IMAT5211: Business Model Analysis of DMU Distance Learning

This report, prepared as an external consultant's analysis for De Montfort University (DMU), examines the university's proposal to expand its international student base through distance learning programs. The report begins with an executive summary outlining the scope and findings, followed by a...Read More

Running head: FOUNDATIONS OF BUSINESS SYSTEM AND ECOMMERCE
FOUNDATIONS OF BUSINESS SYSTEM AND ECOMMERCE
Student’s Name
University Name
Author note

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Executive summary
The purpose of this report is to act as an external consultant of DMU and analysis the
strengths, weakness, opportunity, threats of the university’s proposal to offer courses to the
overseas students through distance learning. The report summarizes the findings of the university
on the current offering and resources. Further, the report has analyzed the external situation
analysis of the university using the porters five force analysis; it has provided the objectives, the
success factors, key performance indicators. It has identified the competencies, resources and the
existing competition of the university. Lastly, it concludes and recommends on the
organizational changes that are required and the demand of the university.

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Table of contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Discussion........................................................................................................................................3
Part 1................................................................................................................................................3
SWOT analysis of De Montfort University.................................................................................4
Recommendation to overcome threat and weakness...................................................................5
Part 2................................................................................................................................................5
Porters five force analysis of De Montfort University................................................................5
Objectives of De Montfort University.........................................................................................6
Critical success factors of De Montfort University.....................................................................7
Key performance indicators to measure objectives.....................................................................7
Competencies and resources required.........................................................................................8
Competition, changes required and demand factor in DMU.......................................................8
Part 3................................................................................................................................................8
Recommendations........................................................................................................................8
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................10
Appendices....................................................................................................................................12

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Introduction
The De Montfort University plans to develop a strategy and a distinct identity to develop
and increase the number of international students in the university. The university choose to offer
to it students a range of courses at UG and PG level who wish to visit UK and study at DMU
university (Chen, et al., 2019). The university wishes to expand and grow its international
students including the India, China, Malaysia, Ghana, Nigeria and other countries. The university
proposes to offer more courses to the overseas students in distance learning mode. It proposes to
increase the number of countries to extent their market and offer courses. They wish to increase
awareness of their educational institution in the global market place and earn extra revenue. The
purpose of this report is to determine the SWOT analyzes of the university, the external forces
that affects the business and provides recommendations to overcome the weakness and threats of
the university.
Discussion
Part 1
DMU offers overseas placement to the students, internship, coaching, and training and
provide opportunities to its students for research as a part of De Montfort University life and
study. The university offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses, provides full time and part
time training and development courses, foundation courses and beyond registration modules. The
university proposes to offer more courses through distance learning (Cook, et al., 2016). The
international marketing and business at De Montfort University operates as a marketer in the
commercial world. The graduate employment market is highly competitive; however, there is

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increased competence of foreign language apart from other graduate courses. This enhances the
career prospects of the students in De Montfort University (Dyson, 2014).. The De Montfort
University offers to its student’s courses which combines international marketing for the
beginners and post-GCSE level. Moreover, the company provides courses with foreign language
which attracts the overseas students. The courses can be obtained in chosen foreign language
which equates the two hour language class and one hour cultural studies every week. The
students are provided with opportunity to enable their skills and talents into practice by studying
in the university abroad in two or three years. Further, De Montfort University offers to its
student’s placement opportunity with local companies or national and global companies (Muñiz,
2016).. The De Montfort University proposes to offer more courses to the overseas students
through distance learning mode.
SWOT analysis of De Montfort University
Strengths: The op has a strong technological department which deals with the technological
issues. The university has automated system for all the university process. There is an existence
of the website and the social media for De Montfort University. There is an existence of e-
learning system and distance mode learning.
Weakness: The Company needs good financial support, which is lacking. There is a lack of
highly skilled technical staff. There is a lack of clarity on the big data in the academic analysis.
There is a lack of high technical training in De Montfort University. There is a lack of
experienced personnel on big data projects (Paige, 2015).. Due to lack of financial support, high
technical training is not easily provided.

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Opportunities: Increase in e-commerce, high popularity of distance mode education. There is an
increasing efficiency in the system administration, transparent education financing. Reliable
visualization of the decision related opportunity. This will enable the top level management to
encourage big data project and support it (Pickton & Wright, 2018). The De Montfort University
seeks expansion and development for their current situation, the prescriptive analytics helps to
find financial support for technical training and employ skilled personnel.
Threat: The cost of equipment is very costly. Due to cultural diversity, there is a high possibility
of disclosure and discrimination by the students. There is a fear of surveillance. There is a
reservation of participation and exchange of information.
Recommendation to overcome threat and weakness
In order to function properly, highly skilled staff needs to be recruited to handle the
technical projects. There is a weak infrastructure; therefore the company needs maintain its
infrastructure. The intercultural communication needs to be encouraged. Intercultural
communication needs to be encouraged as it is open to students of different countries with
different backgrounds. This will remove the fear of discrimination among the individuals. There
must be capabilities built up to manage the training programs.
Part 2
Porters five force analysis of De Montfort University
The porter’s five force analysis includes all the external forces that affect the De Montfort
University. The effect of these forces on the university is determined by the way of dealing with
the forces.

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Threat of entry of new competitors: this force determines the level of difficulty for other
universities to enter in the industry. New competitors are attracted to the industry in which the
expense or the cost to set up a new university is not prohibitive and the profitability setting up
the new university is large (Paige, 2015).. There is a high possible of new entry in the industry,
as there is huge profitability in the overseas business.
The bargaining power of the suppliers: It determines the bargaining power of the academic
publishers, database aggregators and software companies. However, the bargaining power of the
suppliers of amenities and labour is weak. The university brand is powerful, and purchases large
quantities from the suppliers, therefore, De Montfort University is in a strong position to bargain
and ensure better profit margin through higher price (Muñiz, 2016)..
The bargaining power of the customers or students: Expansion of university and
diversification of the university along with increased number of courses with foreign language
gives the students better choice between the institutions.
Threat of substitute services: New technology or service provided by De Montfort University
can be easily substituted. Existing university are implementing the distant mode education and
expanding overseas education. This is forcing the university to lower the prices in order to
remain competitive. Hence there is high threat of substitute services.
The competitive rivalry among existing Universities: There is an intense competition among
the existing universities. This forces De Montfort University to reduce the prices of the courses
thereby lowering the profit margin (Johnes & Johnes, 2015).. To gain competitive advantage, the
university requires investing in advertisement, promotion, research and development which also
reduces the profit margin.

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Objectives of De Montfort University
The foremost objective of De Montfort University is diversity and equality. The e
university is determined to provide to its students to have freedom to inspire and success. The
university seeks to advance itself with equality for all its students and providing discrimination
free environment. It is the objective of De Montfort University to expand and diversify to reach
its service to overseas students (Cook, et al., 2016). The University has a set equality objectives,
to ensure to its students a diverse, discrimination free and friendly environment where the
students are given freedom to study, learn. Furthermore, the objective of De Montfort University
is to empower and inspire its students to gain the real world skills, a global understanding, cross
cultural communication, and a transformative power to give back one’s community.
Critical success factors of De Montfort University
The critical success factors of DMU are:
 Providing opportunity to overseas students for distance education
 Providing opportunity to the students for cross cultural interaction.
 By encouraging diverse perspectives in the DMU
 Providing academic and social programs to its students.
 Continuous assessment of the campus environment for diversity.
Key performance indicators to measure objectives
The key performance indicators are:
 Recruitment of staff and student selection
 Overall institutional growth, the total student population.
 International student’s headcount based at overseas country.

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 Total annual income and profitability of DMU
 Staff recommendation to the university as a place to work.
Competencies and resources required
The extent to which the university takes responsibility for the students and demonstrates
commitment is one of the core competency required in a university. Adaptability is gathering
relevant information of the students and addressing to the priorities along with the changing
environment. Communication is required to convey information to the students and demonstrate
effective listening skills to people’s ideas and thoughts. Anticipation and monitoring the needs of
the students and faculties and its responsiveness in an appropriate manner are some of the
competency required in DMU (Pickton & Wright, 2018).. The resources required are technical
trainers, financial sources and capable faculties in the university.
Competition, changes required and demand factor in DMU
Some of the major competitors of DMU are Fashion College London, UAL in London,
Manchester Metropolitan University. The changes required in DMU are to set up schemes to
boost mobility and diversity in the students, provide mental health support service, enhancing
experience with technology (Chen, et al., 2019). The demand for the university is high as the
university offers various courses with distance education facility at a competitive price.
Part 3
Recommendations
In order to address the culture and trust on the website, the university needs to enhance its
website, it must include about us options which mentions about the objectives of the university,
to ensure the students about its cross cultural communication options and opportunities to access

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education and training in the foreign language. The website must include the details of the
courses offered and training programs. This helps to gain the trust of the students. Moreover,
there must be an option of contact information and online assistance chat box, which enables
smooth online communication to reach the target audience.
Conclusion
The report has analyzed the proposal of DMU to offer more courses to the students. The
university plans to expand and diversify its service to reach the overseas students to gain its
market position globally and increase the profitability of the university. It has determined the
SWOT analysis of the organization and recommends ways to overcome weakness and threats. It
determines the external environment analysis by using porter’s five force analysis. The finding of
the report includes the objectives, critical performance factors, competitors and suggests way to
address issues of trust and culture on its website and to enhance its online communication to
reach the target audience.

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References
Chen, S. H., Wang, H. H., & Yang, K. J. (2019). Establishment and application of
performance measure indicators for universities. The TQM Journal, 21(3), 220-235.
Cook, W. D., Kress, M., & Seiford, L. M. (2016). Data envelopment analysis in the presence
of both quantitative and qualitative factors. Journal of the operational research
society, 47(7), 945-953.
Dyson, R. G. (2014). Strategic development and SWOT analysis at the University of
Warwick. European journal of operational research, 152(3), 631-640.
Johnes, J., & Johnes, G. (2015). Research funding and performance in UK university
departments of economics: a frontier analysis. Economics of Education Review, 14(3),
301-314.
Muñiz, M. A. (2016). Separating managerial inefficiency and external conditions in data
envelopment analysis. European Journal of Operational Research, 143(3), 625-643.
Paige, R. M. (2015). Internationalization of higher education: Performance assessment and
indicators. Nagoya Journal of Higher Education, 5(8), 99-122.
Pickton, D. W., & Wright, S. (2018). What's swot in strategic analysis?. Strategic
change, 7(2), 101-109.
Sarrico, C. S., Hogan, S. M., Dyson, R. G., & Athanassopoulos, A. D. (2017). Data
envelopment analysis and university selection. Journal of the Operational Research
Society, 48(12), 1163-1177.

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Stancheva, N., & Angelova, V. (2014, May). Measuring the efficiency of university libraries
using data envelopment analysis. In Inforum (Vol. 2004, p. 10TH).
Tomkins, C., & Green, R. (2018). An experiment in the use of data envelopment analysis for
evaluating the efficiency of UK university departments of accounting. Financial
Accountability & Management, 4(2), 147-164.
Youn, J. W., & Park, K. (2019). University development models and efficiency
analysis. Journal of Service Science, 1(1), 9-30.

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Appendices
Logo of DMU

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Mission and Vision of DMU

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Porter’s competitive forces model of DMU

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SWOT ANALYSIS OF DMU

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Key performance indicators of DMU