Launching new educational provision in China

Abstract

Services are dominant entity in the global economy nowadays. Previous research has largely concentrated on new physical product launch. This research study generalizes and extends the current new product launch literature review by focusing on new service launch. Rather than focus primarily on a developed market, this project focuses on an international market. Thus, this research study addresses the research question: What are the successful strategic and tactical launch decisions for the launch of new educational provision in China?

The research identifies the successful service launch strategies and understanding the nature of a proficient service launch strategy in the international market. To expand the previous research heavily focused on financial services that are standardized and mass-produced, an in-depth study of new service launch in complicated services featuring a high degree of complexity and customization was conducted. This study integrates empirical data with theoretical concepts from various disciplines (e.g., services marketing, new service development, international services and education marketing) to encourage a new perspective to the research of new international service launch for an improved understanding of launching new educational provision in China. The study uses a multiple case research strategy where empirical data was collected in three transnational higher education institutions (TEIs). Challenging extant research that has focused on a manager’s perspective, this current research focuses on the dual perspectives of TEIs and students, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the complicated phenomenon of launching new educational provision in China.

In a practical sense, it provides greater insight into understanding what contributes to successful international service launch and in effect, attaining the goal of improving launch success rates by allowing foreign institutions interested in launching new educational provision in China to refine their launch decisions for new TNE offerings. Any reader wishing to understand more about the workings of the TNE marketplace in China, the management practices and managerial directions therein would benefit from this detailed research project.