that web design is a key factor for getting positive outcomes as it influences on users and online consumers' perceptions and behaviours. A website design addressed to simplicity and freedom of navigation provides clear, timely and accurate information in all its contents and an appearance that calls for the users' attention. Research limitations/implications – The paper offers a Decalogue of guidelines that could improve the design of the e-commerce websites regarding the aesthetic appearance of the website, the navigation through the site, the information and contents and the characteristics of the shopping process. It could be interesting to analyse empirically the impact of all key attributes on the users' perceptions and behaviours. Originality/value – This is one of the first studies which explains how a website must be designed from the demand's perspective. The analysis of the users' perceptions and the marketing view of design could help designers to find the website that best matches their users' needs and so, to improve the relationships between users and companies through their interfaces.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine university applicants' choice processes using Kotler's five stage consumer buying process with a particular emphasis on the final stage of the process namely that of the purchase decision.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on four focus groups with 22 students at one university in North‐west England, post‐enrolment.
Findings
Applicants' choice processes are complex and not evenly supported by university departments. Using concepts from the field of services marketing, the student choice process as candidates progress through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service system is critically interrogated. “Moments of truth” are seen to be critical in many students' decision to choose a specific university course. University personnel need to be mindful that the decision process is two way and takes place over an extended period of time.
Research limitations/implications
This research has been conducted with respondents drawn from just one university and at one point in time.
Practical implications
It is suggested that universities should refine and target their communications efforts, and pay close attention to the quality of the interactions with potential students throughout their relationship. In order to do this it is suggested that universities adopt a services marketing framework.
Originality/value
Key themes from services marketing concepts are suggested to inform the analysis of what is and what could be done to maintain and enhance the university‐applicant relationship as it progresses.
This research examines the effect of target marketing on members of the advertiser's intended audience as well as members not in the target market: the "non-target market." The results of three experiments show that unfavorable non-target market effects are stronger for members of non-distinctive groups (e.g., Causasian individuals, heterosexual individuals), and that favorable target market effects are stronger fro members of distinctive groups (e.g., Africian-American individuals, homosexual individuals). The results of Experiment 2 demonstrate that the psychological processes by which target and non-target market effects occur differ by viewer group: felt similarity with sources in an advertisement drives target market effects for distinctive viewers, while felt targetedness drives target market effects for non-distinctive viewers. Finally, Experiment 3 shows that these consumer feelings of similarity or targetedness are associated with underlying processes of identification and internalization. Theoretical implications regarding the impact of distinctiveness theory in consumer persuasion effects, and potential social effects of target marketing are discussed.
The authors conducted an empirical study to test McGuire's (1984) distinctiveness theory within an advertising context. First, following the distinctiveness theory postulate, they found that members of minority groups were more likely than majority groups to have their ethnicity salient. Furthermore, in applying distinctiveness theory to persuasion, they found that members of minority (versus majority) groups find an ad spokesperson from their own ethnic group to be more trustworthy and that increased trustworthiness led to more positive attitudes toward the brand being advertised. The authors draw implications for both advertising to ethnic/minority groups as well as for further research applications of distinctiveness theory.
Purpose
– The clearing system in the UK enables students without a university place after exam results have been announced to find suitable vacancies, as it is important for universities to fill their vacancies as any shortfall loses them a lot of money. The purpose of this paper is to examine marketing strategies adopted by UK universities on their websites during clearing.
Design/methodology/approach
– In total, the content of 134 university websites were analysed a few weeks before clearing and the day before clearing starts. The categories for the analysis included membership of the three main university groups as well as clearing advertisement strategies and advertising theme presented.
Findings
– In total, 110 universities indicated interest in admitting students through clearing on their websites including 18 of the 24 Russell University Group although more emphasis was laid on adjustment to attract students with better grades. The majority of websites were redesigned to reflect clearing with slides highlighting student satisfaction, guaranteed accommodation and graduate employability.
Research limitations/implications
– This exploratory study examines advertising strategies adopted during clearing, it would be interesting to also seek a broader view on advertisement strategies adopted by the universities throughout the year and extended to a comparative study of higher education marketing across different countries.
Originality/value
– As websites have become an integral part of the marketing tools of universities, they should present information relevant to different stakeholders creatively, along with images reflecting their diverse student body and extra-curricular environment. This study will be relevant to university staff dealing with marketing, recruitment and information technology, advertising practitioners and academic researchers.
The authors conducted an empirical study to test McGuire's (1984) distinctiveness theory within an advertising context. First, following the distinctiveness theory postulate, they found that members of minority groups were more likely than majority groups to have their ethnicity salient. Furthermore, in applying distinctiveness theory to persuasion, they found that members of minority (versus majority) groups find an ad spokesperson from their own ethnic group to be more trustworthy and that increased trustworthiness led to more positive attitudes toward the brand being advertised. The authors draw implications for both advertising to ethnic/minority groups as well as for further research applications of distinctiveness theory.
Purpose
– Designing an effective university mobile website is becoming a necessity for universities. With the increasing percentage of students using smart phones to research colleges and universities, many university websites worldwide are moving towards addressing mobile needs. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive mobile university evaluation framework that can be used to assess how universities' websites respond to the increasing demand for the mobile web, and also to identify trends and gaps in current services provided in universities' mobile websites.
Design/methodology/approach
– A framework was developed and applied to a set of 35 universities' mobile websites worldwide. The framework consists of four categories: interface, navigation, content and services offered, and technical aspects.
Findings
– Evaluation findings show that most universities' mobile websites performed well in terms of mobile-friendliness and functionality; however, suggestions for future improvements are given.
Originality/value
– No previous evaluation studies of this kind have been conducted. Moreover, this study provides an evaluation framework dedicated to the assessment of universities' mobile websites.
This article considers that the fundamentals of marketing which were developed to increase business efficiency fail to fulfil the needs of higher education. An alternative premise is proposed based on the notions of temporality, confidence and trust. The article is timely as higher education embraces a business model of competition almost without questioning the appropriateness of the tools it uses.
This study presents a detailed analysis outlining the differences between the decision-making activities of marketing and nonmarketing business students. The results reveal the presence of important decisional differences and similarities with respect to students' information-gathering activities, consideration sets, alternative evaluations, self-perceptions, timing, and stability of the decision.
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the information sources used by school leavers when selecting a university at which they wish to study and the perceived reliability of these sources of information.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data from 306 pupils studying at various schools in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland it was revealed that applicants utilise mostly communication originating from the university itself, including the university prospectus and open days, and, they also classify such sources of information as being the most reliable.
Findings
There are some differences in the perception of the various groups under investigation; for example, potential female applicants perceive most information sources to have greater credibility than their male counterparts believe. In addition, higher performers make more use of the available information sources and also place more value on their worth.
Research limitations/implications
This study set out to explore aspects of student university selection that have received relatively little attention. It was limited in its scope due to resource constraints and concerns of protecting potentially vulnerable respondents, while ensuring a reasonable sample return.
Originality/value
The study has accomplished it's basic task in that we are better informed as to which information sources students prefer and perceive to be reliable. Such information should, at least, allow professional student recruitment services to better direct their information salvo, but more importantly it should also raise some questions which are much in need of an answer.
As competition increases in the education industry, public and private schools increasingly view students as consumers and market their institutions. This paper investigates the Internet’s role in communicating educational opportunities from two perspectives: students’ Internet use to facilitate information search and decision making; and educational institutions’ e-business adoption and implementation. Two surveys of international students and face-to-face interviews with marketing executives from nine Australian institutions explored the Internet’s role in marketing international education. Academically, this paper reviews how Rogers’ diffusion of innovations explains individual and organizational adoption of the Internet, and proposes future research areas. Based on this exploratory research, educational institutions gain insights of online customer service and e-business strategies for successfully recruiting students. The results show that prospective overseas students do indeed use the Internet. Institutions should immediately establish procedures for answering e-mail and review changing their Web sites to appeal to overseas students.
Tertiary education has become more competitive in recent years due to reductions in government funding and higher student fees. As the nature of the environment grows more competitive, the role of marketing, previously non-existent in most universities, has grown significantly. One of the key pieces of information that would assist a university’s marketing effort is an understanding of what determines a student’s university preference. Examines university preference using a form of conjoint analysis, known as adaptive conjoint analysis (ACA), to investigate the importance of a number of attributes to high-school leavers in Australia. Results indicate that the four most important determinants of university preference were course suitability, academic reputation, job prospects, and teaching quality, which has significance for education managers developing marketing strategies and programs.
Purpose
Issues such as managing brand image, assessing advertising medium effectiveness and collecting market intelligence are common practice for higher education institutions (HEIs). Consequently, understanding the information needs of potential students to the HEI when they make their decisions is paramount. The aim of this survey is to analyse the decision‐making criteria of new undergraduates enrolling at a UK HEI on their first day in terms of marketing activities employed throughout the decision‐making period during their last 12 months. Focusing in particular on the effectiveness of the dissemination of information with the influences on their decisions of whether or not to keep this HEI in their preferred set and to enrol (purchase) will be investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was designed to establish the key marketing communication activities that contribute to the student decision‐making process. A survey of 318 students enrolling on their first day at a Welsh (traditional) university was achieved from a sampling frame of 469. In order to supplement the literature, four semi structured in‐depth interviews with university staff (the School Manager, School Admissions Tutor, Head of Central Marketing, and Head of Central Recruitment) were also held. These interviews identified the key marketing communication themes (information sources with the application of new technologies in disseminating information during the decision‐making period) that acted as the foundation for the questionnaire. The respondents were asked to consider each phase of the decision‐making process and rank the information sources that had the most impact upon them. Hence a critical incident approach was employed.
Findings
The results show that the respondents did receive adequate information, with details of the programme of study being most important, but they would have preferred greater use of electronic sources and especially from current undergraduates on a regular basis. If the HE senior management knows the impact in terms of the timing and content of marketing activities on potential HE students, there is a better chance of matching the information sources to the needs of the students.
Originality/value
HEIs can do more for potential HE students by trying to offer the most relevant information that will satisfy each of their information needs. It is beneficial for all parties concerned that potential students are better informed and prepared to make those decisions. This is especially true as potential students are frequently young and living at home, planning to consume this “good experience” over a relatively long period of time, and the financial risks with opportunity costs involved are substantial. By addressing potential students' concerns and offering more “tailor‐made” communication strategies to suit them, HEIs can easily segment the market place and then position themselves within the competitive environment.
In the UK, policy developments in vocational and further education have created a market in post-16 education and training. This paper reports on an Economic and Social Research Council study and one small cohort of young people entering and moving through one such urban market. They enter with very different learning identities, aspirations and motivations, and their ‘educational inheritances’ prepare them differently for participation. Some young people simply want ajob and awage and ‘nomore learning’, others come with alongterm commitment to gaining higher qualifications. The authors both describe and explore a number of ways of conceptualizing these differences. Both despite and because of the changes in the local labour market ‘deep sub-structures of inequality’ re-emerge. The differentiation of routes and ‘spaces’ of opportunity confronting these young people are reproductive of social class divisions.
This random sample, three-year study examines the home pages of four-year colleges and universities on the World Wide Web. Using a five-level relationship marketing model, Web page content was analyzed focusing on pre-transaction student recruitment strategies in three content areas: applications, faculty, and tours. Descriptive and statistical results indicate increasing amounts of interactivity and two-way communication from 1997 to 1999.
A major promotional tactic for higher education marketers is the use of printed promotional materials to recruit freshmen students. These promotional materials range from full color glossy brochures to simple letters on university letterhead. They are sent to students during their junior and senior years in high school.The research reported in this article attempted to provide in-depth information on the impact of these promotional materials through the use of student focus groups. Students from a large, southern metropolitan university were asked about the impact of these promotional materials on their college choice decision. The students provided detailed suggestions on the ways to improve the method of distribution, graphic design, and content of the materials.
This paper examines the information provided by English Universities to overseas students enquiring about undergraduate courses. Previous research confirms the importance of information during the pre–consumption stage within a service setting such as Higher Education and yet suggests that there is a reluctance by Universities to provide such information. This paper tests the findings of these studies by requesting information from English Universities through the post and analysing their postal response. Results indicate that there is a lack of market orientation and customer focus in the service being provided and that Universities could achieve a competitive advantage in the short and long term if they became more aware of the needs of overseas students and improved the level of customer service provided.
The paper presents the findings of a study of the decision-making process which precedes the choice of a university in Greece.
Specifically, the degree of rationality exhibited by prospective students is assessed in an attempt to provide a test for
the economic approach to the explanation of human behaviour. Information search is used as an indication of rationality and
measured through a survey conducted among 220 university students in the academic year 2003/2004. The findings provide weak
support for the rationality postulate in that they indicate that more than 40% of respondents could not be classified as information
seekers. Logistic regression analysis was used in order to identify characteristics associated with the propensity to engage
in information search: high socioeconomic status students, students who perceived the decision as important, and students
who had acquired information prior to the choice of a university were found to be more likely to engage in information search.
The paper draws attention to the limitations of the economic rational man model of human behaviour and discusses the implications
of the findings for the promotional strategy of universities.
Since the recent changes in the system of student finance in England, studies focusing on the impact of increased debt and
the effect of the bursary system have concluded that the chances of achieving stated policy objectives in relation to widening
and increasing levels of participation have been reduced. This study considers the full financial package rather than particular
elements, using survey data collected soon after students are expected to apply to university. The study finds that many students
do not take into account the ‘financial package’ when making decisions on whether to apply and which university to apply to.
They appear to be just as ignorant of grants and loans as bursaries; a large proportion of students with a perceived family
income that would have entitled them to a full or partial maintenance grant did not consider themselves eligible (42 and 53%
respectively). Students seem to have got the message that going to university is costly and will leave them in debt, but in
many cases they do not have the information on what may moderate the costs for them. It will only be possible for policy to
work if support can be provided that effectively influences the decision heuristics of students.
KeywordsStudent finance-Widening participation-University applications-Decision heuristics
Why has Australian offshore higher education become the educational investment of choice for many students? What benefits do students anticipate from this education? What is the relationship between educational goals and educational experience? To address these questions, this paper draws on findings from empirical research conducted with students studying at an offshore campus of an Australian university in Malaysia. It was found that students typically chose to enroll with the Australian university to receive an international education. Reasons offered for seeking an international education effectively delineated two groups of students. For Malaysian nationals, an international education was valued largely as a passport to employment with (Western) multinational corporations operating in Malaysia. Generally the Malaysian students made positional investments in Australian offshore higher education. For non-Malaysian students an international education was typically selected as an aid to procuring a new identity. These students chose an international education with the hope of expunging provincial outlooks. From international education, they wanted new ways of viewing the world, new habits of thinking and new skills and approaches. They sought a personal metamorphosis. These students, therefore, typically made self-transformative investments in international education. The paper further shows that investment choices influenced the way students experienced their education. Of the two populations distinguished by investment type, students who made self-transformative investments were more likely to respond positively to challenging education experiences associated with studying at the campus.
Incl. abstract, graphs, tables, bibl. Over the last decade higher education institutions in Australia have moved towards a model of 'managerialism' due predominantly to changes in government funding policies. As a consequence of the need to compete with other universities for students, university managers have increasingly focused upon marketing techniques used in for-profit organisations to attract and retain students. This paper focuses on the question of whether, and in what ways, the marketing technique of segment profiling can be effectively employed to measure the potential of new market segments and the viability of strategic planning goals in the higher education sector. Geo-demographic data from the student database of a regional Australian university were cross-matched with segment profiling data from a nearby regional centre to ascertain the viability of the region for the establishment of an undergraduate 'satellite' campus. The results of the study show that the technique is useful in reducing the risk of specific strategic planning goals by identifying the potential of new market segments and streamlining target marketing practices. The implications of these findings are discussed with reference to the future success of strategic planning goals achieved by managers in higher education.
This paper investigates the degree of information search that preedecons the choice of a private third-level educational institution in Cyprus. Information search is used as an indication of rationality in order to provide a test for the economic approach to the explanation of human behaviour. A survey was conducted among 120 college students in the academic year 1998/99. The findings indicate that information search among students contemplating the choice of a private college was less than expected under traditional economic theory. Logistic regression analysis was used in order to identify characteristics associated with the propensity to engage in information search: low socioeconomic status students and students who perceived the decision as important were found to be more likely to engage in information search. The paper points to the need for taking into account the influence of both economic and non-economic variables in the attempt to explain human behaviour.
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