**Developing Countries' Marketing Communication Role in School Culture** Developing Countries' Marketing Communication Role

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.71254

Anıl Kemal Kaya and Umut Ayman

in School Culture

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Anıl Kemal Kaya and Umut Ayman Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.71254

#### Abstract

Marketing communication has a vital role for organization's internal and external representation in the marketing environment. Also, it creates a planned communication process for each organization attempt to become successful in the marketplace. Communication gives chances to organizations explaining, creating, and communicating information; it has a role to exchange the communicative messages mutually in terms of verbal and visual representation. In developing islands, service sectors are more developed and controlled by some Ministries. Education sector is controlled by Ministry of Education. Thus, school management must apply specific curriculum. According to Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory, quality versus quantity of life dimension focuses on whether society concentrates on quality or quantity of the life. Thus, private schools analyzed under profit-oriented institutions. This chapter is going to explore the role of marketing communication in private school culture. Firstly, it analyses current situation of private schools, marketing communication applications in the process of building their school cultures by using quantitative method, and then develop an ideal model of marketing communication for institutions that reflects their school cultures. This chapter is going to be valuable for school managers and be a guideline for them while they are trying to apply the marketing communication tactics.

Keywords: marketing communication, school culture, private schools, developing countries, Northern Cyprus

#### 1. Introduction

This chapter is about how schools apply their marketing communication elements while reflecting their school culture by using new media tools in developing countries. As changing technology, the uses of mediums for society also changed. People start to use new media channels while they are trying to reach any information rather than using traditional media.

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and eproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Hence, just using traditional media channels is not enough for institutions if they want to gain a competitive advantage. Consequently, using new media channels gives chance for interactive communication between institutions and their stakeholders. Thus, to make it clearer, marketing communication clearly is defined and the importance in this century is discussed. Also, marketing communication in education sector, the role of marketing communication in school culture, and school structure in Northern Cyprus are also examined in the first part in this chapter. Then second part, is about methodology part. In this section, data collection procedure, data collection, and coding in research were explained. Afterwards, in last section, there is an analysis about Northern Cyprus private schools Web sites and Facebook page analysis taken as a case study.

know what and when they will use these marketing communication mix elements during

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Marketing communication evolves to create a planned communication process for each organization attempt to become successful in the market place. Marketing communication as an integral part of marketing management can also be another name for promotional elements. Marketing communication as vital marketing tools consists of promotional variables, which can be used in persuasively communicating favorable information about organizational products to its target audience. Marketing communication evolves to create a planned communication process for each organization's attempt to become successful in the market place. Keller focused on to 10 different subject categories that are easily adaptable to marketing communi-

As seen in Table 1, there are 10 primary tools in marketing communication that companies use to gain a competitive advantage while they are reaching their consumer (target audiences).

1. Media advertising: television, radio, magazines, and newspaper are known as traditional mediums that companies use to reach their target audience by caring rating and circulation rate before they calculate gross impression, frequency of exposure, and the reach point. 2. Direct response advertising: direct mail, telephone solicitation, online advertising are mostly used tactics from the company when they want to create direct response.

3. Place advertising: by using billboards, bulletins, poster, transit ads, cinema ads to get the attention of target audience and give them a brief information or idea about products or

4. Store signage and point-of-purchase advertising: help for audience or customer to find out easily by using external store signs, in-store shelf signs, shopping cart ads, in-store radio,

5. Trade- and consumer-oriented promotions: Categorized under two headings such as trade promotions that companies do some promotional activities for their intermediaries or their partners to support them as well; the idea is if the partner wins the market that means they will win as well. The second promotional activities are customer-oriented promotions that focus on individual customer to give them a chance to either test, buy, or

6. Event marketing and sponsorships: can be sponsoring as a company to any sporting

7. Marketing-oriented public relations and publicity: focusing on their product or service

8. Personal selling: using professional personal to answer all the question mark in their

10. Online marketing: mobile advertising, placed-based applications, search engine marketing.

that attempts to get attention and interest of their customers.

consumer mind by using interactive communication.

9. Social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube.

campaign period.

services.

and TV.

use the good at least one time.

events, arts, fairs, festival, or causes.

cations in education industry [2].

#### 1.1. Marketing communication

In marketing communication, there are two terminologies such as marketing and communication. Under marketing concept, firstly companies must define their customer needs, wants, and their expectation, then according to those data, they must plan how they are going to fulfill their customer needs by designing their products or services. Therefore, companies must design their products or services; then according to market price (common price) decide on their price; they must transmit these products or services; and lastly develop their promotional activities. As product line increases day by day, companies must continue to develop or modify their existing products not to lose their competitive advantage. Thus, these developments increase the importance of marketing in every sector. In traditional marketing, just focusing on 3p (product, price, and place) was enough for companies; however, in this century, it is not enough and therefore under promotion activities, companies care on more communication with their customers. Therefore, communicating with the customer is essential for owning market share. On the other hand, marketing communication is a two-way communication that has two parties as company itself and customers who carry companies benefit, try to persuade, influence, and motive their attitudes and behavior to create positive effects and lead them to buy the company's products or services.

Marketing communication is a management process that the company creates and communicates messages to reach various target audiences that cause to create a mutual value with the company and its target market [1]. Marketing communication is an essential element for the companies to create favorable information flow to the target market with the use of promotional tools. Therefore, it is a long-term communication. Gaining competitive advantage in this market needs an application of accurate marketing communication strategies.

Communication is on the center in marketing because of some changes such as consumer gain power in market. Highly competitive market effects of global economy are changing consumption pattern of consumers and changing consumer expectation and their perception attitudes. These changes reduce the effect of traditional campaigns effect on consumers. Therefore, to prepare accurate campaigns, companies should send all valuable information about their product, price, and place by using marketing communication mix elements. All marketing communication elements such as advertising, public relations, direct marketing, sales force, and sales promotion activities have different roles in the campaigns. Hence, companies should know what and when they will use these marketing communication mix elements during campaign period.

Hence, just using traditional media channels is not enough for institutions if they want to gain a competitive advantage. Consequently, using new media channels gives chance for interactive communication between institutions and their stakeholders. Thus, to make it clearer, marketing communication clearly is defined and the importance in this century is discussed. Also, marketing communication in education sector, the role of marketing communication in school culture, and school structure in Northern Cyprus are also examined in the first part in this chapter. Then second part, is about methodology part. In this section, data collection procedure, data collection, and coding in research were explained. Afterwards, in last section, there is an analysis about Northern Cyprus private schools Web sites and Facebook page analysis

In marketing communication, there are two terminologies such as marketing and communication. Under marketing concept, firstly companies must define their customer needs, wants, and their expectation, then according to those data, they must plan how they are going to fulfill their customer needs by designing their products or services. Therefore, companies must design their products or services; then according to market price (common price) decide on their price; they must transmit these products or services; and lastly develop their promotional activities. As product line increases day by day, companies must continue to develop or modify their existing products not to lose their competitive advantage. Thus, these developments increase the importance of marketing in every sector. In traditional marketing, just focusing on 3p (product, price, and place) was enough for companies; however, in this century, it is not enough and therefore under promotion activities, companies care on more communication with their customers. Therefore, communicating with the customer is essential for owning market share. On the other hand, marketing communication is a two-way communication that has two parties as company itself and customers who carry companies benefit, try to persuade, influence, and motive their attitudes and behavior to create positive effects and

Marketing communication is a management process that the company creates and communicates messages to reach various target audiences that cause to create a mutual value with the company and its target market [1]. Marketing communication is an essential element for the companies to create favorable information flow to the target market with the use of promotional tools. Therefore, it is a long-term communication. Gaining competitive advantage in this

Communication is on the center in marketing because of some changes such as consumer gain power in market. Highly competitive market effects of global economy are changing consumption pattern of consumers and changing consumer expectation and their perception attitudes. These changes reduce the effect of traditional campaigns effect on consumers. Therefore, to prepare accurate campaigns, companies should send all valuable information about their product, price, and place by using marketing communication mix elements. All marketing communication elements such as advertising, public relations, direct marketing, sales force, and sales promotion activities have different roles in the campaigns. Hence, companies should

market needs an application of accurate marketing communication strategies.

taken as a case study.

1.1. Marketing communication

96 Open and Equal Access for Learning in School Management

lead them to buy the company's products or services.

Marketing communication evolves to create a planned communication process for each organization attempt to become successful in the market place. Marketing communication as an integral part of marketing management can also be another name for promotional elements. Marketing communication as vital marketing tools consists of promotional variables, which can be used in persuasively communicating favorable information about organizational products to its target audience. Marketing communication evolves to create a planned communication process for each organization's attempt to become successful in the market place. Keller focused on to 10 different subject categories that are easily adaptable to marketing communications in education industry [2].

As seen in Table 1, there are 10 primary tools in marketing communication that companies use to gain a competitive advantage while they are reaching their consumer (target audiences).



Table 1. Primary tools of marketing communications [2, 3].

#### 1.2. Marketing communication in education sector

In this highly competitive business markets, companies should focus on effective use of marketing communication to achieve their goals and gain consumer satisfaction in various markets and education sector as well. The education sector is one of the prominent sectors around the world that success, satisfaction, quality, and long-term relationship with mutual interaction within marketing communication tools lead to successful outcomes for the schools. Specially, high school education, which is compulsory in Northern Cyprus, the students have some years to visually and verbally understand with conceptual thinking and emotionally being a socially responsible person to survive their battles and gain success in their lives.

brand names have more power on people to identify the brands and include distinctive and positive perception in the consumers' minds [4]. Thus, the brands cover more than a name that represent the school, which is everything related with the high schools in their environment

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Technological advances and marketing communication tools are showed in Table 1 that shed a light into education sector from marketing communication perspective. These can be designed by marketing communication professionals to gain success not only in education as a service but also become competitive businesses, which are aggressively competing with the competitors.

Organizations like individuals in the society, which have some set of beliefs, values, and behaviors. Like individuals, the organizations have some characteristic differences on their culture as well. Culture is considered by the means of interactions between individuals, which is a learned process [5]. As communication plays a vital role in terms of the interaction between individuals, the diffusion of culture depends on communication. The main elements of culture are communication, emotions, thoughts that are based on the mutual flow of communication

Education is one of the most important sectors in Northern Cyprus. The success of schools is one of the most important issue for the schools. The schools should gain market share in the marketplace that is the growth stage of private schools in a developing country. The high schools should consider the quality, which is one of the most prominent asset for the schools. To gain success with quality as a benefit of the schools, they should consider creating their school cultures. Internal and external environments are important parts for school culture. Internal environment covers teachers, students, administrative branches, and main branch. External environment covers the stakeholders such as government offices, media, nonprofit organizations, associations, and so on who could affect negatively and positively the future surviving mechanism of the school's wellbeing. Thus, the stakeholders' perception of school culture plays a vital role to transfer school culture into the school image. School culture is created by the internal environment of the schools, which is a learning process of culture, that

School culture "is comprising the values and norms of the school or organization" [6]. According to Mitchell and Willower, he found out that "organizational culture grounded in academics and school spirit" and the students are considered as one of the most important group for

"A school's culture–positive or negative–stems from its vision and its established values. Whether the culture is strong or weak depends on the actions, traditions, symbols, ceremonies, and rituals that are closely aligned with that vision" [8]. Also, Jerald pointed out that the importance of school culture's vision and values [8]. These are intangible considerations to build up a school culture with the learning, sharing, obeying, and transferring the values within the organization itself. The reflection of school culture is the school culture image that is perceived by the stakeholders who are externals to the school. The issue of school culture

because of differentiating schools among the rivals.

and information within the society.

organizational culture [7].

1.3. The role of marketing communication in school culture

are internally and externally available to participate in the process.

The education sector newly focuses on the marketing communication tools within their marketing mix strategies. Firstly, research has a vital role in every industry. Also, research is vital for the institutions that help the companies to understand situation analysis and use the data in their further strategies. Further strategies must focus on segmentation, targeting, and positioning should be done for education sector as well. Segmentation consists of dividing the market into smaller groups to reach more effectively to right people in a right way at the right time with right strategies with the use of marketing communication tools. Targeting is a second essential strategy of the company to define the target group. Last one is positioning, which the companies try to find out a perceptional positioning in the consumers' minds with the use of symbolic, functional, and experiential benefits to create top in the mindset of the consumers. For the companies as private schools, the name of school is the brand, which is a kind of tangible and intangible assets that add value to create its brand equity. Shimp pointed out that "a brand is everything that one company's particular offering stands for in comparison to other brands in a category of competitive brands" [3]. Clow & Baack, pointed out that strong brand names have more power on people to identify the brands and include distinctive and positive perception in the consumers' minds [4]. Thus, the brands cover more than a name that represent the school, which is everything related with the high schools in their environment because of differentiating schools among the rivals.

Technological advances and marketing communication tools are showed in Table 1 that shed a light into education sector from marketing communication perspective. These can be designed by marketing communication professionals to gain success not only in education as a service but also become competitive businesses, which are aggressively competing with the competitors.

#### 1.3. The role of marketing communication in school culture

1.2. Marketing communication in education sector

Table 1. Primary tools of marketing communications [2, 3].

1. Media advertising ● Television ● Radio ● Magazines ● Newspapers

● Direct mail ● Telephone solicitation ● Online advertising 3. Place advertising ●Billboards &bulletins

● Posters ● Transit ads ● Cinema ads

advertising ● External store signs ● In-store shelf signs ● Shopping cart ads ● In-store radio and TV

2. Direct response advertising

98 Open and Equal Access for Learning in School Management

4. Store signage and point-of-purchase

In this highly competitive business markets, companies should focus on effective use of marketing communication to achieve their goals and gain consumer satisfaction in various markets and education sector as well. The education sector is one of the prominent sectors around the world that success, satisfaction, quality, and long-term relationship with mutual interaction within marketing communication tools lead to successful outcomes for the schools. Specially, high school education, which is compulsory in Northern Cyprus, the students have some years to visually and verbally understand with conceptual thinking and emotionally being a socially responsible person to survive their battles and gain success in their lives.

5. Trade- & consumer-oriented

6. Event marketing and sponsorships ● Sponsorship of sporting events ● Sponsorship of arts, fairs, and festivals

7.Marketing-oriented public relations

● Sponsorship of causes

& publicity

8. Personal selling

10. Online marketing ● Mobile advertising ● Placed-based applications ● Search engine marketing

9. Social media ● Facebook ● Twitter ● LinkedIn ● YouTube

● Trade deals and buying

● Display and advertising

● Cooperative advertising

promotions

allowances

allowances ● Trade shows

● Samples ● Coupons ● Premiums ● Refunds/rebates ● Contests/sweepstakes ● Promotional games ● Bonus packs ● Price-off deals

The education sector newly focuses on the marketing communication tools within their marketing mix strategies. Firstly, research has a vital role in every industry. Also, research is vital for the institutions that help the companies to understand situation analysis and use the data in their further strategies. Further strategies must focus on segmentation, targeting, and positioning should be done for education sector as well. Segmentation consists of dividing the market into smaller groups to reach more effectively to right people in a right way at the right time with right strategies with the use of marketing communication tools. Targeting is a second essential strategy of the company to define the target group. Last one is positioning, which the companies try to find out a perceptional positioning in the consumers' minds with the use of symbolic, functional, and experiential benefits to create top in the mindset of the consumers. For the companies as private schools, the name of school is the brand, which is a kind of tangible and intangible assets that add value to create its brand equity. Shimp pointed out that "a brand is everything that one company's particular offering stands for in comparison to other brands in a category of competitive brands" [3]. Clow & Baack, pointed out that strong Organizations like individuals in the society, which have some set of beliefs, values, and behaviors. Like individuals, the organizations have some characteristic differences on their culture as well. Culture is considered by the means of interactions between individuals, which is a learned process [5]. As communication plays a vital role in terms of the interaction between individuals, the diffusion of culture depends on communication. The main elements of culture are communication, emotions, thoughts that are based on the mutual flow of communication and information within the society.

Education is one of the most important sectors in Northern Cyprus. The success of schools is one of the most important issue for the schools. The schools should gain market share in the marketplace that is the growth stage of private schools in a developing country. The high schools should consider the quality, which is one of the most prominent asset for the schools. To gain success with quality as a benefit of the schools, they should consider creating their school cultures. Internal and external environments are important parts for school culture. Internal environment covers teachers, students, administrative branches, and main branch. External environment covers the stakeholders such as government offices, media, nonprofit organizations, associations, and so on who could affect negatively and positively the future surviving mechanism of the school's wellbeing. Thus, the stakeholders' perception of school culture plays a vital role to transfer school culture into the school image. School culture is created by the internal environment of the schools, which is a learning process of culture, that are internally and externally available to participate in the process.

School culture "is comprising the values and norms of the school or organization" [6]. According to Mitchell and Willower, he found out that "organizational culture grounded in academics and school spirit" and the students are considered as one of the most important group for organizational culture [7].

"A school's culture–positive or negative–stems from its vision and its established values. Whether the culture is strong or weak depends on the actions, traditions, symbols, ceremonies, and rituals that are closely aligned with that vision" [8]. Also, Jerald pointed out that the importance of school culture's vision and values [8]. These are intangible considerations to build up a school culture with the learning, sharing, obeying, and transferring the values within the organization itself. The reflection of school culture is the school culture image that is perceived by the stakeholders who are externals to the school. The issue of school culture


Table 2. Private school in Northern Cyprus.

perception in terms of private school's image is needed to be transferred from school to stakeholders. The successful school culture image is the responsibility of marketing communication professionals. To cope with highly competitive marketplace, the private high schools should use marketing communication tools professionally. The way of marketing communication tools depends on the target market and segments, which are researched by the organizations in the society. The use of marketing communication in private high school education in Northern Cyprus may create long-term successful mechanisms and its survival in the highly competitive education sector as well.

according to Hofstede theory, quality versus quantity of life, private schools are trying to differentiate their education by focusing on more quality oriented rather than quantity of the life. In that case, there are nine private schools depending on Ministry of Education in different

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In data collection, all nine private schools are separately analyzed one by one by checking their Facebook pages posts and web sites information to evaluate how and what types of information about their education services they are sharing during interactive communication with their target audience and whether if they can reflect their school culture; like their history, values, missions, and their vision in their activities, ceremonies, awards, and their slogan. Thus, in the analyses of web sites, information are analyzed and interpreted according to education system, price, place, communication elements, and school culture reflections. Also in Facebook pages, the posts are taken into consideration like follow, visit, posts, video,

As a data collection method, the researchers one by one categorized Facebook pages and Web sites of the private schools. Each private school's product as education, price, place, company, events, press releases, slogan, and logo were categorized and coded data were explained in each column. The content of each column was coded by researchers that the representative

This part has two sections. In the first part, nine private high schools Web sites and Facebook pages data uses are interpreted and a model of marketing communication for institution that reflects their school culture is designed. In the last section, there is a conclusion part of this chapter.

picture, and efficiency of the institution usage criteria as shown in Figure 1.

regions in North Cyprus and all were analyzed.

2.1. Data collection procedure in research

Figure 1. Procedure in research.

2.2. Data collection and coding in research

3. Findings and conclusion

words and abbreviations were used as coded data.

#### 1.4. School structure in Northern Cyprus

Throughout 2015–2016 period, there are 94 high schools in Northern Cyprus in which 19,068 number of students get education from 1775 teachers, which show that each teacher should concentrate on approximately 11 students (the ratio of student/teacher) [9].

As seen from Table 2, nine private schools give their education as an alternative to public school. The main difference between private schools and public schools are education hours. For instance, private school gives whole day education, start at 8 and finish 16.00 o'clock but public school gives half day education, start at 8 and finish 13.00 o'clock. On the other hand, the main common characteristic facilities for both type schools (public and private) depend on and are controlled by the Ministry of Education. There is a fixed syllabus for all schools that they should complete during the education period. Therefore, the private schools complete these fixed syllabuses and have a chance to give extra-curricular activities because of the time spending in the school hour [10].
