DILEMMAS DILEMMAS OON STUDENT'S PLACE N STUDENT'S PLACE IIN DEFINING N DEFINING TTHE HIGHER HE HIGHER

EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS’ EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS’ MARKETING STRATEGYMARKETING STRATEGY

http://econpapers.repec.org/article/ovioviste/http://econpapers.repec.org/article/ovioviste/v_3axv_3ay_3a2015_3ai_3a1_3ap_3a600-604.htmv_3axv_3ay_3a2015_3ai_3a1_3ap_3a600-604.htm

Author:Adela Laura POPA

Department of Marketing - ManagementFaculty of Economic Sciences

University of Oradea

Constanţa 2015

APPLICATIVE VALENCES OF ONLINE APPLICATIVE VALENCES OF ONLINE MARKETING TOOLS WITHIN THE AREA OF MARKETING TOOLS WITHIN THE AREA OF HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES *HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES ** AcknowledgmentThis paper has been financially supported within the project entitled „SOCERT. Knowledge society, dynamism through research”, contract number POSDRU/159/1.5/S/132406. This project is co-financed by European Social Fund through Sectoral Operational Programme for Human Resources Development 2007-2013. Investing in people!

The general context of the research

The decreasing number of students determines the HEIs to make efforts to attract potential students from The decreasing number of students determines the HEIs to make efforts to attract potential students from the international markets and this generates an increasing competitiveness both at national and the international markets and this generates an increasing competitiveness both at national and international level. international level.

HEIs are increasingly aware of the importance of adopting a marketing orientation in their activity and to HEIs are increasingly aware of the importance of adopting a marketing orientation in their activity and to develop effective marketing activitiesdevelop effective marketing activities - - a reaction to the challenges these institutions have to face a reaction to the challenges these institutions have to face nowadaysnowadays - - the result of worldwide phenomena such as internationalization and globalization, the result of worldwide phenomena such as internationalization and globalization, demographic trends, changes in the funding mechanisms or the impact of information and demographic trends, changes in the funding mechanisms or the impact of information and communication technologiescommunication technologies [1], [3], [4], [5]. [1], [3], [4], [5].

HEIs tend to show an increasing level of interest in marketing activities and are increasingly involved in HEIs tend to show an increasing level of interest in marketing activities and are increasingly involved in developing more complex marketing strategies. How these strategies must be elaborated and who is the developing more complex marketing strategies. How these strategies must be elaborated and who is the core of these strategies seems not to be yet clear.core of these strategies seems not to be yet clear.

...... for developing effective marketing strategies we consider that for developing effective marketing strategies we consider that HEIs must HEIs must clarify the main concepts of marketing clarify the main concepts of marketing in the context of their complex and in the context of their complex and also sensitive activity. also sensitive activity.

The premises of the paper

... ... not to clarify the aspects of marketing concepts into the context of HEIs not to clarify the aspects of marketing concepts into the context of HEIs activity, activity, but to provoke the specialists and to generate more academic but to provoke the specialists and to generate more academic debate in order to answer questions likedebate in order to answer questions like::

How do we define How do we define valuevalue in the context of higher education marketing? in the context of higher education marketing? Who is the Who is the clientclient of higher education services and which are the of higher education services and which are the

stakeholdersstakeholders? ? What is What is the place of the student in defining HEIs’ marketing strategythe place of the student in defining HEIs’ marketing strategy? ?

... ... things are not as simple as they look like. things are not as simple as they look like.

The aim of the paper

How do we define How do we define VALUEVALUE in the context of higher education marketing? in the context of higher education marketing?

- VALUEVALUE in marketing in marketing -- a very provocative concept a very provocative concept regarding its regarding its conceptualization and measurement [10]conceptualization and measurement [10], , butbut effective marketing strategies effective marketing strategies -- based on a deep understanding based on a deep understanding of the concept of VALUEof the concept of VALUE

““What is the concrete form of value created by the higher education institutions?”What is the concrete form of value created by the higher education institutions?”

- is it about the knowledgeis it about the knowledge- is it about the competencesis it about the competences- is itis it about about the “ the “the experience of learningthe experience of learning””

Dilemmas

How do we define How do we define VALUEVALUE in the context of higher education marketing? in the context of higher education marketing?

- Sakthivel and Raju cited by Sánchez-Fernández et al. [23] : - Sakthivel and Raju cited by Sánchez-Fernández et al. [23] :

… … for education to be excellent, the perceived value should have great for education to be excellent, the perceived value should have great impact both on students’ knowledge, but also on their personal impact both on students’ knowledge, but also on their personal development.development.

-to underline the essence of this idea - the definition Ho [11]: to underline the essence of this idea - the definition Ho [11]:

… … teaching is not the art of filling the mind of students with knowledge in teaching is not the art of filling the mind of students with knowledge in the way one would fill an empty receptacle, the way one would fill an empty receptacle, but teaching is a two-way but teaching is a two-way learning process in which the student and the teacher help each other to learning process in which the student and the teacher help each other to learn by sharing their insights and difficulties with each other. learn by sharing their insights and difficulties with each other.

Dilemmas

Who is the Who is the clientclient of higher education services and which are the of higher education services and which are the stakeholdersstakeholders? ?

- - the identification of the categories of stakeholders in the activity of HEIs - an important the identification of the categories of stakeholders in the activity of HEIs - an important part of marketing strategy - each category has its own expectations regarding the part of marketing strategy - each category has its own expectations regarding the educational process;educational process;

- Kotler and Fox [8] identify in 1995 Kotler and Fox [8] identify in 1995 16 categories of stakeholders16 categories of stakeholders: current students, : current students, prospective students, faculties, parents of students, university employees, graduates, prospective students, faculties, parents of students, university employees, graduates, suppliers, competitors, government organizations, business environment, media, suppliers, competitors, government organizations, business environment, media, foundations, board of directors, accreditation bodies, local community and general public;foundations, board of directors, accreditation bodies, local community and general public;

- More recently, according Mainardes, Alves and Raposo [14] - the stakeholders of More recently, according Mainardes, Alves and Raposo [14] - the stakeholders of universities can be classified according to several criteria: internal or external, individual universities can be classified according to several criteria: internal or external, individual or collective, academic or non-academic. A list of 21 stakeholders resulted andor collective, academic or non-academic. A list of 21 stakeholders resulted and the main the main stakeholders proved to bestakeholders proved to be the students, the teaching and/or the research staff the students, the teaching and/or the research staff and the employersand the employers [14]. [14].

Dilemmas

Who is the Who is the clientclient of higher education services and which are the of higher education services and which are the stakeholdersstakeholders? ?

- there is no doubt that one of the most important, perhaps the most important category of there is no doubt that one of the most important, perhaps the most important category of stakeholders in the context of higher education, is represented by stakeholders in the context of higher education, is represented by the the students/potential students. students/potential students.

- in in practice it is not a clear understanding of the “student as a client” approachpractice it is not a clear understanding of the “student as a client” approach, , placing student at the core of the organization’s marketing activities, and its effectiveness placing student at the core of the organization’s marketing activities, and its effectiveness [2], [16].[2], [16].

- Tat et al. Tat et al. [11] - there are some metaphors that describe the student: [11] - there are some metaphors that describe the student:

the student – as the student – as productproduct, , the student – as the student – as clientclient, , the student – as the student – as employeeemployee, , and the authors also suggest a fourth metaphor: the student - as and the authors also suggest a fourth metaphor: the student - as partnerpartner. .

The authors also identify a number of The authors also identify a number of voices who do not approve the idea of voices who do not approve the idea of considering the student as the client of educational servicesconsidering the student as the client of educational services [11], holding that such [11], holding that such an approach can be a dangerous one that could harm the image of higher education.an approach can be a dangerous one that could harm the image of higher education.

Dilemmas

- It is important both for the academic literature, and for the managers of higher education It is important both for the academic literature, and for the managers of higher education institutions to understand and clarify the main marketing concepts regarding the higher institutions to understand and clarify the main marketing concepts regarding the higher education field. education field.

- Only this way the marketing strategy will have the necessary consistency to create the Only this way the marketing strategy will have the necessary consistency to create the beneficial environment both for the HEIs, the students and other stakeholders, and also beneficial environment both for the HEIs, the students and other stakeholders, and also for the society as a whole. for the society as a whole.

- It must be mentioned that the customer environment created around the HEIs placed It must be mentioned that the customer environment created around the HEIs placed them in the difficult situation of trying to maintain a balance between the academic them in the difficult situation of trying to maintain a balance between the academic integrity [20] and the need to be successful on the market. integrity [20] and the need to be successful on the market.

- The most appropriate marketing philosophy for HEIs: The most appropriate marketing philosophy for HEIs: societal relationship societal relationship marketingmarketing

- According to the current state of this research, the concept of According to the current state of this research, the concept of “societal relationship “societal relationship marketing” marketing” was previously used in 2007 by Liebrenz-Himes, Shamma and Dyer was previously used in 2007 by Liebrenz-Himes, Shamma and Dyer mentioning that “mentioning that “societal relationship marketing is going to be a vital element in societal relationship marketing is going to be a vital element in the new worldthe new world” [22]. ” [22].

Conclusions

It would be interesting to answer the question: It would be interesting to answer the question:

To what extent is the quality of educational services influenced by the fact that the To what extent is the quality of educational services influenced by the fact that the student is considered as client? student is considered as client?

And also, it would be interesting to find out how the student is perceived (from the And also, it would be interesting to find out how the student is perceived (from the marketing perspective) by the educational staff of HEIs. marketing perspective) by the educational staff of HEIs.

In the context of higher education services, and if we accept as true the concept “student-In the context of higher education services, and if we accept as true the concept “student-as-customer”, are we still able to say “as-customer”, are we still able to say “The customer is always right”The customer is always right”?? And if yes, how And if yes, how do we understand this statement and how do we implement it without jeopardizing the do we understand this statement and how do we implement it without jeopardizing the academic integrity?academic integrity?

New research directions

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References

DILEMMAS DILEMMAS OON STUDENT'S PLACE N STUDENT'S PLACE IIN DEFINING N DEFINING TTHE HIGHER HE HIGHER

EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS’ EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS’ MARKETING STRATEGYMARKETING STRATEGY

http://econpapers.repec.org/article/ovioviste/http://econpapers.repec.org/article/ovioviste/v_3axv_3ay_3a2015_3ai_3a1_3ap_3a600-604.htmv_3axv_3ay_3a2015_3ai_3a1_3ap_3a600-604.htm

Author:Adela Laura POPA

Department of Marketing - ManagementFaculty of Economic Sciences

University of Oradea

Constanţa 2015