Challenges of marketing orientation in Tanzania higher learning Institutions revisited: a qualitative study

Abstract

The increasing complexity in the environment that higher learning institutions (HLIs) operates, has resulted in increased attention and desire on marketing orientation applicability in a higher education context. This initiative is however facing various challenges which cannot be generalised due to variation in education, economic and political systems among countries. The purpose of this paper is to identify the marketing orientation challenges in Tanzania HLIs, believing that this can be a stepping stone for those HLIs that want to adapt the marketing orientation strategy. Interviews were used to collect data from 31 respondents comprised of employers’ representatives, HLIs staff in the quality assurance bureaus/centres and students’ leaders. The respondents and institutions were obtained by using both convenient and purposive sampling and data were analysed by using thematic analysis with the use of MAXQDA software. The study revealed that Tanzania HLIs are also facing marketing orientation challenges experienced by education institutions in different parts of the world. The challenges identified in this study were on the nature of HLIs, high cost and technology limitations, attitude and limited availability of marketing personnel in HLIs and the nature of Tanzania environment. This study recommends that any heartfelt effort to adopt marketing orientation as a strategic weapon for HLIs that want to succeed in the current era, must be accompanied by pre-measures to make sure that the stated challenges are eradicated.