Branding Bangor University to Chinese Students - Term Paper Example

Branding Bangor to Chinese An Interactive Branding Approach by Mobile Social Media-[Career Issues] Table of Contents Introduction 3 Research Problem 4 Background 4 Career Issues facing Chinese International Students at Bangor University 5 Relevant Psychological Theories 6 Literature Review 7 Methodology 9 Results Analysis and Discussion 10 Limitations 12 Recommendations 12 References 14 Introduction Education is a fundamental aspect in the modern society. Subject to globalization and changes in market forces, the demand for international education is equally on the rise. United Kingdom is one of the developed countries that seek to address the demand for education by offering quality higher education to about 72 countries across the globe (British Council, 2010). With over 100 universities that offer higher education in the United Kingdom, Britain offers great education opportunities to local and international students. Through strategic alliances and partnerships, U.K derives a positive learning environment for international students. Although there is a significant number of a diverse international student in U.K universities, the British Council seeks to increase this number through different marketing strategies. Bangor University is one of the prominent U.K universities that have been attracting a huge number of local and international students. According to the data from the International Office, Bangor University is home to about 1,400 international students (Bangor University, 2014). Indeed, Bangor University hosts more than 500 international students come from China although this number has been decreasing in the two years (Bangor University, 2014). Established in 1884, Bangor University is an excellent research-led university that provides teaching and learning of the highest quality, and contributes to the development of the economy, health and culture (Bangor University, 2010). The university achieves this through a defined marketing strategy that entails partnerships with other universities, conducting educational exhibitions, and using representatives. Nevertheless, there is need to enhance the effectiveness of the marketing strategy by addressing specific psychological problem that affect the marketing strategy. This paper will answer the research questions and discuss specific psychological marketing issues that suffice in Bangor University with respect to Chinese international students through a detailed research. The research will follow a methodology that entails two different approaches. The study will equally relate to relevant psychological theories and present the recommendations for future research. Research Problem There is enough evidence to show that Chinese students have a negative perception about Bangor University. Indeed, there are career issues in the university, which derives a negative perception that requires quick address. This study seeks to find out how the Chinese students feel about their careers in Bangor University, and how social media can help Bangor University to remedy the situation. Specifically, this paper focuses on career issues with an aim of branding Bangor to Chinese Students. Background Bangor University hosts over 10,000 students and 2,000 members of staff who pursue the university’s goals and objectives. As stated above, Bangor University aims at “providing teaching of the highest quality, conducting research of the highest quality, taking good care of its students and playing a full role in the wider community of Wales” (Bangor University, 2010). Most specifically, the number of international students at the university has been increasing with time as seen in the diagram below. Indeed, the university hosts more than 1,400 international students according to the trusted data from the International Office where 500 students of the 1400 international students come from China (Bangor University, 2014). However, according to the diagram below, the number of international students from China has been dwindling since 2011. This leads us to the research problem where Bangor University must address the negative trend especially with respect to career issues with an aim of paper focuses on career issues with an aim of branding Bangor to Chinese Students. The diagram below shows the number of international students from China in Bangor University since 2011. Data from International Office: Chinese student enrollment in the academic year of 2011-2013 Career Issues facing Chinese International Students at Bangor University It is quite clear that many Chinese students in Bangor University have significant dissatisfaction with reference to career issues at the university. The Chinese students spread their negative perception on career issues in Bangor University on the social media. In light of this, the management of Bangor University should seek to address this problem with an aim of enhancing increased numbers of Chinese international students and derive students’ satisfaction at the university. The management can address this problem by communicating with the students to understand their career expectations. The university should seek to offer more career opportunities, promote career development, enhance research, enhance learning through the social media, help students to achieve their career goals, and devise an academic program that is flexible to the diverse cultural needs in the Chinese culture. The university should equally improve their academic program and teaching methods to reflect modern academic needs, motivate, and retain Chinese international students for further studies. Notably, the university should equally advertise its career programs to attract new Chinese students. Ideally, social media can help in addressing career issues in Bangor University. Although, students in China cannot access Facebook and Twitter, Bangor University can use WeChat software that is applicable iOS, Android and Mac OS to communicate with the students. Indeed, more than 3.55 million Chinese use WeChat, which is definitely an effective mode of communication that will help in deriving positive attitude and the branding of Bangor University to Chinese Students (Tencent, 2014). Nevertheless, International officers face a great in applying WeChat mobile app to brand the university. Relevant Psychological Theories In addressing the research question, Attitude-Behaviour theory, McClelland’s human motivation theory, and the theory of planned behaviour. Indeed, WeChat app will be effective in establishing communication between the Chinese students and the university. WeChat allow the students to share what they like or dislike about the careers offered at Bangor University. Indeed, the application acts as a platform to advertise the programs offered and the acceptance they derive from the Chinese students with an aim of encouraging potential students to join the university. The current and potential students wanting to join the career programs at the university could “like” the programs offered and the WeChat app could measure the reception by the number of likes on the platform. The number of likes on the platform helps the university to address the career issues and encourage potential students to join the university and get involved in their careers. In using the Attitude-Behaviour theory and the theory of planned behaviour, the university develops a response system for Chinese students Bangor University. Through WeChat, the International Office monitors the students’ attitude, loyalty, and satisfaction on career programs offered by the university with an aim of addressing career issues and encouraging students to stay at Bangor University for further studies. Moreover, the McClelland’s human motivation theory is effective in deriving students’ motivation. In this context, the university can use the theory to establish that career achievement motivates Chinese students to join and pursue their careers at Bangor University. This helps the university to address career issues with an aim of ascertaining career achievement among Chinese students. Literature Review This part of the report addresses the relevant literature that refers to education marketing, psychological, and psychosocial issues that influence international education. Consumer and applied psychology influences consumer behavior in the education sector. Indeed, this psychology defines how students perceive and pursue education opportunities, how universities influences students, and what motivates the students to join and pursue specific careers. A clear understanding on the effects of consumer psychology enhances the performance and marketing of an organization (Parner, 2010). Notably, a university is an organization that seeks to generate revenues from tuition fees charged on students. The greater the number of students and the higher the quality of education offered, the higher the revenues generated. Additionally, the management of a university defines the success of the institution in this industry. This emanates from the fact that the management seeks to address the students’ issues by enhancing the quality of education and considering the students’ views. This derives students’ satisfaction and results to increased number of students and higher sales turnover. To achieve this, the university must establish a strong brand through all effective means. Social media is one of the platforms that a university can use to create a strong brand. A university can use the social media to understand the psychological needs and issues of the students and incorporate them in its corporate strategy. Indeed, the understanding of consumers’ needs and behaviors in the education sector is the surest way to enhance students’ satisfaction and academic performance. By understanding consumers’ needs and behaviors helps organizations to make effective decisions relating to a specific product with an aim of achieving customer satisfaction. Some of the students’ needs and behaviors that relate to their performance and satisfaction include the availability of courses that are not available in other universities. Other factors include the scholarships offered to further education at the reference university, quality of education, marketability of courses offered, cost, and time taken to finish a career program. To ensure that universities address the students’ needs and attract international students, universities can rely on the modern social media platform. Indeed, the internet stands out as the best platform to address students’ needs and behaviors due to its capacity to reach a huge audience and cost effectiveness. The social media offers a platform to address students’ needs and creates a direct means of communication between students and the university. Where so many people are travelling across the world in search of better education, social media can provide relevant information on the best universities across the globe. For instance, many international students prefer to pursue university education in U.K. Bangor University seeks to address the students’ career issues by enhancing quality education for international students. Methodology This part explores the research questions and the conduct of the research. The research questions are; How does Bangor University market its brand to international students? Are the Chinese students satisfied with the career development in Bangor University? Why do the students have career issues? The research involved to investigative approaches that include qualitative and quantitative approaches, which entail interviews and questionnaires respectively. The research involves international students and Bangor University International department staff where the staff participated in the qualitative approach while the international students participated in the quantitative approach. In establishing how Bangor University markets its brand to international students, the research used interviews to correct relevant information through qualitative data analysis. Five International department officers took part in a semi-structured interview. In the first stage of the interview, the Head of the international Office divulged information on how Bangor University markets its brand in U.K and in other countries. Four International department officers divulged information on how Bangor University markets its brand to international students in various regions. This shows how Bangor University communicated with students, markets its brand, and addresses students’ issues. In the quantitative approach, 94 international students filled questionnaires, which helped in gathering data. In closed structure questionnaires, the students gave their views on whether the Chinese students are satisfied with the career development in Bangor University and why they have career issues. The questionnaires aimed at limiting biased information, increasing accuracy, and allowing for a detailed statistical analysis. Notably, the two approaches were appropriate and convenient for the respondents and the research. Results Analysis and Discussion It is clear from the research that Bangor University uses various methods to market its brand to international students. The Head of the international Office reckons that the university uses the internet, newspapers, television broadcasts, agencies, partnerships, exhibitions, etc. to market its brand. Moreover, the university uses of psychological issues to market its brand to international students. The university’s marketing strategy entails the mandate to enhance high education quality and management with an aim of establishing a good reputation for the institution. Indeed, the university is one of the best universities in U.K with highly qualified lecturers and an effective organizational culture. The Head of the international Office recognizes six partnerships and exchange programs between Bangor University and other universities in China, which attracts Chinese international students. This marketing strategy has been very effective in increasing the number of first year international students at Bangor University. However, most of the international Office staff hold the view that the internet is the best platform to market the university and address the students’’ issues. Indeed, 70% of the international Office staff respondents established that the social media plays a major role in marketing the university, establishing effective communication between the university and students, and addressing the students’ needs. Potential students visit the WeChat platform to know about the university and see the positive views about the careers offered at the university. Indeed, WeChat offers significant and up to date information about Bangor University from current students to potential students. Moreover, even the university considers the issues raised by students on its website or on WeChat. This plays a noble role of creating a strong brand for the university. The quantitative approach of the research involved closed structure questionnaires filled by 94 international students. The questionnaires sought to establish whether the Chinese students are satisfied with the career development in Bangor University and why they have career issues. The 94 questionnaires produced varied results with about 44 % of the respondents asserting that the career development in Bangor University do not satisfy their career and psychological needs. On the other hand, 47% of the respondents claimed that the career development in Bangor University satisfies them, and while 9% of the respondents were not sure on whether the university’s career programs satisfies their career objectives. This shows that a significant number of international students have career issues with the university’s academic system. The respondents reckon that the university has been communicating to them through the university’s website and WeChat with an aim of addressing such issues. However, about 15 % of the respondents believe that the university needs to put much effort in resolving these issues. They reckon that the social media especially WeChat can help to address this problem by offering a platform for the students’ to post their views and opinions, which the university can use to make relevant decisions relating to career development. Notably, the university can gain a good reputation by addressing these career issues. The respondents established various factors that cause the dissatisfaction. Such factors include lack of motivation programs, language barrier, reduced career achievement, poor understanding of the contents of a given career program, outdated programs, lack of a defined market for some of the courses offered, and unavailability of certain career programs at the university for Chinese students. These findings relate to the McClelland’s human motivation theory that recognizes the need for motivation among students in academics. With reference to the theory, career achievement, clear understanding of career programs, marketability of courses, and availability of more courses motivates new international students to join the institution. Moreover, this encourages current students to advance their career at the university. These results also relate to the Attitude-Behaviour theory. These findings relate to the real world issues because they show how psychological issues affect our attitude and performance. Indeed, motivation is the driver to any human action. Notably, social media fosters globalization is a factor in the real world where almost everybody is interacting, communicating, marketing or advertising through social media. Limitations There were challenges to this research that included lack of a comparable research, which limited the points of reference. Moreover, it is challenging to measure the academic experience in Bangor University and the value of the university’s brand since education is abstract in this context. The research had to address the diverse culture and language barriers experienced in interviewing and encouraging Chinese students to fill the closed questionnaires. Moreover, the interviewers had to travel for long distances since the Head and staff of International Office in Bangor University was mostly on different locations. Some international students were too young to understand career issues and career development. Recommendations Bangor University can yield positive results by understanding the cultural differences among international students. Indeed, by embracing diversity, the university will create a unique brand that will gain positive reputation. The university should offer more courses to address the career needs of a wide range of international students thus generating a competitive advantage for Bangor University. Bangor University should adopt all methods to address the students’ career issues with an aim of improving its dwindling position in the university rankings across the globe. Indeed, future studies should consider how a better understanding of students’ behaviors and needs could enhance performance. References Bangor University. (2010). Bangor University Mission Statement. Retrieved from: http://www.bangor.ac.uk/about/mission.php.en Bangor University. (2014). Bangor University, International Educational Centre, College Road, Bangor. Retrieved from: http://www.bangor.ac.uk/international/index.php.en Parner, L. (2010). Consumer Behaviors: The psychology of Marketing. Retrieved from: http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/. Tencent. (2014). ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ANNUAL RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2013. [Report] Tencent Holding Limited. Read More