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Assessing the Market Orientation of Higher Education Institutions in Ireland Cover

Assessing the Market Orientation of Higher Education Institutions in Ireland

By: Tomás Dwyer  
Open Access
|Oct 2024

Figures & Tables

Coding references to components of MO

Components with most coding referencesCoding references*Components with least coding referencesCoding references
Student orientation269Employer orientation61
Employee orientation202Competitor/Collaboration88
Stakeholder orientation287Parent orientation0
Sustainable innovation/research302Resource orientation108
Environment orientation32
Societal orientation112
Inter-functional coordination68

A conceptualisation of market orientation for HEIs

ComponentsDescription of the componentSample Supporting literature
Student orientationA culture and behaviours aimed at understanding and continuing to satisfy the needs of students, including in the co-creation of value, while preserving their long-term welfare.Abou-Warda, 2014; Alnawas, 2015; Rivera-Camino and Molero Ayala, 2009.
Employee orientationA culture and behaviours aimed at understanding and continuing to satisfy the needs of employees (inclusive of teaching and research faculty and non-faculty) in the service of stakeholders.Abou-Warda, 2014; Alnawas, 2015; Pavičić et al., 2009; Rivera-Camino and Molero Ayala, 2009.
Employer orientationA culture and behaviours aimed at understanding and continuing to satisfy the needs of graduate employers.Abou-Warda, 2014; Hammond and Webster, 2014; Hammond et al., 2006.
Competitor/Collaboration orientationA culture and behaviours aimed at understanding and competitively responding and or collaborating with other HEIs to better serve stakeholders.Abou-Warda, 2014; Llonch et al., 2016; Rivera-Camino and Molero Ayala, 2010.
Parent orientationA culture and behaviours aimed at understanding and continuing to satisfy the needs of students’ parents.Hammond and Webster, 2014; Hammond et al., 2006; Pavičić et al., 2009.
Resource orientationA culture and behaviours aimed at understanding and continuing to satisfy the needs of those who provide sources of funding inclusive of governments and other donors.Llonch et al., 2016; Rivera-Camino and Molero Ayala, 2010.
Stakeholder orientationA culture and behaviours aimed at understanding and continuing to satisfy the needs of other relevant stakeholder communities including in the co-creation of value (with media, alumni, potential students, educational institutions etc.).Abou-Warda, 2014; Alnawas, 2015; Llonch et al., 2016; Pavičić et al., 2009; Rivera-Camino and Molero Ayala, 2010; Rosi at al., 2018.
Inter-functional coordinationA culture and behaviours aimed at co-ordination and integration across the HEI in responding to stakeholder needs.Abou-Warda, 2014; Llonch et al., 2016; Rivera-Camino and Molero Ayala, 2010.
Sustainable innovation orientationA culture and behaviours aimed at the development of sustainable products, processes, services and technologies inclusive of research and innovation.Abou-Warda, 2014.
Environment orientationA culture and behaviours aimed at understanding and adapting to changes in the external environment including the higher education environment.Llonch et al., 2016; Rivera-Camino and Molero Ayala, 2010; Rosi at al., 2018.
Societal orientationA culture and behaviours aimed at understanding and contributing to the sustainability and well-being of society.Abou-Warda, 2014; Flavián and Lozano, 2006; Pavičić et al., 2009.

Coding references as a percentage of the strategic plans for HEI 1 and for all HEIs

Components of MOHEI 1Total % for all HEIs
%Total %%Total %
Student orientation6.18% 5.37%
Student orientation - Careers0% 1.28%
Student orientation - Co-creation of value1.12% 3.39%
Student orientation - International2.25% 1.6%
Student orientation - Internationalising3.37% 2.18%
Student orientation - Welfare4.49% 3.39%
Sub-Total 17.41% 17.21%
Employee orientation5.06% 5.63%
Employee orientation - Non-faculty8.43% 1.92%
Employee orientation - Research0.56% 2.24%
Employee orientation - Teaching7.87% 3.13%
Sub-Total 21.92% 12.92%
Employer orientation 1.69% 3.9%
Competitor orientation2.81% 2.5%
Competitor orientation - Collaboration1.12% 3.13%
Sub-Total 3.93% 5.63%
Parent Orientation 0% 0%
Resource orientation0.56% 3.26%
Resource orientation - Govt1.69% 1.15%
Resource orientation - Non Govt1.69% 2.5%
Sub-Total 3.94% 6.91%
Stakeholder orientation3.37% 6.4%
Stakeholder orientation - Alumni1.69% 1.54%
Stakeholder orientation - Communities2.25% 2.43%
Stakeholder orientation - Media and External Communications1.69% 2.18%
Stakeholder orientation - Potential students0.56% 3.26%
Stakeholder orientation - Regional0.56% 4.73%
Sub-Total 10.12% 20.54%
Environment orientation 5.62% 2.05%
Societal orientation4.49% 5.5%
Societal orientation - Cultural0% 1.66%
Sub-Total 4.49% 7.16%
Inter-functional coordination 3.37% 4.35%
Sustainable innovation/research orientation
Sustainable innovation/research orientation - Innovation6.74% 7.81%
Sustainable innovation/research orientation - Research15.73% 9.21%
Sustainable innovation/research orientation - Sustainable5.06% 2.3%
Sub-Total 27.53% 19.32%
100%100%100%100%

Coding references as a percentage of the strategic plans for HEI 3 and 5

Components of MOUniversity - HEI 3IoT - HEI 5
%Total %%Total %
Student orientation5.70% 4.21%
Student orientation - Careers1.14% 2.25%
Student orientation - Co-creation of value3.42% 5.62%
Student orientation - International1.42% 0.56%
Student orientation - Internationalising3.42% 1.40%
Student orientation - Welfare2.56% 3.93%
Sub-Total 17.66% 17.97%
Employee orientation5.98% 6.18%
Employee orientation - Non-faculty0.28% 2.25%
Employee orientation - Research3.13% 3.37%
Employee orientation - Teaching2.56% 1.97%
Sub-Total 11.95% 13.77%
Employer orientation 1.42% 6.74%
Competitor orientation4.56% 1.12%
Competitor orientation - Collaboration4.84% 2.53%
Sub-Total 9.40% 3.65%
Parent Orientation 0% 0%
Resource orientation5.13% 1.69%
Resource orientation - Govt1.99% 0%
Resource orientation - Non Govt3.13% 0.56%
Sub-Total 10.25% 2.25%
Stakeholder orientation3.70% 9.27%
Stakeholder orientation - Alumni0.85% 2.25%
Stakeholder orientation - Communities1.71% 3.37%
Stakeholder orientation - Media and External Communications1.14% 5.34%
Stakeholder orientation - Potential students1.99% 4.78%
Stakeholder orientation - Regional1.71% 7.30%
Sub-Total 11.10% 32.31%
Environment orientation 2.28% 0.56%
Societal orientation9.69% 3.37%
Societal orientation - Cultural2.28% 1.69%
Sub-Total 11.97% 5.06%
Inter-functional coordination 8.26% 3.65%
Sustainable innovation/research orientation
Sustainable innovation/research orientation - Innovation7.69% 7.30%
Sustainable innovation/research orientation - Research6.55% 5.06%
Sustainable innovation/research orientation - Sustainable1.42% 1.69%
Sub-Total 15.66% 14.05%
100%100%100%100%

Coding references to sub-components of MO

Sub-components with the most coding referencesSub-components with the least coding references
Student orientation
Co-creation of value53International25
Welfare53Internationalising34
Careers20
Employee orientation
Teaching49Non-faculty30
Research35
Stakeholder orientation
Potential students48Alumni24
Regional58Communities37
Media and External Communications28
Sustainable innovation/research orientation
Innovation122Sustainable36
Research144

Components and sub-components of the MO of a HEI

Student orientation
  Student orientation - Careers
  Student orientation - Co-creation of value
  Student orientation - International
  Student orientation - Internationalising
  Student orientation - Welfare
Employee orientation
  Employee orientation - Non-faculty
  Employee orientation - Research
  Employee orientation - Teaching
Employer orientation
Competitor/Collaboration orientation
  Competitor orientation - Collaboration
Parent Orientation
Resource orientation
  Resource orientation – Government
  Resource orientation - Non-Government
Stakeholder orientation
  Stakeholder orientation - Alumni
  Stakeholder orientation - Communities
  Stakeholder orientation - Media and External Communications
  Stakeholder orientation - Potential students
  Stakeholder orientation - Regional
Environment orientation
Societal orientation
  Societal orientation - Cultural
Inter-functional coordination
Sustainable innovation/research orientation
  Sustainable innovation/research orientation - Innovation
  Sustainable innovation/research orientation - Research
  Sustainable innovation/research orientation - Sustainable

Profile of HEI Sample

NameTypeLocationSize*Strategic Plan Period
HEI 1UniversityUrban – Regional12017-22
HEI 2UniversityUrban12020-24
HEI 3UniversityUrban12017-22
HEI 4IoTUrban – Regional22018-23
HEI 5IoTRegional22017-22
HEI 6IoTRegional22017-21

Coding references as a percentage of the strategic plans for each HEI type*

Components of MOUniversitiesIoTs
Total %Total %
Student orientation17.22%17.21%
Employee orientation14.21%11.48%
Employer orientation2.53%5.46%
Competitor/Collaboration orientation6.86%4.23%
Parent orientation0%0%
Resource orientation8.54%5.05%
Stakeholder orientation14.2%27.73%
Environment orientation2.77%1.23%
Societal orientation7.7%6.56%
Inter-functional coordination5.29%3.28%
Sustainable innovation/research orientation20.7%17.76%
100%100%
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ijm-2024-0001 | Journal eISSN: 2451-2834 | Journal ISSN: 1649-248X
Language: English
Page range: 121 - 135
Published on: Oct 30, 2024
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 3 issues per year

© 2024 Tomás Dwyer, published by Irish Academy of Management
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.