MARKET RESEARCH

Summary:
This document is about the market research that a market can explored in order to understand its
nature so that improvements can be made. On the other hand, there are many other aspects are
discussed in detail hat why different students get attracted towards a university. It was a clear
revelation that students get attracted mostly because of their backgrounds, future goals and
positive word of mouth about the university. Quality education, high ranking and other academic
aspects and surprisingly second option or second priority for most of the students. This report
also has the recommendations for the future research and improvement of universitys current
situations. It was also very clear that students are completely clear that university is lacking in
marketing aspect that is they it is unable to attract as many students as compared to the other
universities. Students were also asked about their suggestion about the problem of university
which they provided, some suggested to have proper PR which can regulate the positive image of
university in market so that it attract students accordingly. Some suggested to have more
professional achievement through collaboration with the industry, so that it can give coming
students or potential students to have bright future professionally. Although this research
provides feasible solutions, but it does also gives future goals at the end. According to the market
research perspective complete market research can only be completed by exploring the market.
Only surveying one university will not be enough, students of universities with high incoming
rate should also be interviewed in order to know about their passion and motivational purposes.
This will give idea about the market planning and market spread of other competitors as well.
Contents
Summary:..................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction:................................................................................................................. 2
University:.................................................................................................................... 2
Research Purpose:.......................................................................................................... 2
Research:...................................................................................................................... 3
Sample:........................................................................................................................ 3
Results:........................................................................................................................ 5
Concluded Discussion:..................................................................................................... 5
Recommendations:......................................................................................................... 6
Future Scope:................................................................................................................ 6
References:................................................................................................................... 7
Introduction:
This document is based on the market research related to the Holmes University of Australia that
how university can maintain its number of incoming students. This is done through the
qualitative research approach by exploring the factors which bought the current students towards
this university. Although the university under discussion is quite famous about its quality
education but it has also been seen that number of incoming students are increasing in fellow
universities of Australia while this university is not experiencing the same. So this is the main
purpose of this research that university can attract more and more students by more positive
image building. As already said that this was done through qualitative research. Complete
research method and methodology is explained in this report along with results analysis and
recommendations.

University:
Holmes university of Australia was established in 1963, it is a business university which is
highly ranked for its quality education. University provides detailed skills in the field of national
and international markets. It makes its student to be able to handle the markets by understanding
the nature of different markets. Right now university is looking to up its market game. As the
number of incoming students is not as equal as compared to the incoming students of other
universities. Which means that market position of university is decreasing. Despite providing the
quality education and having high ranking it is quite clear that university is lacking in marketing
game. For this purpose, university decided to figure out this problem by exploring the reasons
which bring students in this university.

Research Purpose:
Research is based on the basic purpose that why university is losing its market positions. What
exactly is the reason behind attracting the students? High quality education and ranking are the
most apparent reason which are met by university. Research purpose is to explore the further and
detailed reasons. Following the few important research purposes:
Why students select Holmes university?
How university can maintain incoming students?
How can university interact more international students?
International students promote university with positive image
It also adds in the overall ranking of university
Research is also based over the purpose that university needs keep its check and balance
over the incoming stream of international students as it counts over the image building of
students.
Research:
For the above explained purpose research was conducted. It was qualitative research where
students were given with the questionnaires so that they can express their interest towards the
research according to its purpose and overall advantage to the international and national
community. After the survey 50 students were willing and showed their availability for personal
interviews. Those students agreed with the vision that university provides quality education and
more and more students should be get benefit from this. Research is of qualitative design, where
personal interview was conducted in which students were asked about their motivational reasons
that why they decided to join this university. After developing some kind of trust students were
also questioned about their problem which face while studying at the university. This research
was based on semi structured interviews. Where students were asked questions based on their
motivational purposes. Along with this they were also asked about their problems so they may
not contribute in the bad word of mouth about the university. Research has the purpose to
increase marketing of university in such a way that more and more students would be attracted
towards it.
This research method was selected as it helps in digging the real cause of problem, it is better
option as compared to quantitative method. Because quantitative method is time consuming and
it also requires more resources. While in qualitative method direct related people are questioned
about their experiences and all. Which makes it possible to draw feasible solutions of the
problem under discussion.

Sample:
Sample was selected carefully, 200 questionnaires were distributed among the students, out of
200 students 50 students showed willingness for the interview section. Out of those 50 students
further details are given below:
Whole sample had the ratio of 50 50 in many aspects like:
Male females
Bright and not so bright
Scholarship holders and self-financed students
National and international students
Nerds and a kind of trouble makes
Total students involved: 50
Female and male ratio: 50 50
International and national student ratio: 50 50
International student group had the participants from about 10 different countries.
 National students were from 10 different cities of Australia.
Sample is divided in to two parts:
National students
International students
Here in this research it was quality clear that students from third world countries were more in
the international students as compared to the students from other developed countries of the
world. This is also an revelation to the management of university that why not students from
developed countries are equally interested in studying at this university. Sample was dealt then
as:
Students were divided according to their categories (which are given above)
Then they were asked about their motivation
Their issues
Their positive and negative experiences
Their recommendations for the coming students
Sample was asked for the reasons for selecting this university
Their passions
Motivations
and the reason which keep them going
Especially in case of international students as they keep staying while staying away from
home and family

Results:
Research showed that results are based more on the background of students as compared to their
current situation. For example, students from third world countries said that they are only here
because of the fact that here in Australia they have better options with respect to their careers as
compared to their home countries. On the other hand, students from developed countries said that
they are here only because of one reason which is quality education and universities high
ranking. They were also asked about the fact that why do they thing students are not interested in
this university as much as it deserves. Students had mix reviews about this question, few stated
that university does not have its own public relation team like other universities. Public relation
team develops the PR and positive image of the university. Other said they university doesnt
provides as much support to its students as compared to other universities so more positive word
of mouth about the university attracts more students. Few students stated that career
collaborations of this university are not much, although it is highly ranked and has quality
education but management needs to understand that academic achievement will not attract high
stream of students only on the bases of high ranking. Professional support and collaboration with
companies will attract more students.
Different sample group had different priorities.
International students are found to come over the strong economic conditions of
Australia, very few came for universitys ranking
Nationals came because of quality education.
Passion brought nerds while family pressure bought some wan-na be people as well.
Main outcome was the strong economic conditions and the universitys quality education
Very few international students agreed on the fact that they came here only because of
universities name.
Few were like but most of them were looking for major career opportunities and they
selected this university because it is in large city and has good reputation
Surprisingly education was no the first option for most of the international students

Concluded Discussion:
It is clear that university is weak over PR skills public image and professional collaborations. It
is also quite clear that students dont only see the academic achievements rather they consider
many other aspects as well. students from third world countries said that they are only here
because of the fact that here in Australia they have better options with respect to their careers as
compared to their home countries. On the other hand, students from developed countries said that
they are here only because of one reason which is quality education and universities high
ranking. They were also asked about the fact that why do they thing students are not interested in
this university as much as it deserves. Students had mix reviews about this question, few stated
that university does not have its own public relation team like other universities. Public relation
team develops the PR and positive image of the university. Other said they university doesnt
provides as much support to its students as compared to other universities so more positive word
of mouth about the university attracts more students. Few students stated that career
collaborations of this university are not much, although it is highly ranked and has quality
education but management needs to understand that academic achievement will not attract high
stream of students only on the bases of high ranking. Professional support and collaboration with
companies will attract more students. This discussion giver an over idea about the perspective of
students.

Recommendations:
University should offer less fee for international students in order to attract more people
More advertising of academic achievements will attract people from each group
 Providing more facilities in terms of games, international competition
More collaboration with companies and polishing job collaboration with Australian
companies
Ensuring that students get campus based medical and psychological consolation
Less strict actions against the trouble makers, without compromising the discipline, just
by making more options and more open minded place for them
Cutting down in fee expanses
Highlighting the professional achievements of universitys students.

Future Scope:
Future scope is quite clear; this is only a small survey of one university which gives idea about
the situation of internal matters. In order to have complete market research it is important to
know about the marketing plans and perspectives of customers that go towards competitors for
this purpose students of other universities should also be interviewed. On further note overall
incoming streams of students should be surveyed thoroughly so that their perspective can be
learned. It is quite a fact that perspective of people changes with the market position of available
options. If this university selects a PR and starts working over its image mainly in the industrial
collaboration area, then might be in coming years this university is able to achieve its target
growth rate. Most importantly in case of international students, because international students are
not all about regular person who studies, they add in the overall value of the university they
increase the image internationally.
References:
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Marketing Fit? What Is Marketings Place in the Firm and Within the Family of
Business Disciplines?. In Lets Get Engaged! Crossing the Threshold of Marketings
Engagement Era (pp. 199-202). Springer International Publishing
Jones, S. C., Magee, C., & Andrews, K. (2015). I think other parents might.: Using a
projective technique to explore parental supply of alcohol. Drug and alcohol
review, 34(5), 531-539.
Kotler, P., Burton, S., Deans, K., Brown, L., & Armstrong, G. (2015).Marketing. Pearson
Higher Education AU.
Silverman, D. (Ed.). (2016). Qualitative research. Sag