Positioning strategies and rankings in the HE: congruence and contradictions
Küçük Resim Yok
Tarih
2023
Yazarlar
Dergi Başlığı
Dergi ISSN
Cilt Başlığı
Yayıncı
Routledge
Erişim Hakkı
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Özet
Positioning strategy and ranking are critical issues in an increasingly competitive higher education landscape. Unless there is conceptual congruence between positioning strategies and rankings, the signals may become diffused and confusing for prospective students. This paper seeks the congruence between positioning strategies and ranking. Since without a validated typology of positioning strategies, such congruence cannot be sought, this paper firstly aims to develop an empirically derived typology of positioning strategies for HEIs. The population consists of HEIs in the UK. Content analysis was used to analyze the WebPages of HEIs to identify positioning bases, and congruence and contradictions between those positioning bases and ranking were identified by correspondence analysis. As a result, a new positioning typology consisting of eight bases, which are top of the range, campus life experience, internationalization, teaching excellence, research quality, graduates prospects, location, and value for money, was identified. In conclusion, HEIs are categorized into three different groups as Leaders and Challengers, Followers, and Nichers and Cost Leaders, and recommendations about how to guarantee congruence between positioning strategy and ranking were made. HEIs should choose positioning bases in line with their rankings since congruence strengthens the position in the minds. © 2023 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Açıklama
Anahtar Kelimeler
Brand Positioning, Information Asymmetry, Positioning Strategy, Ranking, Signaling Theory, University Branding
Kaynak
Journal of Marketing for Higher Education
WoS Q Değeri
Scopus Q Değeri
Q1
Cilt
33
Sayı
1
