Universities in a competitive global marketplace: a systematic review of the literature on higher education marketing’

Abstract Purpose of this paper The purpose of this systematic review was to explore the nature of the marketing of higher education (HE) and universities in an international context. The objectives of the review were to: systematically collect, document, scrutinise and critically analyse the current research literature on supply-side higher education marketing; to establish the scope of higher education marketing; to identify gaps in the research literature, and make recommendations for further research in this field. Design/methodology/approach The approach for this study entailed extensive searches of relevant business management and education databases. The intention was to ensure that, as far as possible, all literature in the field was identified -while keeping the focus on literature of greatest pertinence to the research questions. Findings The potential benefits of applying marketing theories and concepts which have been effective in the business world are gradually being recognised by researchers in the field of HE marketing. However, the literature on HE marketing is incoherent, even inchoate, and lacks theoretical models that reflect upon the particular context of HE and the nature of their services. 2 . 'Universities in a competitive global marketplace: a systematic review of the literature on higher education marketing ' International Journal of Public Sector Management, Vol 19, No 4, Research limitations/implications (if applicable) The research field of HE marketing is still at a relatively pioneer stage with much research still to be carried out both from a problem identification and strategic perspective. What is original/value of paper Despite the substantial literature on the marketisation of HE and consumer behaviour, scholarship to provide evidence of the marketing strategies that have been implemented by HE institutions on the supply-side remains limited, and this is relatively uncharted territory. This paper reviews the literature in the field, focusing on marketing strategies in the rapidly developing HE international market

Reflections on Management and Leadership of Education Marketing, Looking Toward the Future

This book presents the works of leading scholars and researchers in the field of educational marketing who handle issues of student retention; trust; building relationships with parents, curriculum marketing, strategic marketing, and market ..

The Globalization and Marketization of Higher Education: Some Insights from the Standpoint of Institutional Theory

Aims: The chapter aims to challenge the basic premise underlying the processes of globalization and internationalization of HE (Higher Education) systems, and especially the consecutive marketization process, from the standpoint of the institutional theory of organization originating in sociology (Hall, 2001). Using institutional theory of organization as a theoretical framework for examining the theoretical essentials of these major processes currently in evidence in many HE systems may explain the barriers to diversity, responsiveness, and improvement – all of which are assumed to be driven by the introduction of marketization policies in HE systems. Evidence: review, theoretical The aim of the book the chapter - contributes to providing a theoretical basis for understanding the concepts of globalisation and internationalisation in the context of HE. Summary of key ideas of the chapter: The process of globalization and internationalization of HE in many developed countries is accompanied by a process of marketization because universities have to compete for students and resources by adopting market-like ideologies and diversity policies (Edwards, 2004). Basically, marketization includes the adoption of customer-oriented attitudes, uncertainty and ambiguity, emphasises the importance of external relations, systems of quality assurance, inter-organizational competition, and marketing-led management. In this chapter, we critically reflect upon the marketization process of HE institutions, by using four basic concepts underlying the institutional theory of organization: conformity to institutional rules, isomorphism, decoupling, and normatively-based decision-making. Briefly, we develop several arguments by asking, (1) to what extent are HEIs changes fundamental and a natural consequence of the need to respond to globalization and internationalization fundamental, rather than just image development? (2) Can HEIs be genuinely responsive to international students’ special needs/wants? (3) Can we expect high levels of diversity within universities following the recruitment of large numbers of international students? (4) To what extent are international students able to make choices based on clear and visible information about the university? The proposed chapter aims to challenge conventional wisdom in the emergent area of HE marketization and to come up with thought provoking theoretical ideas about the limitations of internationalization in HE systems. References Edwards, K. (2004). The university in Europe and the US. In R. King (ed.), The university in the global age. Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 27-44

Bridging the research-practice gap: Barriers and facilitators to research use among school principals from England and Israel

When a professional practitioner is faced with making a decision about what to do in a particular situation, do they base that decision on findings from research? This paper reports on qualitative and quantitative research which examined school principals’ perceptions of barriers to the use of research. To facilitate a comparison the study was conducted simultaneously in two countries: England and Israel using interviews, focus groups and the Barriers Scale survey instrument (Funk et al., 1991). The results of tests indicated that factors associated with the research itself, (e.g. relevance and access), were significant barriers to research use for principals from both countries (compared with factors associated with: the setting; the presentation of research; and the individual). The paper concludes that multiple strategies would be required to address a number of issues related to the dissemination of research and ways of addressing the gap between the aims of researchers, and the needs and expectations of practitioners

The incorporation of market orientation in the school culture: An essential aspect of school marketing

Purpose: The paper presents the major features of market orientation (MO) and its benefits for schools, suggests an inventory to measure the degree of MO in a school, and provides strategies to incorporate elements of MO into the school culture. Approach: An instructional, technical approach which is based on empirical literature both from business and service marketing and from the emergent research on educational marketing is taken in this article. Content: The paper analyzes the implications of MO for the management of school-environment relations, and provides an inventory to measure the degree of MO in individual schools. In addition, a stage by stage approach to incorporating MO into the school culture is broadly discussed, with a focus on the principal's key role in this process. Practical implications: The paper concludes by suggesting some implications for future research on MO in schools and other educational institutions and highlights the significance of MO for our understanding of school marketing in the era of competition and choice. Originality/value of paper: As MO frequently underpins the development and implementation of successful organization-environment relationships, the current paper is a first attempt to help principals and administrators incorporate MO into their school, thereby capitalizing on the great advantages of market-oriented organizational cultures.</p

Forms of market orientation among primary and secondary schoolteachers in Israel

This book presents the works of leading scholars and researchers in the field of educational marketing who handle issues of student retention; trust; building relationships with parents, curriculum marketing, strategic marketing, and market ..