Influence of People Mix in Selecting Institute of Technical Education: A Case Study of North Maharashtra University Region

Introduction

As Technical Education (TE) in India is turning more competitive, it has become necessary for TE institutions to engage in strategic marketing. More than promotional activities, strategic marketing involves drawing students toward the institution; it should also include market segmentation and positioning (Cann & George, 2003). The reason why segmentation is important and timely is that universities and institutes are currently struggling with how to best serve their learners in the face of declining financial resources, increased calls for accountability by Government, increasing competition among institutions and more discerning students, particularly those referred to as the ‘millennials’ (Howe & Strauss, 2000). While some prospective students share similar characteristics but most of them are not similar as per gender, age, geographical location, parent’s income etc. Students with similar characteristics can be grouped and can be yielded for definable segments.

Customers of educational services are classified as Internal customers; students, staff and management and External customers such as parents, other schools and colleges, alumni and community (Magaud & Krone, 2002). The institute searching process is a long one. McDonough (2004) stated that the transition/searching process begins during the middle school years. Students begin to develop college awareness and ideas of academic aspirations. During 10^th (SSC) and 12^th (HSC) students began looking for schools that meet their needs socially and academically (McDonough, 2004). After searching internal sources, if the student realizes that the information gathered is not enough to base on and decide, external sources of information are considered. People Factor such as; Parents, Brother & Sisters, Relatives, Friends/Peer, Current & Post students of institute, previous School/Coaching Teachers, Staff and Management People of Institute, act as a reference group for the pre-students (prospective students) to take their decision on institute selection. Reference Group is the group to which the individual relates or aspires to relate himself or herself psychologically and a source for framing his or her experiences, perceptions, cognition, and ideas of self. Robert K. Merton hypothesized that individuals compare themselves with reference groups of people who occupy the social role to which the individual aspires (Gerald & Holton, 2004). There are several people who influence a student’s institute decision, but their degree of impact on students varies from school to school (www.eduventures.com).