PESTLE Analysis of the University of South Wales - Case Study Example

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES: STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS Name: Course: Instructor: Institution: City: Date: Table of Contents Introduction 3 PESTLE Analysis 3 External and Internal Stakeholders 6 Stakeholder Feedback 8 Conclusion 8 References 9 Appendix 1 10 Introduction According to Knapp & Siegel (2009), PESTLE Analysis may be defined as a technique with which organizations and enterprises scan their surrounding in order for them to either enter a given market or understand their immediate environment of operation. This technique is made of an acronym PESTLE which stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental (Knapp, & Siegel, 2009). Simply put, this technique looks at the environment variously based on the six parameters in the acronym. Having been formed just over three years ago as a merger between two universities, the University of South Wales has six campuses namely Treforest Pontyprydd campus, Glyntaff Pontyprydd campus, Cardiff campus, Newport City campus, USW Sport Park, and Caerleon campus. Its core values being professional, responsive, creative, and inspiring, University of South Wales channels much of its energies on lives, communities, and economy (University of South Wales, 2016). For that reason, the university has a number of stakeholders both internally and externally. This paper, therefore, takes a thorough analysis of the University of South Wales. First, a PESTLE analysis of the university is discussed. Secondly, the paper then performs a background check on the university’s internal and external stakeholders. The paper then goes ahead to discuss the feedback on two of the stakeholders based on the ‘sustainability message’. The paper then concludes by designing and producing a leaflet to communicate each of the three sustainability issues i.e. environmental, social, and economic. This is attached as Appendix 1 at the very end of the paper. PESTLE Analysis Political: Just like any other university in the UK, the University of South Wales has a high likelihood of being aimed at especially by politicians in order for them to ascend to power on the promise of initiating spending cuts. The University of South Wales is also a likely recipient of the various changes that may be initiated in the education policy in the event that a different political party is elected in the UK (Stillwell & Clarke, 2011). The UK is generally known for its particularly aging population (United States, n.d.). For that reason, most manifestos for politicians have seemingly laid more emphasis on health and law at the expense of increasing spending on education. This is a scenario that negatively impacts education in UK universities University of South Wales included. Finally, the University of South Wales is a product of the coming together of the University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales, Newport (University of South Wales, 2016). This in itself gives this university the opportunity to provide the best of each of the two merged universities. Economic: The UK government is seemingly adopting a funding system in which the overall funding to institutions of higher learning is increasingly being cut (Cheverton, 2004). It is instead channelling most of these funds to other sectors of the economy such as health and legislation. While this is already significantly impacting most institutions of higher learning in the UK, the University of South Wales may not be so much moved. This is because most of its funding is obtained through charity. Social: The consciousness to healthcare is extremely high in the UK compared to many other countries around the world (United States, n.d.). This is primarily due to the increasing large numbers of the older population in the country. This ideally means that most governments in the political cycle of the UK would focus more on building manifestos that give more allocation of funds to healthcare. In so doing, the government’s budgetary allocation of funds to institutions of higher learning is immensely reduced (Knapp, & Siegel, 2009). As a university in the UK, the University of South Wales becomes one of the universities this scenario automatically affects, though in a positive way. Unlike other universities that depend so much on government funding, the University of South Wales will not be adversely affected because it is a charitable organization altogether (University of South Wales, 2016). Instead, as the other universities struggle to adjust they may in turn reduce their admission numbers and hence leaving the unenrolled students with alternative options such as the University of South Wales. Also in the UK, the overall population growth rate is very low (United States, n.d.). This partly explains the aging population increase in the country. This typically means a reduced number of young people who would have enrolled to study in universities. This leaves most UK universities with the option of attracting international students to join their institutions to enrol for studies (Cheverton, 2011). This is scenario that University of South Wales will most likely find itself in just like other institutions of higher learning in the UK. Technological: With the changing trends in technology both in the UK and all over the globe, the University of South Wales is gearing itself by introducing such technological courses as Masters of Science in Optoelectronics. This is a brand new course under the university’s Wireless and Optoelectronics Research and Innovation Centre (WORIC) (University of South Wales, 2016). Such advancements in technology such as the use of social media are increasingly being adopted in most universities around the world. Being a developed country, the UK universities are amongst the leaders in the use of such technology both in their research and in their teaching strategies (Basu, 2004). Specifically, the University of South Wales may use its students’ online portal for discussions among class members. This enhances convenience among the students and generally makes learning at the university much easier and accessible to many. Legal: Legislations that seek to cut spending on institutions of higher learning in the UK automatically has a positive impact on universities that do not rely so much on funding from the UK government. One such university is the University of South Wales which is primarily a charity organization. As other universities get negatively affected by the legislation, they are likely to experience some interference in their operations. On its part, the University of South Wales will capitalize on this situation to attract even more students and develop its infrastructure more. Environmental: Most organizations have been increasingly advocating for green energy systems in their operations. As technology advances, the need for environmental conservation also increases. As the University of South Wales ventures into optoelectronics research, there will be need for it to think of green ways of disposing off their electronic wastes so as to conserve the environment. External and Internal Stakeholders At the University of South Wales, the internal stakeholders include the teachers, students, the management staff, and the support employees, while external stakeholders include the suppliers, parents, corporate partners, the UK government, donors, and other universities. With respect to power and interest, these stakeholders may be prioritized from the most powerful as follows: the UK government, donors, corporate partners, management staff, teachers, other universities, students, parents, and support staff in that order. Each stakeholder has their own interest in the university’s Environmental Management System. Students have emotional interest in conserving the environment because a cleaner environment will create a perfect environment for learning by the students. Teachers as well have emotional interest in the university’s EMS so that they can enjoy an excellent learning environment for their students hence making their teaching roles much easier and fruit-bearing (Cheverton, 2004). On their part, the parents too have emotional interest in the university’s EMS due to their concern about their children’s safety and convenient learning at the university. The support staffs have emotional interest in the university’s EMS so they can enjoy their work more and also gain satisfaction from it (Bjørkquist, 2011). Government has financial interest in the university’s EMS especially due to the benefits that come with carbon credits. Other universities in the UK have emotional interest because when if the USW’s environment is clean, the same credit will be used to describe UK universities in general particularly in the global arena (Basu, 2004). The suppliers have financial interest since a good EMS for the university will ensure continued business with the university. Generally, the views of all these stakeholders are positive. To the UK government: Environmental conservation will yield more carbon credits for the UK government; the social cohesion at the USW will elevate the reputation of UK universities in the global arena; and the economic sustainability of the USW will improve international confidence in UK universities (Di Gropello, 2010). To the suppliers: Environmental conservation will ensure continuity of business with the USW; the social sustainability at USW will enhance tranquillity hence providing a conducive environment for doing business; and economic sustainability of the USW will ensure continuity of business as the university’s purchasing power will generally be higher. To the students: Environmental conservation, social sustainability, and economic sustainability of the USW will enhance a perfect tranquillity for learning. To the management staff: Environmental sustainability, social cohesion, and economic sustainability of the USW will boost the reputation of the university not just within the UK, but around the globe as well. Such reputation will most likely be extended to the management team of the university hence helping them build their career profile as excellent managers. Stakeholder Feedback From the UK government: We will increase funding especially for environmental conservation for the USW as well as other UK universities through legislation after ascertaining your information through experts. From the management staff: We will lay more emphasis on conserving the environment, enhancing social cohesion, and improving economic sustainability of the USW by implementing better management practices that allow these three aspects to thrive. Conclusion In conclusion, therefore, the University of South Wales stands a better chance of experiencing immense growth and development. This, however, is only achievable if every stakeholder (both external and internal) fully takes part in this resolve. The misconception that the success or failure of a university, or any institution of higher learning for that matter, is exclusively a product of the management is null and void. References Basu, R. (2004). Implementing quality: a practical guide to tools and techniques. London, Thomson Learning. Bjørkquist, C. (2011). Stakeholder regimes in higher education old ideas in new bottles? Münster [u.a.], Waxmann. http://www.content- select.com/index.php?id=bib_view&ean=9783830974406 Cheverton, P. (2004). Key account management in financial services: tools and techniques for building strong relationships with major clients. London [u.a.], Kogan Page. Cheverton, P. (2004). Key Marketing Skills 2 Strategies, Tools and Techniques for Marketing Success. London, Kogan Page. Di Gropello, E. (2010). Putting higher education to work: skills and research for growth in East Asia. Washington, D.C, World Bank. (2002). Governing Higher Education: National Perspectives on Institutional Governance. Dordrecht, Springer Netherlands. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:1111- 20131015231 50minutes.Com., Minutes, 5., Feys, B., & Probert, C. (2015). PESTLE Analysis Prepare the best strategies in advance. Primento Digital. http://public.eblib.com/choice/PublicFullRecord.aspx?p=4005664 Knapp, J. C., & Siegel, D. J. (2009). The business of higher education. Santa Barbara, Calif, Praeger/ABC-CLIO. Stillwell, J., & Clarke, M. (2011). Population dynamics and projection methods. Dordrecht [etc.], Springer. United States. (n.d.). The world factbook. Washington, D.C., For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off. University of South Wales (2016). Available at: http://www.southwales.ac.uk/ Appendix 1 Read More