Marketing Theory and Practice - Research Paper Example

Marketing Research Theory and Practice Full of Number and Outline 0The Research Brief 2.0 Introduction 3.0 Review 3.1 Methods 3.2 Findings 4.0 Conclusion 5.0 References Abstract: Background: Although there are various methods of analyzing the social experience and social aspects of overseas student’s life that can analyze in a reliable way, most are unable to output result in a short period. This paper investigates on these social aspects and experience of international students conducted under the SPSS(Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) in order to save time. Methods: In order to get the information which discussed the topic under investigation, 5 data sources were searched. The Keele University library resources which included GMID (Global Market Information Database) were useful for the background information on international students and Higher Education (HE). Topical information from quality newspapers and magazines to show marketplace issues and views was also incorporated. Keele University’s WebPages and leaflets were vital as they contained lots of information, which was used to analyze content or the words and the tone in use. Relevant academic articles related to either the research methodology or the technical setting was also identified, and these were used to guide in the research method (in Stage 2 and 3). It was also useful in the ways of applying findings. Only the studies that were published after 2009 were included. Google scholar, Google, and DISCOVER were the main search engines which were used to search these articles. Objective: To review obtain quantitative survey data and analyze it using SPSS and to marry this to the other data to produce the final individual report Participants: They included the group members who interviewed a international student in Keele university on their first days or weeks experience in the Keele university. Each group member recorded the digital data of a 30 minute interview of the experience at the university. Studies included: The first study was from relevant secondary data (from Stage 1) where the university background information was investigated. The second study from qualitative data from the interviews done in groups (from Stage 2) was used in this study. Sources: Secondary data (from Stage 1) Felix Maringe and Steve Carter (2007) from the reference given as follows: Felix Maringe, Steve Carter, (2007) "International students motivations for studying in UK HE: Insights into the choice and decision making of African students", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 21 Iss: 6, pp.459 – 475 Margaret Adolphus. (2012) from the following reference link: Margaret Adolphus. (2012). studying in the UK: survival tips for international students. Available: http://uk.internationalstudent.com/study_uk/why_study_uk/. Last accessed 2012. Tim Mazzarol, Geoffrey N. Soutar (2002): “Expectations of its ability to raise the economic and social status of the graduate.” This source reference is as follows: Tim Mazzarol, Geoffrey N. Soutar. (2002). Emerald Article: "Push-pull" factors influencing international student destination choice.International Journal of Educational Management,Vol. 16 Iss: 2 pp. 82 – 90 KEY points needed in searching the data sources were: Students from Asia: High acceptability and recognisation of UK Higher Education Benefit for long-term / good investment Students from EU: mainly to learn English and discover British culture Students from Africa: to escape from the poverty and human degradation Other Key points of data sources are: Worldwide Recognition Work opportunities Scholarships / loans Gateway to Europe Multicultural Nation Outcome measure: presentation of the interview data in groups where the findings were combined and analysed based on secondary data and the qualitative interview data. 1.0 The Research Brief Keele University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nick Foskett recently cited data from the Higher Educational Statistics Agency (HESA, 2012) which shows that the proportion of Keele students drawn from overseas has increased steadily over the last four academic years, from 7% in 2008/09, to 9% in 2009/10, 12% in 2010/11 and 14% in 2011/12. Clearly this marks a significant change in the composition of the student body and it also represents a challenge for students (to settle in) and for the University (to support students in this settling in process). Students are increasingly global travelers and perhaps more used to change and travel than students of the last century. However, the decision to study in the UK is a leap of faith that is accompanied by cultural change, whether the student is, for example, from France (a near neighbor of the UK, but culturally very different) or a student from China or Taiwan (which represents a long geographical distance as well as significant cultural differences). Clearly the student experience upon entering Keele University is a critical point in the whole process, setting up expectations for the forthcoming year, and underpinning the whole study experience. It is also the point where new cultural connections and social practices are encountered, and where existing or new sporting, political and recreational interests can potentially be developed. The Student Union takes an active role in the creation of social opportunities for students (see Keele’s Student union web pages) starting with Fresher’s Week through to the Graduation Ball. Members of staff involved in Admissions have made many improvements in the “meet and greet” process in recent years, in an attempt to allow students to make the transition into Keele as smooth as possible in the first few days. A programme of Induction is also well established to ensure that student know what to expect from their academic study, and this process also alters from one year to the next, in order to be as relevant as possible for the student intake. What has received less attention, however, is the cultural and social change that is experienced by the international student during the first semester, when friendships and acquaintanceships and made, and when interests are developed or abandoned. The main task is to find out more about the social and cultural experiences and barriers that international students encounter as they enter their new life at Keele. Specific themes will be selected to explore in more detail at a later stage. Some of the broad areas of enquiry are: • How do international students engage with the Student Union? • How do international students engage with the neighboring town of Newcastle under Lyme? • In what ways are they able to take up the social and cultural activities, and the recreational opportunities offered by the University, and Newcastle-under-Lyme? • What are the favored social/cultural/recreational activities and why? • What are the barriers to participation, if any? • Do overseas students assimilate socially with other cultural groups, and if so, how? • Do they stay within their own cultural milieu within Keele’s international student intake, and if so, why? • Does the phenomenon known as “The Keele Bubble” exist for international students? If so, what does it mean for them? Other questions may well arise as we develop more insights into this phenomenon, but meanwhile, here is the time schedule for the practical research activity, below. 2.0 Introduction The interaction of an overseas student is their social life in an international university and it plays an integral role in their life in the university. The primary purpose of this review is to analyze the social aspect and social life experience of the overseas students. There are different methods of introducing the new international students to this social life. This is what this research aims to analyze, and in this perspective it is vital to note the experience the Keele university students usually undergo. The analyses start with secondary data in stage 1 where the background of the university in respect to welcoming students is investigated. The second part which is the second stage (stage 2) involves interviews carried out by the group members. In the interview, the one being interviewed gives a 30 minute talk of their first days or weeks experience in Keele University. The group data is then collated and presented in combination with the secondary data from stage one. The data is presented in power point form on individual basis. 2.0 Review 2.1 Methods In order to get the information which discussed the topic under investigation, 5 data sources were searched. The Keele University library resources which included GMID (Global Market Information Database) were useful for the background information on international students and Higher Education (HE). Topical information from quality newspapers and magazines to show marketplace issues and views was also incorporated. Keele University’s WebPages and leaflets were vital as they contained lots of information, which was used to analyze content or the words and the tone in use. Relevant academic articles related to either the research methodology or the technical setting was also identified, and these were used to guide in the research method (in Stage 2 and 3). It was also useful in the ways of applying findings. Only the studies that were published after 2009 were included. Google scholar, Google, and DISCOVER were the main search engines which were used to search these articles. STAGE 1: October 12- October 19, 2012 The collected secondary data was used to give complete information about international study, and student life in the UK. The data was also purposed to find out some background information about the motivation of students generally to study in the UK • What barriers here would lead to successful study? • compared the Keele experience (the Keele Bubble) with other universities Keele University library resources like GMID (Global Market Information Database) were useful for background information on international students and Higher Education (HE). Topical information from quality newspapers and magazines was used to show marketplace issues and views. On the other hand, Keele University’s WebPages and leaflets were essential and informative, and their content/words and the tone used were analyzed. STAGE 2: October 19 - November 8, 2012 The overall aim of this stage was to generate insights into the international student’s Keele experience through qualitative Interview. Between October 19 and October 26, each member of the group conducted one semi-structured qualitative interview to explore in further detail the issues identified above, and to elicit any other relevant information or insights. In this light, there was need to reflect on ways of making a person talk about their experience at Keele in the first few weeks of the semester. Each group devised an interview schedule that they will each use as a template to ensure that each group member covers the required ground. The interview lasted approximately 30 minutes and was digitally recorded. Each group was allocated a specific set of respondents to target. Between October 27 and November 2, each group collated and analyzed the results from their set of interviews, as a team. Between November 2 and November 8, integrated the group data from Stage 1 (Secondary data) and Stage 2 (Qualitative interviews) and created the individual presentation. Assessment of Stage 2 - On November 8, you will: Presented the group data obtained through combining findings and analyzing them. This was based upon secondary data and from the qualitative interview data. Prepared a PowerPoint presentation and also provided a printed copy for use during the presentation STAGE 3: November 9, 2012 to January 20, 2013 The overall aim is to obtain quantitative survey data and analyze it using SPSS and to marry this to the other data to produce the final individual report.The findings generated by each group from Stages 1 & 2 was made available electronically to all individuals, and helped to shape the next stage of the project. Once the secondary data was obtained and identified the themes emerging from the qualitative data, were reviewed and the project focus for Stage 3 was established. Between November 9 and November 20, each group devised a quantitative questionnaire to carry out a wider survey into the international student’s experience, and to test the themes that emerged through the qualitative stage of the project. The survey was a critical component of the research process and was revised as a questionnaire several times over to produce something sensible. Between November 26 and December 3, each team member used the agreed questionnaire to gather 5 responses per group member. 2.2.1 Qualitative Data in stage 1 Students from Asia have the following characteristics as gotten from the qualitative data in the study of the Keele university background. High acceptability and recognisation of UK Higher Education Benefit for long-term / good investment (Margaret et al. 2012) Students from the European Union on the other hand have the following interests: Interest to learn English and discover British culture (Margaret et al. 2012) Students from Africa have a very different interest from these two which is: To escape from the poverty and human degradation (Margaret et al. 2012) In this respect, the Key findings to the qualitative findings gotten in stage 1 were as follows Recognition in the world, implying that the student gained accreditation in whichever part of the world they travelled without limits. Work opportunities were created meaning the doors of employment were open and it was easy to get a job after finalizing studies in this university. Scholarships / loans were of reach through joining Keele university since the university has interlinked with the various funding and charity organizations for helping bright and needy students. Gateway to Europe was opened since the university has good relations with its fellow countries in Europe. Multicultural Nation since the international students is from different cultures, races and countries. In this way a diverse culture is created that embraces different social, political and economic aspects of relations. 3.0 Conclusions The data obtained in stage 1 and 2 were helpful in the market research. The qualitative data is in relation to introducing the new students to the social life of the university. The secondary data on the other hand was helpful in investigating the social experience life of the average new international student in the Keele University. The two data in stage 1 and stage 2 were then presented in power point and printed form in finalizing stage 2. The final step which was step 3 was vital as it was the part embracing the SPSS useful for analyzing the whole data obtained (Felix et al. 2007): . The social experience and social aspect in Keele University are shown to have a positive impact on the student from the moment they are admitted to the time they clear their studies. 4.0 Recommendations The Questionnaire Design was unique as it was recommended to contain several components. The questionnaire was required to include the following: • A mixture of Open and Closed questions • A battery of attitude statements • Probe questions (“Why?”) • Filter questions and clear instructions (e.g. ‘If “No”, go to Question X’) References Agresti, A. (1996) Introduction to Categorical Data Analysis. New York: Wiley. Der, G. and Everett. B. S. (2001) A Handbook of statistical Analysis Using SAS. (2nd Ed). Boca Raton, FL: Chapman and Hall/CRC. Felix Maringe, Steve Carter, (2007) "International students motivations for studying in UK HE: Insights into the choice and decision making of African students", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 21 Iss: 6, pp.459 – 475 Margaret Adolphus. (2012). studying in the UK: survival tips for international students. Available: http://uk.internationalstudent.com/study_uk/why_study_uk/. Last accessed 2012. Tim Mazzarol, Geoffrey N. Soutar. (2002). Emerald Article: "Push-pull" factors influencing international student destination choice. International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 16 Iss: 2 pp. 82 – 90 Read More