Short answer
Focus marketing and strategic development on demonstrably improving and communicating perceived quality to build stronger brand equity among prospective MBA students.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- The New Educational Review (2015)
- Method
- Exploratory research using a survey instrument.
- Evidence
- Strong effect
MBA students prioritize perceived quality as the most significant driver of brand equity in business schools. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2015 study published in The New Educational Review. Using Exploratory research using a survey instrument., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Focus marketing and strategic development on demonstrably improving and communicating perceived quality to build stronger brand equity among prospective MBA students.
Perceived Quality Drives Brand Equity in Business Schools
MBA students prioritize perceived quality as the most significant driver of brand equity in business schools.
The New Educational Review · 2015
Key Findings
- 01Perceived quality is the most important dimension of brand equity for MBA students.
- 02Overall brand perception is consistently ranked last among the measured dimensions.
Application
Design takeaway
Focus marketing and strategic development on demonstrably improving and communicating perceived quality to build stronger brand equity among prospective MBA students.
How to apply
When developing or refining a brand strategy for an educational institution, prioritize initiatives that directly enhance and are perceived to enhance the quality of the educational experience and outcomes.
Project actions
- 01When researching brand perception, consider how to measure 'perceived quality' specifically.
- 02Think about how different aspects of an educational offering contribute to perceived quality.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Focuses on a specific, relevant stakeholder group (MBA students).
- +Identifies key dimensions of brand equity for a particular sector.
Limitations
The findings are context-specific to Peruvian business schools and may not apply universally. The study's exploratory nature suggests further validation is needed.
Reliability & validity
The reliability and validity of the instrument used to measure brand equity dimensions would need to be rigorously assessed for broader applicability.
Think critically
How might the relative importance of 'perceived quality' versus 'overall brand perception' differ for undergraduate programs compared to MBA programs?
Design Principles
"Brand equity is significantly influenced by tangible indicators of quality from the user's perspective."
Understanding the key drivers of brand equity from the student perspective allows educational institutions to focus their marketing and strategic efforts more effectively. This insight can inform decisions about curriculum development, faculty recruitment, and overall institutional positioning to enhance their market competitiveness.
What This Means for Your Design
For business schools trying to attract students, making sure students think the school offers high-quality education is the most important thing for building a strong brand.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this study to justify focusing on specific features or improvements that enhance perceived quality in your design project.
- 2.Cite this research when discussing the importance of quality in branding for service-based products.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights that perceived quality is a primary driver of brand equity in the business school sector, suggesting that design projects aiming to enhance brand strength should prioritize tangible improvements and clear communication of educational quality.
Source
The New Educational Review
Student-based brand equity in the business schools sector: an exploratory study
journal · 2015
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about perceived quality drives brand equity in business schools?
- Focus marketing and strategic development on demonstrably improving and communicating perceived quality to build stronger brand equity among prospective MBA students. Evidence: The New Educational Review (2015).
- Why does "Perceived Quality Drives Brand Equity in Business Schools" matter for design?
- Understanding the key drivers of brand equity from the student perspective allows educational institutions to focus their marketing and strategic efforts more effectively. This insight can inform decisions about curriculum development, faculty recruitment, and overall institutional positioning to enhance their market competitiveness.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Focus marketing and strategic development on demonstrably improving and communicating perceived quality to build stronger brand equity among prospective MBA students.
- What were the main findings?
- Perceived quality is the most important dimension of brand equity for MBA students.. Overall brand perception is consistently ranked last among the measured dimensions.
- What research method was used?
- Exploratory research using a survey instrument..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2015 journal from The New Educational Review.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When developing or refining a brand strategy for an educational institution, prioritize initiatives that directly enhance and are perceived to enhance the quality of the educational experience and outcomes.
- What are the limitations?
- The study is specific to the Peruvian market and may not be generalizable to all educational contexts. The exploratory nature means further research is needed to confirm these findings.