Marketing the Business School: An Exploratory Investigation

Business schools across the country are faced with declining enrollment and shrinking budgets. One solution to this disturbing trend may be for business schools to become more marketing oriented. A key issue of concern is the degree to which marketing has actually been adopted and, as a result, what activities have been implemented in attracting and retaining business students. This exploratory study investigates the marketing activities of business schools with particular attention to undergraduate programs. Based on previous literature, focus groups, and in-depth interviews, a survey is developed to investigate the extent and perceived effectiveness of these activities in business schools. Results of the survey are reported and discussed with recommendations for the role of marketing and communications in recruiting and retaining business students.