Strategies for Survival

1
Strategies for Survival

• Peter Calladine
• Association of MBAs

2
Trends at Business Schools

• Greater competition in terms of numbers of
  schools
• Improved standards at many schools creating
  greater competition among the better schools
• Students are better informed about i) options
  ii) quality issues
• Move towards diversification in delivery of
  programmes
• Blended learning to accommodate students complex
  working conditions
• Internationalisation a) accreditation, b)
  faculty c) links d) programmes
• Use of electronic resources a) websites b)
  marketing c) delivery

3
Responses to Market Conditions

• More effective marketing/PR via electronic means
• Customer Care
• Improved links to industry
• Diversification of academic product range
• Improved programmes
• Internationalisation

4
More effective marketing/PR via electronic means

• Website Design and functionality
• Search engine optimisation
• Banner advertisements
• E-marketing
• Pod/video casts - example http//podcast.ft.com/do
  wnload/20/12/936.mp3
• Promotional CDs, flashcards, text-messaging
• Blogs

5
Customer care

• More efficient customer care
• Recruit customer focussed admissions/marketing
  staff
• Quicker turn-round in processing enquiries
• On-going customer care
• Soft-ware to guarantee regular contact with
  prospective students
• Alumni organisation to promote school
  interviews induction mentors

6
Improved links to industry

• Links are practical a) input into programmes,
  b) sponsorship of students, c) fundraising, d)
  improved awareness, e) credibility, f) corporate
  organisations are buyers of academic products
• Advisory boards
• Corporate relations director/manager
• Careers office
• Alumni
• Research
• Consultancy

7
Diversification of academic product range

• .

• Many schools have faced falling numbers of MBA
  students
• Response
• Introduction of additional programmes to ensure
  financial stability
• Most successful is the MBM in content very
  similar to the MBA but designed for students with
  zero or little work experience
• Specialist masters degrees
• New undergraduate programmes
• Executive Education
• NB the MBA remains the flagship programme
  even if it is a loss leader

8
Merger of institutions

• Merges either by necessity (low student numbers)
  or choice
• TIAS/NIMBAS (The Netherlands)
• Nijenrode Business School/InHolland (The
  Netherlands)
• Theseus/EDHEC (France)
• University of Paisley/Bell College (Scotland)
• Manchester Business School/UMIST (United
  Kingdom)
• London Guildhall/North London University (United
  Kingdom)
• Under consideration Queen Margaret/Napier
  universities (UK) University of Tampere/Tampere
  University of Technology (Finland) Victoria/La
  Trobe universities (Australia) etc

9
Improved programmes

• Programme review annual/five yearly
• Programme (re)design
• Improved curriculum
• On-going update of courses and materials
• Student friendly delivery modes part-time
  distance learning weekend modular
• Blended learning

10
Internationalisation

• Deans of leading schools often international
  (Cranfield (RSA) Insead (USA) IMD (Norwegian)
  Bocconi (Argentina) Smurfit, Dublin (USA)
• Joint programmes with foreign schools
• Faculty
• Faculty/student exchanges
• Programme/course content

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