Hertfordshire Business School: Singapore Marketing Strategy Report

This report presents a detailed marketing strategy for the Hertfordshire Business School, focusing on its international expansion into Singapore. The report begins with an executive summary and table of contents, followed by an introduction outlining the context of Singapore's higher education market. A comprehensive SWOT analysis identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats relevant to the business school's venture. The report then outlines a marketing plan, including steps such as understanding the business, determining the target market, analyzing competitors, setting goals, outlining strategies, and setting a budget. The marketing plan is discussed in relation to relevant marketing theories and the cross-cultural aspects of doing business in Singapore. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and recommendations, and the report includes references and appendices for further information. The report highlights the importance of understanding cultural nuances, competitor analysis, and the need for a standardized marketing approach to ensure the success of Hertfordshire Business School's expansion efforts in Singapore.

Module title:
Code:
Marketing across cultures
SRN:
Word Count: 2200

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Executive summary
The report aims to develop a marketing strategy for Hertfordshire Business School for
international expansion in Singapore. The report incorporates a SWOT analysis that maps the
internal factors of strengths and weaknesses and an external analysis that shows the external
opportunities offered to the higher education market in Singapore. The detailed marketing plan
that could be implemented by Hertfordshire Business School is discussed in relation to the
marketing theories and the cross culture.

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Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................3
First: SWOT analysis of Singaporean higher education study of business..............................3
Second: Hertfordshire Business School marketing plan............................................................6
Step 1: Know your business........................................................................................................6
Step 2: Determine target market..................................................................................................7
Step 3: Analyze competitors........................................................................................................8
Step 4: Setting goals....................................................................................................................9
Step 5: Outline strategies.............................................................................................................9
Step 6: Set a budget...................................................................................................................10
Conclusions...................................................................................................................................11
References.....................................................................................................................................12

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Introduction
Singapore is an attractive market for doing business for its modern economy; it was founded by
Britain in 1918, then it gained its full independence in 1965. The country has achieved a high
level of growth and development with a GDP growth of 7.7%. Education used to act as a key
driver to its economic development due to the governmental efforts that made education a
priority. Higher education witnessed speed growth over the last two decades and higher
education institutes were increased in number over the same period. The government encouraged
the involvement of world-class universities through its “Global Schoolhouse Initiative”; this
program aimed to attract 150 thousand students from foreign countries and increasing the
contribution of higher education to the GDP to 5% in 2015 (Alfaro & Ketels, 2016).
Singapore’s strategic planning aims to sustain its economic growth by developing its people’s
higher skills and innovation. The governmental SkillsFuture Programme invests more than £477
million per year during 2016 and 2020 on education and training. This creates a great
opportunity for Hertfordshire Business School to expand its educational services overseas in the
area of degree partnerships and collaborations with private educational institutes (UK
Government, 2016). The following section provides a SWOT analysis and a marketing plan for
Hertfordshire Business School in the Singaporean market.
First: SWOT analysis of Singaporean higher education study of business
SWOT analysis is important to help the Business School to map the internal factors of strengths
and weaknesses and an external analysis that shows the external opportunities offered to the

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higher education market in Singapore. The analysis is as follows and the SWOT matrices is
provided in Appendix (1).
 Strengths
The higher educational market, including the business studies, enjoys a strong reputation
regarding the academic life based on a well-developed government educaitonal system. The
Singaporean market represents a hub that links between the Far East meets and the West society
for the top foreign institutes, like INSEAD, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
English language represents the instructions and communication language that prepares the floor
for Hertfordshire Business School to expand its services in the Singaporean market. Also, it is
considered a cost-competitive to UK, Australia, and the USA. It is prepared to act as
management to regional students seeking quality education from India and China. The market is
diversified in terms of being open to both public and private, local and foreign institutions and
type of education. The Singaporeans choose to study at home country for the availability of
highly ranked local universities, increased government findings and diverse program offerings
(Alfaro & Ketels, 2016; Taylor, 2017).
 Weaknesses
Despite the strengths of the higher education system in Singapore that opens the floor to the
foreign institutes to provide its educational services in its market, there are several weaknesses
represented in the regulatory climate; the private commercial schools are allowed to operate as
middlemen on behalf of foreign universities. Also, it lacks the high quality professors. In
addition, it is characterized by high land costs that in turn increases the fees of course offered by
the institutions that seek to have their own campuses. Also, there is a low chance for staff
affordable accommodation and administrative members who should be allocated to the

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Singaporean market. In addition, foreign students find difficulties in securing their passes,
especially to join private business schools. Moreover, the quality of services providers varies,
especially among private business schools due to the lack of quality assurance and credential
agencies (Alfaro & Ketels, 2016; Taylor, 2017).
Also, Singapore is eight hours different in time from the UK, considered to be an expensive
market, characterised by wide income inequality, and it forces restrictions on foreign worker
quotas (UK Government, 2016)
 Opportunities
Education contribution of GDP record about 5.5% in top host countries of international student.
The consumption of the higher education global market represents about US$30 billion. In 1996,
the total number of foreign students that were enrolled in higher education programmes recorded
1.6 million and increased with 5% in average on annual basis since 1970. About half of the
foreign students are Asians, where India and China represent two of the most oriented countries
to foreign education. They also prefer to study in Singapore for being near to their home
countries. This represents a very good opportunity to Hertfordshire Business School to take in
the Singaporean market. The Singaporean regulatory body in 2016, introduced regulatory
changes to improve the quality of private education. The regulations focused on improving
graduate outcomes through the initiative of 'Global Schoolhouse' (Taylor, 2017). UK is
considered the largest investor in Singapore among the EU countries. UK is the fifth largest
source of foreign direct investment to Singapore, the matter that increases the chance to the
School of Business to expand within it (Business West, 2018).

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 Threats
The Singaporean market of higher education is open to international institutes to do their
business within its boundaries and attracts foreign students from neighbour countries, especially
China and India. Accordingly, the market is highly competitive for the perceived quality of
overseas institutions. Therefore, providing a high-quality educational service by the
Hertfordshire Business School is a must. There are neighbour countries, like Malaysia that offers
minimal regulatory hurdles, the matter that creates competitive markets that could attract foreign
students from the Singaporean market. Also, there are many attractive graduate programmes,
post-graduate programmes and internships for the international students in neighbour countries.
A portion of international students enrolled in private commercial schools are obligated to go
back to their original countries by the completion of the course, the matter that lowers their
opportunity to stay in Singapore. International institutions make considerable marketing
activities to attract international students and offer governmental funds, for example, the British
Council and the US Department of State (Ministry of Education, 2015; ICEF Nonitor, 2016).
Second: Hertfordshire Business School marketing plan
Step 1: Know your business
It is very important to Hertfordshire Business School to utilize the results of the SWOT analysis
to be able to maximize the opportunities and at the same time overcome the threats of offering its
services in the Singaporean market. Hertfordshire Business School's mission is to transform the
students’ capabilities to be professionals, allow them to act in the global economy by utilizing
their innovative thinking. The School offers a continuous access to the Learning Resources
Centres over the week days; it enables students to access the needed learning materials to
produce exceptional work. Also, the variety of studying part time or full-time basis for the

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undergraduate or postgraduate levels is likely to suit the needs of a variety of both local and
international students in Singapore. The school experience in offering a study abroad and
exchange opportunities with partner universities and business schools across Asia is likely to
facilitate its international expansion into the Singaporean as an entry mode (Hertfordshire
Business School, 2019)
Step 2: Determine target market
Hertfordshire Business School is required to consider the national cultural theory to ensure the
implementation of ideas in a successful way. Also, the macro-environment elements support the
marketing plan in successful implementation (Fletcher, et al., 2016). Considering the different
culture of Singapore is very important to be able to adapt to the local market needs, the foreign
students' expectations and the main business direction. Materialism is in Singaporean peoples’
hearts, they devote high attention to the physical presentation that should cope up with the
modern and busy lifestyle of people. The government depends on schooling to stress the
importance of multiracialism, which facilitates the acceptance of other cultures and religions by
the Singaporean students. Singaporean are technology savvy and they tend to consult online
reviews before making the purchase decision (Business West, 2014; Tan, 2011).
Identifying the marketing strategy to be implemented by Hertfordshire Business School is very
important. Standardisation marketing strategy refers to offering a uniform and standard product
or service amongst the marketing mix within the national markets. This strategy is based on the
homogeneity across markets. This strategy is advantaged for economies of scale of marketing
and sales, promotion and management. Also, it leads to enhanced customer preference and
ensures high quality. This strategy is disadvantaged for governmental regulations and differences
in customer interests. These differences could be linked to cultural, social or religious reasons.

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On the other hand, the localised marketing strategy refers to adapting the marketing strategies to
cope upwith the specific factors of different markets across the globe. This strategy is
advantaged for the ease of its acceptance by the local markets and responsiveness to local needs.
This strategy is disadvantaged for its high cost, lack of standardised global image and limited
opportunity of know-how transfer (Otuedon, 2016).
Hertfordshire Business School should adopt the standardisation marketing strategy for three
main reasons, first to ensure that high quality of its introduced services that competes with other
global business schools. Second, to lower its costs. Third, to benefit from the Singaporean
culture that accepts multiculturism.
Step 3: Analyze competitors
The Singaporeean government devotes special attention to education at all levels to reduce
inequality. There are five publicly funded higher education institutions and other overseas
institutions, like the Imperial College London and Berkeley SIM University that offers adults
higher education for and programmes to working professionals (Ministry of Education, 2015).
The Singapore Management University (SMU) offers educational services of business
management. Also, it offers the SMU-X curriculum that offers the students the ability to study
modules while working on real-world industry problems guided by the faculty and supported by
industry metrics. In addition, SMU offers a variety of business curriculum to be modelled by the
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
The SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB) has about three thousand students and
faculty members who are holders of postgraduate degrees from Oxford, Stanford and Yale. The
school offers postgraduate programs of MBA and EMBA and doctoral programs as well.

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LKCSB is among the youngest schools to be accredited by EQUIS accreditation and join the
internationally-renowned business schools (Singapore Management University, 2019).
Other than this, the polytechnics School of Business (SB) in Singapore prepares students to
manage the intricacies between business administration and finance that prepares its graduates to
run their own businesses in the future (Singapore Polytechnic, 2019; Ministry of Education,
2019).
Step 4: Setting goals
Hertfordshire Business School's main goal of expansion in the Singaporean market achieves its
broad vision that focuses on students’ empowerment through transformational research and
education. The main goals could be shaped in the form of entry into the
Singaporean market with business-related programmes of study that attracts local students.
Exporting educational services to Singapore is expected to attract a significant number from
international students from neighbouring countries, especially, China and India who travel to the
UK to get graduate or postgraduate degrees. Therefore, it is important to stress the
standardisation of the offered educational services in a manner that gains the trust of the students
wishing to become a British certificate holder (Hertfordshire Business School, 2019).
Step 5: Outline strategies
Setting an appropriate and effective marketing strategy is necessary to implement the
organisational desired goals. The marketing managers should be devoted to prioritizing the
organisation main objectives and transforming them into marketing goals (Morgan, 2012;
Wymer, 2011).

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In the light of the selected market of Singapore higher education, and the Hertfordshire Business
School desire of exporting its educational services to the market. The actions associated with
goals are discussed as follows:
Goal 1: Entry into the Singaporean market with business-related programmes of study
that attracts local students.
Jan. 1, 2020.
Action Items:
 Fulfill the business students’ needs by offering them international certification at their home
country
 Engage graduate and postgraduate students by offering competitive programmes that enables
them to get ready for the job market.
 Promote for the distinguished modules that have high demand from the side of the
international students
Goal 2: Exporting educational services to Singapore is expected to attract a significant number
from international students from neighbouring countries, especially, China and India who travel
to the UK to get graduate or postgraduate degrees.
Jan. 1, 2020.
Action Items:
 Be more active in the Singaporean market that acts as a hub for educational services to the
Asian students and western education.
 Promote the advantages of the near market to their home town
 Promote the similarity in culture among the Asian countries.

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Step 6: Set a budget
Considering these facts about establishing a new service facility in the Singaporean market a
considerable budget should be allocated for marketing the Hertfordshire Business School new
services activities within Singapore and neighbour countries. Consideration should include
setting marketing offices within the desired market and neighbour markets. Also, promoting the
School’s activities on the social media platforms in a manner that generates paid campaigns to
reach the local and international students as well.
Conclusions
The higher educational market, including the business studies, enjoys a strong reputation of its
academic life based on a well-developed governmental system. UK is considered the largest
investor in Singapore among the EU countries. Hertfordshire Business School should cope up
with the standardisation strategy to ensure that high quality education is introduced similar to
other global business schools and to benefit from the Singaporean culture that commonly accepts
multiculturism.

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References
Alfaro, L. & Ketels, C., 2016. Singapore’s higher education cluster, USA: Harvard Business
School.
Business West, 2014. 10 tips for getting your products into Singapore. [Online]
Available at: https://www.businesswest.co.uk/blog/10-tips-getting-your-products-singapore
[Accessed 15 Dec. 2019].
Business West, 2018. Doing Business in Singapore - Guide. [Online]
Available at: https://www.businesswest.co.uk/doing-business-singapore-guide
[Accessed 15 Dec. 2019].
Hertfordshire Business School, 2019. About Hertfordshire Business School. [Online]
Available at: https://www.herts.ac.uk/study/schools-of-study/business/about-the-school
[Accessed 16 Dec. 2019].
ICEF Nonitor, 2016. Singapore adopting a more cautious outlook on education hub ambitions.
[Online]
Available at: https://monitor.icef.com/2016/04/singapore-adopting-a-more-cautious-outlook-on-
education-hub-ambitions/
[Accessed 15 Dec. 2019].
Ministry of Education, 2015. Bringing out the best of in every child, Singapore: Ministry of
Education.
Ministry of Education, 2019. Post-secondary education:Pursuing pathways that fit your
interests, abilities and passions, Singapore: Ministry of Education.
Morgan, N., 2012. Marketing and business performance. J. of the Acad. Mark. Sci., Volume 40,
p. 102–119.

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Otuedon, M., 2016. Standardisation versus adaptation as an international marketing strategy: The
role of cultural pattern in a society and its effect on consumption. Journal of Marketing and
Consumer Research, Volume 23, pp. 46-56.
Singapore Management University, 2019. About. [Online]
Available at: https://business.smu.edu.sg/about/overview
[Accessed 15 Dec. 2019].
Singapore Polytechnic, 2019. WHY SB. [Online]
Available at: https://www.sp.edu.sg/sb
[Accessed 15 Dec. 2019].
Tan, C., 2011. Deep culture matters: Multiracialism in Singapore schools. International Journal
of Educational Reform, 21(1), pp. 24-38.
Taylor, J., 2017. From ‘Global Schoolhouse’ to a diverse sector driven by local needs. [Online]
Available at: https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/International/heglobal/Pages/From-Global-
Schoolhouse-to-a-diverse-sector-driven-by-local-needs.aspx
[Accessed 15 Dec. 2019].
UK Government, 2016. Doing business in Singapore: Singapore trade and export guide.
[Online]
Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exporting-to-singapore/exporting-to-
singapore
[Accessed 15 Dec. 2019].
Wymer, W., 2011. Developing more effective social marketing strategies. Journal of Social
Marketing, 1(1), pp. 17-31.

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Appendix (1)
Strengths Weaknesses
 The higher educational market,
including the business studies, has a
strong academic reputation.
 The Singaporean market represents a
hub that links between the Far East
meets and the West society for the top
foreign institutes
 English language represents the
instructions and communication
language
 Cost-competitive to UK, Australia, and
the USA.
 The market is diversified in terms of
being open to both public and private,
local and foreign institutions and type of
education
 The Singaporeans choose to study at
home country
 The regulatory climate enforces the
private commercial schools to operate
on behalf of foreign universities.
 High costs of land.
 Low chance for affordable
accommodation to the staff and
administrative members who should be
allocated to the Singaporean market.
 foreign students find difficulties in
securing their passes, especially to join
private business schools
 quality of services providers varies,
especially among private business
schools due to the lack of quality
assurance and credential agencies
 Singapore is eight hours different in
time from the UK
 It is an expensive market, characterised
by wide income inequality.
 It forces restrictions on foreign worker
quotas
Opportunities Threats
 Foreign students prefer to study in
Singapore for being near to their home
countries.
 The Singaporean regulatory body in
2016, introduced regulatory changes to
improve the quality of private education.
 UK is considered the largest investor in
Singapore compared to the other EU
countries.
 The market is highly competitive for the
quality of overseas educational
institutions.
 The attraction of neighbour countries
increases the competition.
 There are many attractive graduate
programmes, post-graduate programmes
and internships for the international
students in neighbour countries.
 Many international students enrolled in
private commercial schools are
obligated to return to their home by the
completion of the course, the matter that
lowers their opportunity to stay in
Singapore.
 International institutions make
considerable marketing efforts to attract
international students and offer
governmental funds