Typology of Strategic Marketing Management for Universities-In-Transition

TYPOLOGY OF STRATEGIC MARKETING MANAGEMENT FOR UNIVERSITIES-IN-TRANSITION Sandra Shouming LIU PhD Policy Studies Institute of Education University of London ABSTRACT The unification of the higher education system of both the UK and Hong Kong has brought traditional universities and other types of institutions into a single entity. However, important differences of status and reputation remain, particularly in respect with research. Meanwhile, socio-economic development is calling for a more highly skilled labour force and this is causing a rapidly rising social demand for university-level education. Individual universities are experiencing tension from both unification and massification. As institutions experience changes in their discourse of higher education and finding mechanisms, scanning of both internal and external environments is essential for institutions to formulate their missions and pursue their goals and objectives. These transitions call for consideration and an emergent strategic development. The thesis reports an extensive investigation of established knowledge and recent debates on the discourse of higher education, business principles of strategic marketing management and existing practices of marketing in universities. On this basis, the researcher postulates a taxonomy of Management According to Positioning (M.A.P.) for universities to map holistically their academic programme portfolios so as to plan resources generation and effective deployment of these resources in accordance with the selected programmes without losing sight of higher education's inherent role of social responsibility and public accountability. Because of this role, marketing by universities needs to be different from other providers of services. As competition becomes keener, there is a trend for universities to establish formal marketing organisations for income generation-related activities, such as public relations, development campaigns and student recruitment. Some universities also are starting to explore possible entrepreneurial activities more aggressively. The bureaucratic collegium of academic operations resulting from the recent trend of increasing regulatory and institutional control in fact facilitates intrapreneurship which may develop into an organisational renewal, and eventually form frame-breaking changes. The researcher proposes the framework for developing 'entrepreneurial enterprise culture' in universities-in-transition by integrating these layers of institutional entrepreneurship and marketing's humanistic, analytical, and integrative competencies. U Both old-established and recently-designated universities are selected from Britain and Hong Kong, namely University of Warwick, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University. Each of them has a unique historical background and the resulting institutional culture, leadership and image. These case study universities, therefore, have varying marketing operations and strategic planning processes. As the objective of this research is theory construction rather than theory testing, structural constructs for developing both institutional entrepreneurship and 'reputable universities' emerge after detailed delineation of these four case study universities. These constructs indicate further research and empirical testing in the future. 111 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Attaining this degree is not merely a milestone in my life, rather it is a turning point. When Professor Gareth Williams accepted me as his graduate student in late 1993, my life has since undergone a fundamental change as a result. Through this learning process, I gradually realise what I consider a worthwhile cause in life, joining the camp of policy studies in higher education to contribute to cultivating a 'leaning society'. Professor Williams has offered not only his invaluable and inspirational advice but also his patience and guidance during the course of this pursuit. It would have not been possible for me to undertake this endeavour without the support of my superiors at Hong Kong Baptist University, Professor Yiu-Kwan Fan, Dean of School of Business and Professor Allan K. K. Chan, Head of Department of Marketing. Their permission of my leave arrangements has made possible my overseas trips and site visits. Of course, the guidance from Dr. Daniel C. W. Tse, President and Vice-Chancellor, three Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Professor Jerry W. Barrett, Dr. Man Hung Mok, and Professor Herbert H. Tsang provides significant foundation for my case study design. Their support to this endeavour and kind participation are imperative for the success of the study on Hong Kong Baptist University. The financial support of my University in the form of Long-Term Staff Development Grant is also greatly appreciated. My sincere gratitude also goes to Michael Shattock and Rosemary Stamp at University of Warwick; Stuart Melhuish at Liverpool John Moores University; and Henry Wai and Rupert Chan at University of Hong Kong. They have been great facilitators of my study in respective universities. I would also like to express my thanks to all of those who were willing to take time to discuss issues and share their views with me. I extend a special thank you to Professor Robin Wensley at University of Warwick, Dr. C.C. Wan at Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor David C.B. Teather previously at Hong Kong Baptist University, Professor Cheng Kai-ming at University of Hong Kong, Professor Etiene Bourgeois at Universite Catholique de Louvain, and Mr. John Size at the Higher Education Funding Council for Scotland who shared their ideas with me when formulating the theoretical platform of this project. lv My parents and my God have blessed me with tremendous emotional and spiritual support during my extremely long career as a 'lifelong learning' student. My brother and sister-in-law have offered their continued encouragement in the process. I dedicate this thesis to my beloved God and Family. V TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................................ii ACKNOWLEDEMENT .............................................................................................................. iv GLOSSARIES .......................................................................................................................................S INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 6 I. THE PROBLEM DEFINED........................................................................................................................7 II. DELIMITATION OF THE RESEARCH........................................................................................................9 III. SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH..................................................................................................................11 CHAPTER1 THE CONTEXT OF HIGHER EDUCATION ........................................................... 13 I. THE NATURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION...................................................................................................14 1.1. Origin of Higher Education in Western Civilisation....................................................................14 Li. 1. Contending ideas since the nineteenth century .....................................................................................15 1.1.2. Multiversity - a changing idea of higher education'?..............................................................................19 12. Ideas of Higher Education in Hong Kong................................................................................... 22 1.2.1. Traditional Chinese ideas of higher learning........................................................................................22 1.2.2. The idea of higher education in the modern period...............................................................................25 II. EVOLUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM ......................................................................................26 11.1. Britain.......................................................................................................................................27 11.1.1. Universities before the Robbins Report (1945-59)...............................................................................28 11.1.2. Higher education in the post Robbins era (1963-70)............................................................................31 11.1.3. Prelude to the fmancial contraction in the 1980s................................................................................34 11.1.4. Higher education under Thatcherism..................................................................................................37 11.1.5. Mass highereducation inthe 90's......................................................................................................39 112. Hong Kong................................................................................................................................41 11.2.1. Development in the twentieth century................................................................................................43 11.2.1.1. Elitisminhighereducation........................................................................................................45 11.2.1.2. Higher education in transition...................................................................................................

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