| Summary: | This thesis examines the role of market orientation within the field of postgraduate management education in the UK. A detailed study of student expectations and outcomes was undertaken at the Strathclyde Business School in order to test the hypothesis that British management educational institutions are not adequately market orientated. The study was carried out in relation to MCom in Marketing, MSc in Marketing and MBA programmes offered by the SBS. Thus the study involved: a. A survey of the entering students: In addition to the basic purpose of examining the levels of academic, career, social and personal expectations students have when they embark on a study programme, the study attempted to examine the expectations students have about the course, the institution and the study environment. b. Current student survey: The same students surveyed at the entering stage were surveyed again after six months of enrolment to ascertain the extent to which they feel their expectations a re fulfilled by the programmes, the institution and the study environment. C. Past graduates survey: The purpose of carrying out this survey was to ascertain the extent to which past graduates feel their expectations are fulfilled by the programme, the institution and the study environment some time after the completion of the programmes. Analysis of the responses received at the three stages of the survey revealed that there are certain gaps that exist between expectations and outcomes. The direction of the relationship between expectations and outcomes was found to be curvilinear, suggesting that students change their evaluative criteria over time. The major thrust of the study is the necessity to conduct continual research of the market for management education and setting up and maintaining a database of both current and past students. Other recommendations which evolve from the findings of the study are related to internal marketing, staff/student interaction, promotion of programmes and the organisation and management of the programmes.
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