A market segmentation approach for higher education based on rational and emotional factors

Abstract

Market segmentation is an important topic for higher education administrators and researchers. For segmenting the higher education market, we have to understand what factors are important for high school students in selecting a university. Extant literature has probed the importance of rational factors such as teaching staff, campus facilities, and quality of education. Less attention has been devoted to the relevance of emotional factors such as personal values. The aim of this paper is to suggest a segmentation approach based on integrating rational and emotional factors that prospective students value when selecting a university. We gather information from 21 focus groups and develop a survey applied to a sample of high school students. We find six segments characterized by distinct rational and emotional underlying factors that lead to a particular composition for each segment. The factors discussed in this research can be used as a guide for higher education managers to develop segmentation and communication plans.

Keywords:

• market segmentation
• higher education
• rational and emotional factors

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Commissioner for Research and Universities of the Departament d'Innovaciò, Universitat i Empresa de la Generalitat de Catalunya and the European Social Fund for the financial support that permitted the completion of this research. The authors are also grateful to the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education (Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, project number SEJ2007-67895-C04-02) for financial support. The authors also thank the financial support of Cesar Vallejo University (Trujillo, Peru) and the professionals who collaborated in the focus groups and the survey collection. This paper has been awarded the Best Paper in Track in Marketing of Higher Education of the Academy of Marketing Annual Conference 2008 hosted by Aberdeen Business School, UK.

Notes

Other authors have used similar procedures. For an example see Conard & Conard, 2001, pp. 7–8.