An integrated communication model for marketing the UFS

Abstract

English: The higher education environment in South Africa has changed much in the past decade. In transforming the higher education sector, markets were created that lead to the corporatisation of universities. Corporate universities are predominantly characterised as institutions that follow a business model within the educational landscape. The University of the Free State (UFS) has accepted this new identity of corporate university in many ways. It is now also time to embrace it from a marketing communication, and specifically an integrated communication (IC), perspective. The goal of this study was to develop an integrated communication model for marketing the UFS. In realising this goal, the marketing-related structures and processes at the UFS were explored among other matters. The integrated approach to marketing and communication was dealt with as benchmark for the UFS and this approach directed a conceptual IC model for marketing the UFS. The conceptual model was subject to scrutiny by critical role-players at the UFS. Other critical issues explored were the higher education environment and its multi-cultural nature; the nature and scope of IC; and existing models of IC which were described and critically evaluated. A qualitative research approach was followed and the study was divided into four phases. Grounded theory was employed as overarching research strategy for all four phases, while other research strategies to gather and analyse data were implemented during some of the phases. The main contribution of this study was a conceptual IC model formulated for marketing the UFS. Based on the scrutinising of several IMC and IC models, a number of aspects were identified that was kept in mind when the IC model for marketing the UFS was developed. Furthermore, the basic principles of IC identified after an extensive investigation into the relevant literature, were interweaved in the conceptual IC model suggested for use by the UFS. The study confirmed that cultural sensitivity is a necessity if an organisation wants to be successful in the diverse South African environment. The factors that impact on inter-cultural communication effectiveness in organisations were described. It was explained that cultural differences manifest in an organisation in two ways, namely on an individual level, and on an organisational level. The organisational level indicators have specific relevance to this study. Organisational culture is also known as corporate culture. A number of corporate culture components that reflect an organisation with a strong culture were identified and it was noted that the majority of corporate culture components and integrated communication principles show significant resemblance. It is thus argued that the implementation of an IC model in a multi-cultural environment can foster a strong corporate culture. The scrutinising of the conceptual IC model by UFS role-players indicated that the majority of the respondents were positive about the model and were of the opinion that the model would address a number of marketing-related concerns and would provide a solution to some of the problems currently experienced with communication and marketing at the UFS. It was recommended inter alia that a number of structural changes with regard to the position of marketing and communication at the UFS be made. Processes that should be put in place were highlighted, and several conduct changes were advised. The application of the conceptual IC model within the suggested Institutional Communication section was illustrated.

Afrikaans: Die hoër onderwys omgewing in Suid-Afrika het verander. In die transformering van die hoër onderwys sektor is markte gevorm wat bygedra het tot die “korporatisering” van universiteite. Korporatiewe universiteite word gekenmerk as instellings wat ‘n besigheidsmodel volg binne die onderwys landskap. Die Universiteit van die Vrystaat (UVS) het hierdie nuwe identiteit as korporatiewe universiteit op baie vlakke aanvaar. Dit is nou ook die tyd om die bemarkingskommunikasie, en meer spesifiek geïntegreerde kommunikasie (GK), persektief aan te neem. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ‘n geïntegreerde kommunikasiemodel vir die bemarking van die UVS te ontwikkel. Ten einde hierdie doel te realiseer is onder meer die bemarkingsverwante strukture en prosesse aan die UVS ondersoek. Die geïntegreerde benadering tot bemarking en kommunikasie is geïdentifiseer as “benchmark” vir die UVS en het gedien as onderbou vir die konseptualisering van ‘n geïntegreerde model. Die konsep model is onderwerp aan evaluering deur belangrike rolspelers aan die UVS. Ander kritiese kwessies wat ondersoek is, was die hoër onderwys omgewing en die multikulturele aard daarvan; die aard en omvang van GK; en bestaande modelle van GK wat omskryf en krities geëvalueer is. ‘n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gevolg en die studie is verdeel in vier fases. Begronde teorie is aangewend as oorkoepelende navorsingstrategie in al vier die fases, terwyl ander navorsingstrategieë geïmplementeer is tydens van die fases om data in te samel en te analiseer. Die primêre bydrae van hierdie studie is ‘n konseptuele GK model vir die bemarking van die UVS. ‘n Aantal aspekte geïdentifiseer tydens die ontleding van bestaande GK en geïntegreerde bemarkingskommunikasie (GBK) modelle, is geïnkorporeer in die GK model wat vir die bemarking van die UVS ontwikkel is. Voorts is die basiese beginsels van GK wat geïdentifiseer is tydens ‘n uitgebreide literatuurstudie, in die voorgestelde UVS model vervleg. Die studie bevestig dat kulturele sensitiwiteit noodsaaklik is vir ‘n organisasie wat met sukses in die diverse Suid-Afrikaanse omgewing wil funksioneer. Die faktore wat op interkulturele kommunikasie effektiwiteit impak, is beskryf. Daar is verduidelik dat kultuur binne ‘n organisasie op twee vlakke manifesteer, naamlik op ‘n individuele vlak, en op ‘n organisatoriese vlak. Die organisatoriese vlak beskrywers is relevant tot hierdie studie. Organisasiekultuur staan ook bekend as korporatiewe kultuur. ‘n Aantal korporatiewe kultuur komponente, wat ‘n organisasie met ‘n sterk kultuur reflekteer, is geïdentifiseer. Dit blyk dat die meerderheid korporatiewe kultuur komponente en GK beginsels ‘n beduidende ooreenkoms toon. Dit word dus gestel dat die implementering van ‘n GK model in ‘n multikulturele omgewing ‘n sterk korporatiewe kultuur behoort te vestig. Die beoordeling van die konseptuele GK model deur UVS rolspelers het gedui dat die meerderheid van die respondente positief was oor die model en van mening is dat die model ‘n aantal bemarkingsverwante bekommernisse sal aanspreek. Die model bied ook oplossings vir ‘n aantal probleme wat tans ondervind word met kommunikasie en bemarking aan die UVS. Daar is onder meer aanbeveel dat ‘n aantal strukturele verandering met betrekking tot die posisie van bemarking en kommunikasie aan die UVS gemaak word. Prosesse wat in plek behoort te wees is uitgelig en ‘n aantal veranderinge in terme van optrede met betrekking tot bemarking aan die UVS, is geadviseer. Die toepassing van die konseptuele GK model binne die aanbevole Institusionele Kommunikasie-afdeling is geïllustreer