Marketing Strategies Used by the University of Strathclyde - Case Study Example

MARKETING STRATEGIES USED BY THE OF STRATHCLYDE By Location Introduction The of Strathclyde is a Scottish research institution located in Glasgow, United Kingdom. It became fully-fledged in 1964, during which the institution was awarded a Royal Charter(Davidson, et al., 2014, p. 3). The institution maintains a strong commitment towards widening the participation of students in higher education. Also, the University has an ambition of becoming one of the leading technological institutions in the world. Currently, the University has a population close to 23,000 students. 64 percent of the students are enrolled in undergraduate programs, 30 percent in postgraduate programs and 6 percent in postgraduate research. The University has witnessed a growing number of international students in the recent due to its strategy to globalize the education sector. The report highlights the marketing strategies used by the University of Strathclyde to achieve both academic and marketing excellence in the education sector. SWOT analysis The University of Strathclyde strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities were identified by the members of the marketing department during a brainstorming session. The administrators, students and faculty members reviewed the analysis provided and expressed their views on it. The background information about the organization provided during the analysiswas useful in considering the strategic issues of the institution. The SWOT analysis developed was used to develop various strategic questions that were useful in building a marketing strategy for the institution(Morfaw, 2009, p. 145). An outline of the SWOT analysis used by the University of Strathclyde follows below. The Internal Strengths and Weaknesses of the University Strengths The University has a positive reputation in the external community surrounding it. There is positive experience among those people who interact with the University. There are various proactive partnership programs between the University and other Universities, K-12, community colleges, and corporations. Various exciting past performances with many accredited programs and successful years of graduation rates. Staff and faculty support the University’s mission for academic excellence. Proactive support of students in access to services, student leadership programs and involvement of the faculty members with the students. Learning communities around the University develop effectively to enhance student – faculty interaction and learning process. A diverse student body from diverse communities around the world. An expert and dedicated faculty staff. The University’s wide involvement in the planning process. Healthy sharing of governance. Strong and active external boards. Residential development projects around the University. Development of cultural and artistic performances such as seminars, concerts, and exhibits. Weaknesses The distinguishing qualities and identity are not clearly understood. The operational bureaucracy of the institution is not clearly outlined. There is much fiscal uncertainty. There is sluggish responsiveness to community and student needs. There is no much pride within the internal community around the University. There is no match between research support and expectation. Unequal and high workloads between the staff and faculty members. Inadequate ability to hire and retain the faculty members. There is little student preparedness during the entrance period. It is tough for student to adjust to the pressures of growth. There are varying perceptions of the appropriate proportions of the relevant employee categories. The major categories of employees include staff, administrators and faculty members. Lack of a strong and pervasive presence in the external community around the University. Limited resources to allow for staff and faculty development. External opportunities Partnerships of the University with other institutions in support of its activities and initiatives. Diversity of regional coverage in terms of the student composition. Focus on more university relations through expansion of academic programs, expansion of cultural activities and development of more University services. More focus on societal trends such as increased value of completing higher education and matching between societal and curricular interests. More interest in global initiatives. Increased demand for lifelong learning and mid-career redirection. Interest in more technological advances. Threats Increased reporting expected by the society and government. Crisis in the state budget. The University’s responsiveness to academic programs and student scheduling demands. Shift in focus on qualitative achievement versus numerical achievement. Negative perception from the public. Development of other Universities and institutions of higher learning in the area. Student and societal perception of education as a means to get a good job. Reporting can be perceived as a ritual and meaningless. Reporting requirements could absorb a greater percentage of the resources. Lack of knowledge and public perceptions about higher education. Marketing mix The University of Strathclyde has a developed and comprehensive marketing framework that guides its wide range of initiatives designed to improve the overall enrollment and successful graduation rates. The institution uses the marketing mix mindset tool for guidance in making critical decisions pertaining to the introduction of an academic program into the education sector. The marketing mix tool used by the University can best be described by 4Ps. The 4Ps are product (service), place, price and promotion(Talloo, 2007, p. 145). The marketing mix allows the institution to position its programs in the market and satisfy their interests and those of the concerned students. The institution chooses the perfect programs and services to offer students and parents. The management team ensures that the programs offered associated with quality, adequate options, warranties, brand names and quality features. The appearance of the programs, products, and services offered by the institution influence the student’s decision in enrolling in a program. In designing their programs, products, and services, the marketing department takes time to understand the academic loopholes existing in the education sector. The team of experts then embarks on brainstorming ideas on how the existing market needs can be satisfied. The team identifies the features each new program has to meet and how the features will be useful to the students studying it. Also, the team takes time to understand whether other Universities are offering the same programs and how they can outdo them in the market. The cost implements are also discusses and measured against the economic aspects of the environment to determine whether the program is viable. In identifying the Place, the institution establishes various platforms where parents and students could look for their programs. Possible places could be on academic websites and academic institutions that advise students on which programs to consider at the University. The type of programs introduced by the University of Strathclyde greatly influences the mode of distribution to its target publics. But, before deciding on which channels to advertise their programs, the University analyses its market coverage to determine whether there is an audience to talk to. Carrying out market coverage routines allow the institution to pursue selective, intensive or exclusive coverage of its programs(Talloo, 2007, p. 146). Using the marketing mix, the institution outlines its price for programs offered. Determining the price for its programs has always been challenging and at times frightening. Unlike other institutions that fear outlining high prices due to competition, the University of Strathclyde ensures that the right products are outlined on all modes of communication to enable the students and parents have good financial plans before joining the institution. Good financial plans among a greater percentage of the parents have enhanced efficient education throughout the successful academic processes within the institution. The last marketing mix strategy used by the University of Strathclyde involves the use of promotions to attract more students to seek enrollment. Promotion activities majorly cover advertising and selling part of the marketing strategies used to attract more students. The institution uses its promotion activities to help people understand the programs offered, how useful they can be and why they institution offers them(Talloo, 2007, p. 153). The University uses this opportunity to inform the students why their programs can satisfy their education needs. The messages used by the institution for promotion are always clear and targeted to a specific audience through the most appropriate tool. Also, the marketing messages are made consistent to get the audience’s attention and elicit more response through consultation or enrollment. AnsoffMatrix The University of Strathclyde has regular evaluation schedules to determine the progress reached by its academic programs. Also, the evaluation process is very useful whenever the institution needs to introduce a new program, product or service to its customers. During this process, various questions and options are likely to be considered in an aim to find the perfect opportunities with the best possible returns. The Ansoff matrix is a great strategy used by the University to help determine its growth strategy(Publication, 2004, p. 962). This University administration finds this tool quite simple and more fruitful, apart from using the basic SWOT analysis. The marketing team uses four growth options provided by the Ansoff matrix to match up the existing and new programs with the existing and new academic opportunities. The tool helps the marketing team highlight risks involves in implementing certain academic programs. In most cases, the Ansoff matrix allows the marketing team in the University to move from one section of the matrix to the other. The Ansoff Matrix illustrates that the elements prone to risk will increase further as the strategy used by the marketing department moves away from the known quantities(Cox, 2009, p. 254). The known quantities include the existing education programs and the existing market within the education sector. A sample of the Ansoff matrix used by the University of Strathclyde is outlined below. Fig. 1: Ansoff Matrix used by the University of Strathclyde The matrix is quite easier to prepare than using a SWOT analysis. It provides the marketing team with more useful information that assists the University administration to understand the existing product or market space(Publication, 2004, p. 962). The matrix also allows the concerned departments to focus more on the unique programs in the University. The institution would probably not get adequate benefits in the marketing strategies if they decided to provide general information to the public rather than venturing into highlighting specific programs. The University takes time to analyze its present programs and the unique teaching methods used to prepare the students. A greater percentage of the University’s income is achieved through these departments whenever used appropriately. Conclusion So far, the University of Strathclyde has been successful in initiating and implementing most of its academic and outreach programs. The institution’s marketing department remains to be the nationally and internationally recognized academic institution that is focused on promoting a reliable relationship between theoretical aspects and practice. The institution offers a supportive and nurturing environment for students seeking to pursue and achieve a first-class career. With the various marketing strategies used, it is possible that the institution will maintain to be a top performer, both academically and financially. Bibliography Cox, J. W., 2009. Critical management studies at work : negotiating tensions between theory and practice. 1st ed. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. Davidson, A. et al., 2014. Enhancement-led Institutional Review of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow: Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). Morfaw, J. N., 2009. Total quality management (TQM) : a model for the sustainability of projects and programs in Africa. Rev. ed ed. Lanham: University Press of America. Publication, G., 2004. Business : the ultimate resource. Beijing: Citic Publishing House. Talloo, 2007. Business Organisation And Management (For Delhi University B.Com Hons. Course). 1st ed. New York: Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Read More