EVALUATION OF IMAGE IN A COLLEGE -MARKETING MIX. Gaspar Collet Pereira gasparcp@hotmail.com
SUMMARY
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A survey was conducted among the students of the College to determine how value. We used a structured form with objective questions and space for justification. Based on the results the institution may make changes in its pricedimentos and improve the relationship with the students.
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1. INTRODUCTION It's good to note that in Brazil there are about 2500 educational institutions,
which offer about of 24000 undergraduate courses. Parallel to this is the offer of courses in distance mode, which is already responsible for almost a quarter of the enrollment, and about ten years ago this modality was almost non-existent. However the number of students has grown much less towards offering new courses. This picture makes the institutions will have a greater attention to the relationship with the students. One of the ways to improve this relationship is conducting research to evaluate the image that this student has.
Characterization of the institution This is a school with approximately of 3000 students, located in the capital, which maintains a school more than 90 years and started in the area of higher education within 12 years. Offer bachelor courses, technologists and specialization divided into two campus in the same municipality. As a Catholic institution, hired a Director from a for-profit institution, who joined less than five years and multiplied the number of students in nearly ten times. Has as its pricing strategy, the collection of monthly payments around 15% below the market average. This makes their students tend to originate in the class C, in the process of professional growth.
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2. THEORETICAL FOUNDATION The literature regarding this topic, covers four major areas. The first is relative to the market compound, including variables and attributes of area, allowing the understanding of how the organization relates to the external environment. The second group that related to the internal marketing, and this back to the developers.
2 The third is the operation of private education institutions. Finally, the fourth group that is focused on measuring and consolidation of indicators. The interconnection of these subjects is made for use in consolidation and comparison of compounds.
MARKET COMPOSITE The term and the structure of the market compound was originally used and disclosed by McCarthy and the definition of the goals of the compound should be made according to the positioning of the company strategy, because the definition of the attributes will be linked to these goals. The greater the consistency between the application of resources and the philosophy of the Organization, the greater the return (Kotler Armstrong, 1993). Through the study of the market compound, an organization can study the market needs and to guide their relationship guidelines with customers (Strong, 2001). An error that occurs frequently in organizations, is the emphasis on only one of the variables, to the detriment of the other, occurring a imbalance in the Marketing effort. This error will cause to be directed efforts to a variable which will not give a satisfactory return or that could be better used. There is a tendency that the organization is so weak as the weakest of the four variables. For a period, it is possible for the Organization to focus on one of the variables, but you must have ways to evaluate the reflections of that decision and the impact on other variables. From the moment that the consolidation and the impact assessment of applications, are reduced the chances of waste. However, to obtain this consolidation must be studied each of the variables and attributes separately.
Composite variables and attributes Were created to facilitate the study. They should do a summary of the main aspects of the market compound. Each of the bound variables are included the attributes. The variables are fixed and common to practically all the different organizations of the attributes that are specific, including can be changed according to the stage that this organization going through or the objectives of the research. The score is made for each attribute and the sum of the score of the variable. The determination of the attributes can be done by applying a qualitative research with people who are affected by the variables, asking what are the other factors that
3 associate with the variables. Those items that arise with greater frequency, are analyzed and being relevant, are listed as attributes. Another way is to query the subject matter experts, or employees of the organization who are involved with the formation of prices, product launches, advertising spending decision or definition of the form of distribution, requesting that point significant items for each of the variables. Or even, can be replaced by specialists of the institution or researcher. In an IES variables are the same as in a company of Commerce and industry, however the changes occur in the definition of the attributes, which must express the priorities of the organization within the environment that is inserted.
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Field research has been developed through the application of structured
questionnaires, with room for qualitative and quantitative answers. The questionnaire is a form of objective information about the subject researched. Its main limitations that respondent be restricted to business, encourage related items approach and limit the responses. As advantages the concentration of responses in an area and the ease of tabbing (Lakatos, 2003). The proposed questionnaire makes it easy to answer because it prompts the respondent choice between strong and weak points and then the intensity divided in too much or too little.
The method of search should answer the questions who, what, why and with what sense (Freitas and Moscarolla 2002). In the article these questions are answered in the following way. The first question who, referring to the student's College. Why do answer the need of information about the image. The reason is linked to the importance of evaluating these services. Finally the meaning is connected with the possibilities of application. This process is done through the manufacturing review which encourages reflection on the part of the evaluator of the evaluated allowing data obtained from turning into information and facilitate a process of intervention and improvement (Hoffmann 1995). The questionnaire was drawn up, based on the market compound, facing the rated service. How product attributes are listed, the location is related to the
4 geographical location where the service will be offered. The promotion will be evaluated as to how the service is released and shown on the cost and benefit. Finally, the price will be discussed the items of cost for holding the meetings. This questionnaire has been applied to the student's College Research techniques should be assessed by the researcher who has the commitment to evaluate what the best combination for your purposes (Gil 2008). As research technique was chosen for the collection of data by means of structured questionnaires with close-ended questions where the student fills claiming to be a strong or weak point and the intensity (or very little). In addition, there is the appropriate column for each of the items of the form, which asks the respondent complete with descriptive information about the item, enabling a qualitative analysis. Data collection makes it possible to obtain information for the elaboration of the research problem, favors the basis for elaboration of hypotheses and the credibility to the work proposed (Gil 2008). For an analysis of appropriate data is necessary for these data have a common origin, the set of categories should be exhaustive and the categories should be specific (Gil 2008). The analysis of data from this work will be done in two ways. The quantitative basis will be tabulated and will be prepared for averages, variable item attributes and overall and can generate an indicator of acceptance or rejection on the part of users of Digital Strategic Services. The qualitative information, will be reviewed based on the repetition of information. The research will be produced in six distinct stages. Phase 1 – preparation of questionnaires: based on the chosen service to do the assessment, it was found the main features. These characteristics shall be classified within the compound. Stage 2-selection of the profile of respondents: it was found the main requirements of the profile of people being selected to answer the survey. As requirements are required to be resident of the city and to recognize the digital service that is being studied, make use of this service and has at least complete high school. Phase 3-Implementation of questionnaires: questionnaires were applied at the club where it is done the evaluation of services. Phase 4 – Tab of the data: the survey with percentage of each of the attributes (detail of variables), and calculation of the averages for variable and General.
5 Phase 5 – qualitative Analysis: reading the column was appropriate, where they were the comments from respondents and the rationale for the answer given. This information will be used in the questionnaire. Phase 6 – suggestions for improvements: based on the results the discussion group will be consulted to make suggestions for improvements.
A search should cover the definition of the problem, process, data collection, critical analysis, interpretation and synthesis of results and presentation of considerations (Das 2010). This research will be made at the Club to offer the services, during the observation should be made systematically records based on research proposal (Danna and Matos 2006). Proposed a discussion group of results that will discuss and evaluate the results obtained and proposed suggestions for improvements. The analysis can be qualitative, quantitative or mixed depending on the need of the information. In this case it will be mixed since the questionnaires used are able to collect quantitative and qualitative data (Gresler 2004).
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4. ANALYSIS QUANTITATIVE The proposal for image evaluation of College is a pioneer and has the goal of
bringing new information on the subject. The list of managers of a College with the student s occurs primarily through the provision of services. Some of these services can be considered as essential and routine and others may be considered as strategic, usually representing a chance to a better relationship with the student and the possibility of differentiation of management. Although there are many variables that meet these conditions, McCarthy and Perreault popularized a classification called 4 P's, covering: "Price", "Product", "Promotion" and "Place", which are used in our literature as: price, product, promotional compound compound and point (Kotler, 2000). They will be adapted to the application in evaluation of College image, divided into attributes, which allow the characterization of each of the variables and listed on forms to do the evaluation. As the presentation of the results was done a survey of most of the students of the College. Was created a questionnaire, with four composite variables divided into product, promotion and price point. Each of these variables was detailed in two items which the respondent must fill out stating considers himself a strong or weak point. If
6 the respondent does not choose is considered a neutral point. The space for the qualitative responses is optional and reserved for situations where the respondent want to justify your answer or even add some information relating to the item. The score can range from -2 in the event of a very weak point to +2 on chance to consider too strong. Product variables, point, communication (promotion) and price are resulting from the average of the two items that make up the variable. Data analysis tends to be made from the General to the specific, and should inform as much data as possible concerning research (Azevedo 1998). In the table below, you can view the results in the research. FACTOR I-PRODUCT OR SERVICE 1.1 Teachers 1.2 Contents II-POINT-ON THE SERVICE 2.1 Installations 2.2 Access III-PROMOTION-DISCLOSURE 3.1 TV Advertisement 3.2 Site IV PRICE 4.2 Value tuition 4.2 payment method
% 62% 55% 69% -15% -40% 10% -11% -41% 19% -21% -7% -36%
GENERAL
4%
Source: drawn by the author.
The general summary is the average that could range from-100% to + 100% and the result was 4%. Means that there is an approval (positive points), but is very close to zero. This picture shows the manager that the service as a whole has acceptance, have a positive image with the public, but in specific there are favourable and unfavourable points.
IV PRICE 4.2 Value tuition 4.2 payment method
-21% -7% -36%
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The payment method has resulted-36%, and in quantitative research seemed several complaints about the fact that the only method of payment is through Bank agency, by transfer or by check. The institution is looking for alternatives, especially to accept debit and credit card ´ in the Treasury of the College. The value of the monthly had a score of -7%, even considering the fact that these fees are about 15% below the average of the market value in the city. The explanation is that most of the students come from class C and the value of the tuition tends to have an expressive participation in tuition.
III-PROMOTION-DISCLOSURE 3.1 TV Advertisement 3.2 Site
-11% -41% 19%
The second item is the promotion with -11%. What influenced this negative result was the propaganda on TV, with a result of-41%. It is made with inserts of 15 seconds with static images. The student States that would like to have an advertising campaign more responsive. The College closed contract with an advertising agency and is providing a campaign with dynamic images. In relation to access there was a 10% acceptance, reinforced by the qualitative research which shows that most students live or work near the College and by the fact that the College is located near a bus terminal.
II-POINT-ON THE SERVICE 2.1 Installations 2.2 Access
-15% -40% 10%
The product tends to be the most important part of the marketing mix as it is how the organization relates to the customer. In this situation the students had an acceptance of 55% for teachers and 69% in relation to the content generating an average of 62%.
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I-PRODUCT OR SERVICE 1.1 Teachers 1.2 Contents
62% 55% 69%
With this data in hand, managers can have an overview of the image that the students have of this service, the strengths and weaknesses and can make decisions aimed at improving this relationship.
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5. CONCLUSION After compiling this research, it was possible to observe that in the view of
respondents the main items that make up the image of the College, are positive and there are items to be perfected, serving as a basis for management that is taking to strengthen the strong points and the weak points change.
REFERENCES DANNA, M.; Matos, m. a. learning to observe. S찾o Paulo: Edicon .2006. STRONG, Claudio Moreira. Implementation of marketing policy in higher education institutions. Master thesis in production engineering-graduate program in production engineering, UFSC, Florian처polis: 2011. FREITAS, h., CUNHA Jr., m. and MOSCAROLA, j. decision: observation research method, RAE-USP, 2002 GIL, Antonio Carlos. How to write search service provided . 5. ed. S찾o Paulo: Atlas, 2008. , BUT MR. GRESSLER, Lori HOFFMANN, j. Evaluating Myth and Challenge: a constructivist perspective, 12 ed. London: education and reality, 1993. KOTLER, Philip. ARMSTRONG, Gary. Principles of Marketing, Rio de Janeiro: Prentice/Hall of Brazil, 1993. Lakatos, Eva Maria. Fundamentals of scientific methodology. -5. Ed. S찾o Paulo: Atlas 2003. SHARMA, Marcela Tagalog; SILVA, Nsubuga days; Oak, Rachel. Integrative Review: what it is and how to do. Einstein, v. 8 8.8106. 2010.
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KOTLER, Philip. ARMSTRONG, Gary. Principles of Marketing, Rio de Janeiro: Prentice/Hall of Brazil, 1993. STRONG, Claudio Moreira. Implementation of marketing policy in higher education institutions. Master thesis in production engineering-graduate program in production engineering, UFSC, Florianรณpolis: 2001. Annex 1-FORM
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IMAGE COLLEGE
FACTOR I-PRODUCT OR SERVICE 1.1 Teachers 1.2 Contents II-POINT-ON THE SERVICE 2.1 Installations 2.2 Access III-PROMOTIONDISCLOSURE 3.1 TV Advertisement 3.2 Site IV PRICE 4.2 Value tuition 4.2 Froma of pagametno SIMPLE AVERAGE
WEAK STRONG Very Very much Little Little much JUSTIFY -2 -1 1 2
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