Marketing Channels of 21 Plus Market Segment at La Trobe University - Research Proposal Example

Name: Lecturer: Course: Date: Title Understanding 21 Plus Market Segment and the Best Marketing Channels to Reach the Market Table of Contents Abstract 3 Introduction 4 Statement of the Problem 4 Background 4 Objectives 5 Research Questions 5 Hypotheses 5 Significance of the Research 5 Literature Review 6 Characteristics of 21 Plus Students 6 Perception and Behavior towards the Media 6 Marketing Channels Preferred by Mature Students 7 Methodology 8 Research Design 8 Sampling 8 Instruments 8 Data Collection Procedure 9 Ethical Issues 10 Data Analysis 10 Limitation 10 Conclusion 11 Research Plan 11 Works Cited 12 Appendix 13 Questionnaire 13 Abstract The main purpose of this research is to understand the characteristics and the preferred marketing channels of 21 plus market segment at La Trobe University. The Background of the research focuses on the secondary sources about the research and it reviews the characteristics and marketing channels of the targeted market. 21 plus students have unique characteristics like self direction, practical oriented, and they are highly motivated. They also use different marketing channels, which include the traditional and the new marketing channels. The research uses the survey as the preferred research design with structured questionnaire as the instrument. A stratified sampling technique is used to get the correct representative sample of 50 participants. The data obtained from the participants are analyzed using SPSS. The research also took care of the ethical issues. Introduction Statement of the Problem There is increased demand for education and age is no longer the determinant of whether a person should go to school or not (Gruce and Nicholas 594). Therefore, universities across the globe have witnessed increasing number of 21 plus market segment. La Trobe University has identified the potential of this market segment. However, reaching out to this marketing segment pose a challenge to the university because 21 plus market segment has other sub segments like parents, part time workers, those seeking for career change, and already skilled professionals. The segment, therefore, have consumers with different characteristics who need special approach to reach. The sub segments also prefer different marketing channels because they contain both Generation X and Y with different media behaviors and perceptions. The university finds it hard to understand the segment and the best marketing channels to reach them. Background Information from National Center for Education Statistics shows that the number of mature university has been growing in both America and British for the last twenty years. La Trobe has identified a potential in a new market segment that it needs to explore effectively. The new student market is known as 21 plus segment, which was traditionally known as the mature market. The market segment comprises of four sub segments, which include parents, part time workers, those looking for career change and the professionals who want to develop their careers further. Students in this market segment have different characteristics because of the different ages, professions and learning expectations, which makes it hard for any university to effectively satisfy their needs and learning expectations. The mature students are also hard to reach because they use different marketing channels because they belong to different generations, especially generation X and Y. A new approach is needed in understanding and reaching the mature students. Objectives The overall objective of this research is to adequately understand the characteristics of 21 plus market segment of students and to determine the best market channels that can effectively market this segment of mature students. To attain the above overall objective effectively, the research has three sub objectives that are listed below. i. To clearly identify the 21 plus market and the characteristics that make up the sub segments within the overall market in La Trobe. ii. To clearly understand the marketing channels that each sub segments is currently accessing and the channels they are likely to access, including traditional marketing channels. iii. To come up with a report on how La Trobe can maximize its marketing to influence the 21 plus market to consider university study and to consider La Trobe. Research Questions i. What are the characteristics of sub segments of 21 plus market found in La Trobe? ii. What are the current marketing channels and the potential marketing channels that the sub segments in the overall market are using and are likely to use? iii. How can La Trobe maximize its marketing reach to influence 21 plus market to consider university study and choose La Trobe as their preferred university? Hypotheses 1. Factors such as lack of enough time, increased responsibility, and advancement of age likely to make 21 plus market to be practical, result oriented, motivated and resistant to change. 2. An increase in information technology, especially internet and Social networks may make the mature students internet as their preferred marketing channels. 3. If La Trobe incorporates familiar social networks in its integrated marketing communication strategy it can maximize its marketing reach to make 21 plus market to consider joining university and choose La Trobe as their preferred choice. Significance of the Research There is increasing numbers of mature students joining universities for various reasons. These mature students are different from younger students and therefore there is a need to understand their unique characteristics to enable curriculum developers to effective meet their learning needs. This research is not only beneficial to La Trobe University, but it also helps other higher institutions to come up with learning programs that fit the mature students who are above 21 years of age. The research is also important to the marketers because they will be able to identify the right marketing channels to reach the mature students. Literature Review Characteristics of 21 Plus Students The mature students have totally different characteristics compared to the younger students. According to Kirwan, their main distinctive feature is that they are self-directional because they always want to take responsibility for whatever they do and they value their independent decisions (4). They want to take control of their learning activities. Kirwan further argued that mature students are also practical and goal oriented and they would not like to waste time on the issues that waste their time. They are looking for knowledge and information that enhance their skills, improve their work, and the knowledge that builds their self-esteem. Horward and Peter in their journal titled "Attracting mature students into higher education: The impact of approaches to learning and social identity" argued that mature students are resistant to change because they are less open-minded. Introduction of any change, therefore, should gradual (771). In addition, they are slow learners due to their advanced age. This is true because the ability to grasp knowledge and information reduces with an increase in age. Mature students also want instant results due to their high expectations in whatever they are learning. Their unique features, therefore, require a different approach if a university wants to meet their needs and expectations. Perception and Behavior towards the Media Solomon et al argued that the sub segment of 21 plus market segment have different behavior and perception towards the various market channels used (7). However, the main differences are experienced between different generations and gender. Moreover, mature male students are attracted more towards internet marketing compared to mature female students. However, female students are attracted more by visual and intrinsic advertisements compared to the male students. Solomon et al further stated that women have the ability to decode non-verbal gestures used in various marketing channels compared to men. Marketers should use marketing channels that are visually rich and highly informative to target mature female students and marketing channels that are item-specific to target the mature male students. Marketing Channels Preferred by Mature Students The type of the channels to be used also depends on the degeneration of the targeted consumers. According to Bevan and Ayesha (4), the more mature generation, Generation X, are still loyal to the traditional marketing channels, especially TV and the print media. However, according to Williams and Robert (39) significant number of them also use the internet to search for information because they saw the introduction of internet in the society. Williams and Robert (41) further argued that those belonging to generation X also show a lot of loyalty to their preferred marketing channel. This may be true because they are resistant to change and they would like to maintain the status quo. However, the inevitability of the changes and the use of internet have forced even the mature students to use internet. Research done by Bevan and Ayesha found out that Marketing channels that were used to reach Generation X no longer apply to Generation Y because the latter are skeptical of the older marketing channels (12). Moreover, Generation Y prefer mainstream channels like social network and they are resistant to advertisement compared to the previous generation. They rarely watch TV and read information in the print media. The two argued that Generation Y trust information from the third party, which makes social networks to be the best marketing channels to reach them. Accessing mature students, therefore, require in depth understanding of their distinctive characteristics and the best media to reach them. Mature students have common characteristics that define their learning needs and expectations. However, they trust information from different marketing channels. Generation X still trust traditional marketing channels, but they can easily shift between channels. Generation Y trust information in the internet because they are technologically oriented. Methodology Research Design In order to achieve the above set objectives and to answer the questions raised in this research, the researcher is going to use survey through survey questionnaires as the preferred research design. The survey is preferred over other research designs because of various reasons. First, survey is more beneficial in understanding a larger population through representative sample, which is always scientifically constituted (Zikmund et al. 24). Survey is also more appropriate in this research because the outcome of a statistically selected sample can be generalized to the entire targeted population. The survey takes descriptive format as it aims to take the idea and information from representative sample. The researcher will use descriptive methodology and structured survey questionnaires to assess and get ideas from the selected samples. Sampling In this research, 21 plus students studying at La Trobe University will be identified by the researcher in to come up with the representative sample. The researcher will use stratified random sampling technique to come with a sample of 500 21 plus students to represent the target population. Stratified random sampling is appropriate in this research because it enables the researcher to come up with a proportionate representative sample, which can be used to make comparison between different sub segments found in the 21 plus market segment (Levy and Stanley 54). Stratified sampling is also beneficial in this research because the mean from the sample is always closer to that of the targeted population. Those who will be selected to participate in this survey must meet certain set criteria. First, they must be willing and ready to participate when they are needed. Second, they must be 21 years and above and studying in La Trobe. Third, they must either be parents, part time workers, professionals, or those who want to change their career. After identifying the respondents that meet the above criteria, a representative sample will taken from them. Instruments The research will rely on the structured survey questionnaire to collect data from the representative sample. Questionnaire is preferred in this research because it ensures a high response because they will be distributed to the participants and the researcher will personally collect them. Administering questionnaires are also less expensive and they are easier to administer than interview. Questionnaires are also more confidential because the respondents will not be required to disclose personal information that can reveal their identity. Despite the many challenges, questionnaire is also likely to pose some challenges like the accuracy because the respondent may decide to please the researcher instead of giving their true opinions. The questionnaire will have two parts, A and B. Part A will be designed to get demographic information of the respondents, which will include the age, gender, level of education, and the status of the participants (parents, part time worker, studying to change career or professional). Demographic information is important in this research because it will help in the segmentation of the respondents. Part B of the questionnaire will be used to get the data from the respondents regarding their characteristics, their preferred channels and how to maximize the marketing to reach out to the 21 plus market. The questions will be structured in such a way that they reveal the behavior and perception of the mature students towards the learning programs and the various marketing channels. The respondents will be required to fill part A and B. The questions will be based on the information got from secondary sources contained in the literature review in the background section of this research proposal. Reliability and validity will be considered when designing questionnaire for this research because they determine the accuracy of the response from the respondents. It should not be too long and at the same time the information gotten from the questionnaire should be able address the objectives of the study. Therefore, various experts will be consulted in designing an appropriate questionnaire. Data Collection Procedure The researcher will personally administer questionnaires to the respondents. Even though the respondents are expected to fill the questionnaires on their own, the researcher will clarify any question if need be or if asked by the respondents. Respondents will be expected to gather in the same room in order to prevent them from giving other people to fill the questionnaires for them. The respondents will be monitored closely to prevent them from copying from one another. The researcher will collect questionnaires from the respondents and cross check if all questions are answered or if they are any omission. Ethical Issues Any research should abide by the ethical principles that are put in place by various disciplines and organizations. Diligence, honesty, professionalism and integrity should be observed by the researcher (Love 120. It is important for the researcher to respect the human rights of the participants. For the research to be considered to be ethical, it must conform to confidentiality, self-determination, and informed consent of the participants. This research will observe all the ethical considerations and it aims to maintain high ethical standards. The researcher will seek permission from all the relevant authorities that are related to this research within the organization and beyond. The researcher will also seek the consent of the participants before they are involved in the research and their choice to participate in this research will be voluntary. The researcher will also disclose all the necessary information to the participants for them to make informed decision. The privacy of the participants will also be taken care of because they will not be required to disclose any information that can reveal their identity while filling the questionnaire. Data Analysis After organizing the filled questionnaires, the data will be analyzed through Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS). The researcher will use descriptive statistics to analyze the obtained data. Open-ended questions in the questionnaire will be analyzed by the use of quantitative content analysis, which will help in grouping together of the similar characteristics. Concept analysis will be used to analyze written communication in this research. Limitation The scope of this research does not allow the researcher to determine the exact number of 21 plus students in the La Trobe University. This is likely to affect the generalization of the characteristics of the representative sample to the entire targeted population in the university. The researcher may also not be able to control the information that the respondents are writing in their questionnaires, which may interfere with the accuracy of the findings. Conclusion 21 plus market segment have almost common characteristics that define their behaviors in various learning institutions. They are more independent and result oriented, and they would not like to waste time in the learning institutions. However, they prefer different marketing channels because they belong to different gender and generations. The research narrowed on the survey and it uses stratified sampling method in order to come up with accurate findings. The research will be administered through the use of structured questionnaires. The data in this research will be analyzed through the use of SPSS. Research Plan KEY STAGES PERIOD IN WEEKS ESTIMATED COST 1. Literature Review 2 - 2 Preparation of questionnaires 1 $ 50 3 Pretesting of questionnaires 2 $ 20 4 Administering questionnaires 1 $ 100 5 Data analysis 2 $ 50 6 Data presentation 1 - Total Cost $ 220 Works Cited Bevan-Dye, Ayesha Lian. "Black Generation Y students’ attitudes towards Web advertising value." (2013). Cruce, Ty M., and Nicholas W. Hillman. "Preparing for the silver tsunami: The demand for higher education among older adults." Research in Higher Education 53.6 (2012): 593- 613 Howard, Chris, and Peter Davies. "Attracting mature students into higher education: The impact of approaches to learning and social identity." Journal of Further and Higher Education 37.6 (2013): 769-785 Kirwan, Bridget Ann. What is the role of trust in the experience of mature students participating in learning in higher education in Ireland?. Diss. Centre for Labour Market Studies, 2014. Levy, Paul S., and Stanley Lemeshow. Sampling of populations: methods and applications. John Wiley & Sons, 2013. Love, Kevin. Ethics in Social research. Vol. 12. Emerald Group Publishing, 2012. Solomon, Michael, Rebekah Russell-Bennett, and Josephine Previte. Consumer behaviour. Pearson Higher Education AU, 2012. Williams, Kaylene C., and Robert A. Page. "Marketing to the generations." Journal of Behavioral Studies in Business 3.1 (2011): 37-53. Zikmund, William, et al. Business research methods. Cengage Learning, 2012. Appendix Questionnaire Questionnaire about Characteristics and Marketing Channels of 21 plus Market Please take your precious time to answer the few questions below. Your true opinion is highly valued in this questionnaire Part A-Demographic Data 1. Age…………………… 2 Gender…………………… (Male/Female) 2. Course (e.g.BA (Economics)……………………………………………………………… 3. Occupation………………………………………………………………………………… 4. Please answer the questions below by writing either YES or NO in the provided space i. Are you a parent……………………………………………………………………… ii. Are you a part time work in any organization……………………………………….. iii. Are you a student studying to change your career…………………………………… iv. Are you a professional advancing your career……………………………………….. v. Other options…………………………………………………………………………. Part B Please answer the questions below by giving your rightful opinion 5. Why did you choose to attend La Trobe University? Tick the appropriate answer that applies to you. Reputation of the of La Trobe University To improve my already earned skills My friends/ relatives advised me to join I saw the advertisement on the Media Reputation of the program it offers 6. Please answer the following questions in the table by Ticking one of the following answers Agree (1). Strongly Agree (2). Neither agree nor Disagree (3). Disagree (4). Strongly Disagree (5) Question 1 2 3 4 5 i. I have been able to adjust well to the academic demands in the university ii. I can easily manage my time and the academic workload iii. It is easy for me to understand the rationale of the content of the course taught iv. The content of my program is relevant to my career path v. Students should be independent in their learning activities vi. My learning expectations are being met vii. I rarely miss my classes viii. I like it when the lecturer make all the learning decisions for me ix. I like making my own learning decisions I have high expectations of the learning outcome I resist any change that is introduced by the lecturer I like practical learning and not theory 7. Which media do you always visit to seek for information (e.g TV, Radio, Newspaper, Social Networks) ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 8. Do you trust the information in the media you have chosen above (YES or NO)………… 9. Give a reason why you trust the chosen media…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10. Which media would you like to receive information from and why ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME Read More