The brand personality of selected universities of technology in South Africa: A content analysis of their strategic plans
Wannenburg, Elizma (2021)
Wannenburg, Elizma
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202103143259
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202103143259
Tiivistelmä
In the emerging digital age, universities seek to differentiate their brands through social media, websites and strategic plans, which reflect those activities that cannot necessarily be digitised. How a company presents itself to the world, is defined by its corporate brand personality. To understand the importance of the brand personality in higher education, the dimensions, along with how brand personality is perceived, need to be investigated.
During a master’s in education-management group discussion, it was highlighted that the strategic plan, as well as the website of the Tshwane University of Technology, lack certain aspects, as regards what the university communicates to its audience at large.
By understanding the importance of brand personality within strategic plans, as well as how a university’s website attributes are portrayed, can assist the management of universities in the formulation of marketing strategies that can enhance the communication efforts targeted at potential and current students.
A content analysis was used in the analysis of the strategic plans of four Universities of Technology in South Africa. The units of analysis for this study consist of Aaker’s five broad dimensions of brand personality. However, the Aaker model was adapted, in order to be applied within the educational environment. The website attributes of the Tshwane University of Technology were also analysed by means of a content analysis.
The findings of this study led to the development of an adapted version of the brand’s personality model that was first developed by Aaker (1997). The adapted model can be applied within the strategic plans and within any other marketing communication strategies within Higher education.
During a master’s in education-management group discussion, it was highlighted that the strategic plan, as well as the website of the Tshwane University of Technology, lack certain aspects, as regards what the university communicates to its audience at large.
By understanding the importance of brand personality within strategic plans, as well as how a university’s website attributes are portrayed, can assist the management of universities in the formulation of marketing strategies that can enhance the communication efforts targeted at potential and current students.
A content analysis was used in the analysis of the strategic plans of four Universities of Technology in South Africa. The units of analysis for this study consist of Aaker’s five broad dimensions of brand personality. However, the Aaker model was adapted, in order to be applied within the educational environment. The website attributes of the Tshwane University of Technology were also analysed by means of a content analysis.
The findings of this study led to the development of an adapted version of the brand’s personality model that was first developed by Aaker (1997). The adapted model can be applied within the strategic plans and within any other marketing communication strategies within Higher education.