Marketing a U.S. University to International Students: Which Approach Is Best–Standardization, Adaptation, or Contingency? An Investigation of Consumer Needs in Seven Countries

ABSTRACT

The paper reports the findings of a study that investigates whether students from different countries have different expectations when seeking a degree from a university in the U.S. The broad hypothesis of this study is that there will be differences in expectations among students from different countries. The managerial implication is that due to these differences, prospective students should be approached differently, especially through different communication messages. To explore the above proposition, this study uses data from prospective students from seven countries: Germany, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan.

KEYWORDS:

• Standardization
• adaptation
• contingency
• consumer expectations
• consumer perceptions of service quality