University performance and strategic marketing: an extended study

Purpose – Extending a previous study of business schools across the USA, this further analysis of the research data aims to investigate the organizational deployment of the selection of strategic marketing initiatives prescribed by a national quality programme, and to cross‐index the results to the organisational characteristics of the responding institutions. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected by postal questionnaire from the deans of 225 business schools. Descriptive statistics analyze organizational characteristics, marketing planning activities and the use of “faculty awards” for an identified set of performance groups. Cluster analysis identifies distinct segments representing unique combinations of marketing activities undertaken and awards used. Performance levels are compared across the clusters, and the typical organizational structures of their members described. Findings – Analysis yields marketing intelligence relating to the extent that eight categories of strategic marketing effort are deployed by the best and worst performing business schools in the sample. Common patterns are identified, and attributed to organizational types. It is clear that pre‐requisites for performance excellence are the existence of a formal mission statement, the practice of formal marketing planning, and the planned use of motivational rewards to faculty. But, it is equally clear that too many business schools are content with the status quo , which is not typified by these attributes. Research limitations/implications – The scope of this analysis is limited in a number of identified respects. Implications for future research are discussed. Practical implications – No one responsible for performance delivery in a business school practitioner should doubt that the benefits of planned strategic marketing are worth the commitment and effort required. Originality/value – Uniquely, this study provides detailed empirical support to the application of marketing theory within the higher education context. The cross‐indexing of the findings to the various organizational types permits planners to compare practice in other business schools, both in their peer group and in the sector as a whole.