Benchmarking & Best Practices Survey #1: The Marketing Function

1. April 13, 2008 Benchmarking & Best Practices Survey #1: The Marketing Function Prepared by: Yvonne Martin-Kidd, Vanderbilt University Margaret Andrews, Mind and Hand Associates Marketing and Communications Council

2. Report Outline Marketing and Communications Council • Methodology and Participants • Background and Objectives • Methodology • Respondent Characteristics • Participating Schools • Key Findings • For all Respondents • By Organizational Structure • Next Steps

3. Background and Objectives Marketing and Communications Council A special task force of the Marketing and Communications Council was formed in 2007 to help AACSB-accredited schools benchmark their marketing function and activities. The first survey in the series—launched in early 2008—is designed to shed light on how schools perceive and organize the marketing function. • Benchmarking and Best Practices Task Force • Tim Akin, UC Davis • Cynthia Jackson, Baylor • Deb Magness, Carnegie Mellon • Yvonne Martin-Kidd*, Vanderbilt • Gary McKillips, Georgia State • Anna Rzewnicki, North Carolina State • Hope Wilson, Georgia Tech • Leanna Yip, University of British Columbia • Margaret Andrews, Mind and Hand Associates** *Chair, MaCC Research Committee **Study consultant

4. Methodology Marketing and Communications Council • An invitation to the online survey was sent to deans at AACSB-accredited schools with the request that it be passed along to the individual responsible for marketing and communication activities for the school. If more than one person met the description, deans were asked to forward it to the individual who had the best overview of all marketing and activities for the school. • Fieldwork was conducted February 22 through March 18th, 2008. • Survey invitations went to 544 AACSB-accredited schools. There were 161 completed surveys , for a 29.6% response rate. • The questionnaire was structured as follows: • Respondent characteristics—types of programs, sources of funding, size of student body, location • Structure of marketing function • Questions regarding perceptions of the marketing function, and strengths, opportunities and challenges of marketing the school • For schools with partially or fully centralized marketing functions, only: • The degree to which certain activities are the sole responsibility of the marketing department • Staffing, department titles and reporting relationships

5. Respondent Characteristics: Funding Source Marketing and Communications Council Q: Funding N = 155

6. Respondent Characteristics: Programs Offered Marketing and Communications Council Q: Scope of Programs (check all programs that you offer)

7. Respondent Characteristics: Number of Students Marketing and Communications Council Q: Number of Students (number of students currently enrolled for each program type, except where noted) Chart shows means, which includes information on number of students only for schools offering that type of program.

8. Respondent Characteristics: Location of Primary Campus Marketing and Communications Council Q: Location of primary campus N = 161

9. Participant Schools Marketing and Communications Council Note: Not all respondents gave school name

10. Organization of Marketing Function Marketing and Communications Council Q: Which of the following statements best describes the marketing and communications function within your business school? (Check one) N = 159

11. “None of the Above” Marketing and Communications Council • Many have a blended organization with the University... • “ We are both reliant on university resources and centralized within the b-school. University manages undergrad admissions and provides support for communication materials; B-school has own undergrad program director, and maintains its own webpage and publishes 'annual reports.' “ • “The business school is heavily dependent on University support for marketing and communication materials; however, MBA materials are prepared within the business school.” • “The university is only in the past year or two developing a marketing program and at present it is more of a limited advertising program than complete integrated marketing plan. The College of business has carved out $15,000 this budget cycle for marketing and as present the college level effort is not well articulated.” • Some are organized differently by undergraduate and graduate… • “For undergraduate programs, we mainly rely on university resources. A small percentage of our marketing and communication functions at the undergraduate level are done by our assistant dean of undergraduate programs, but I would say it aligns more with your definition of decentralized within the business school. For graduate programs, the business school is mainly responsible for marketing and communication and is performed by the associate dean of our graduate school.” • Some schools have more than one department … • “We have a centralized Marketing (and Recruiting) department AND a centralized Communications (Publications and Public Relations) department; they both have budget allocations and responsibilities. Each individual program has its own additional marketing and communications budget.”

12. Key Findings

13. Importance of Marketing to the Business School’s Overall Success Q: How important do you feel the marketing and communications function is to the overall success of your business school? (Answers reflect Top 2 Box) Note: Respondents were asked to collaborate with the dean when responding to this question) Graph shows top 2 box scores on 7-point scale (1 = Not at all, 4 = Moderately, 7 = Extremely)

14. Importance of Marketing to the Business School’s Overall Success - Comments Q: What is the reason for your answer above [importance of Marketing to the business school’s overall success]? • “Creating brand is critical to compete against other business schools” • “Need better share of voice in highly competitive market” • “Marketing leads to enrollment, which is crucial to the success of our school” • “Creating and maintaining consistent messages across all programs and initiatives is critical to branding and image” • “Our financial resources depend on enrollment. One of the major hurdles to overcome in enrollment growth is recognition of our school in the local and international community” • Standing in media and rankings extremely affects students in their choice of university. Attracting the best business students is one of the most important objectives of our school” • “Communication builds community in the School with alumni and employers. It also helps potential applicants understand if we would be a good ‘fit’ for them” • “B-schools operate in a highly competitive environment – building superb programs is not enough – we need to make our market differentiation evident and deliver that message to our prospects” • “Consistent, high quality communications by this department have a direct impact on enrollment, alumni donations, and employee satisfaction”

15. Partially or Fully Centralized: Name of Department Marketing and Communications Council Q: What is the name of this department? (Note: question only asked of schools with partially or fully centralized marketing functions) N = 84

16. Partially or Fully Centralized: Department Head Title Marketing and Communications Council Q: What is the title of the individual who heads this department? (Note: question only asked of schools with partially or fully centralized marketing functions) N = 84

17. Partially or Fully Centralized: Reporting Relationship Marketing and Communications Council Q: To whom does the head of this department report? (Note: question only asked of schools with partially or fully centralized marketing functions) N = 88

18. Partially or Fully Centralized: Scope of Responsibilities (Sole Responsibility)

19. Partially or Fully Centralized: Scope of Responsibilities - Strategy Q: Please indicate the degree to which the following functions are the responsibility of your Marketing and Communications department Scores shown are top 2 box scores on a 7-point scale (1 = Not at all, 4 = Shared responsibility, 7 = Sole responsibility) N = 26 (Partially Centralized and Centralized Without Budget) -36 (Centralized With Budget)

20. Partially or Fully Centralized: Scope of Responsibilities - Marketing Campaigns Q: Please indicate the degree to which the following functions are the responsibility of your Marketing and Communications department Scores shown are top 2 box scores on a 7-point scale (1 = Not at all, 4 = Shared responsibility, 7 = Sole responsibility) N = 26 (Partially Centralized and Centralized Without Budget) -36 (Centralized With Budget)

21. Partially or Fully Centralized: Scope of Responsibilities – Stakeholder Relations Q: Please indicate the degree to which the following functions are the responsibility of your Marketing and Communications department Scores shown are top 2 box scores on a 7-point scale (1 = Not at all, 4 = Shared responsibility, 7 = Sole responsibility) N = 26 (Partially Centralized and Centralized Without Budget) -36 (Centralized With Budget)

22. Partially or Fully Centralized: Scope of Responsibilities – Shared Services Q: Please indicate the degree to which the following functions are the responsibility of your Marketing and Communications department Scores shown are top 2 box scores on a 7-point scale (1 = Not at all, 4 = Shared responsibility, 7 = Sole responsibility) N = 26 (Partially Centralized and Centralized Without Budget) -36 (Centralized With Budget)

23. Partially or Fully Centralized: Full-Time Employees Marketing and Communications Council Mean: 4.4 Median: 3.0 N = 89 Q: How many full-time employees are there in the marketing and communications department? (Note: question only asked of schools with partially or fully centralized marketing functions)

24. Partially and Fully Centralized: Average Number of FTEs Marketing and Communications Council Median 2.0 / Max 20 Q: How many full-time employees are there in the marketing and communications department? (Note: question only asked of schools with partially or fully centralized marketing functions) N-89

25. All Respondents: Dependence on Outside Vendors Marketing and Communications Council Q: In general, how dependent is your school on outside vendors for marketing and communications support? N = 147 (Percent reflects Top 2 Box response where top box = Heavily dependent)

26. All Respondents: What They Do Best Marketing and Communications Council Q: What is the single thing that your school does THE BEST from a marketing and communications perspective? N = 145

27. All Respondents: Greatest Opportunity for Improvement Marketing and Communications Council Q: What is the single thing that presents the GREATEST OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT from a marketing and communications perspective? N = 146

28. All Respondents: Greatest Marketing and Communications Challenge Q: What would you say will be your school’s greatest marketing and communications challenges within the next two years?

29. All Respondents: One New Hire Marketing and Communications Council Q: If you were to hire one (additional) person for your marketing and communications efforts, what would that individual’s job function/title be?

30. Next Steps Marketing and Communications Council This survey – and the results presented here – are intended to be a starting point for a series of surveys and initiatives to help AACSB-accredited schools benchmark their marketing function and activities. Based on what you see in this presentation, please tell us what other information you would like to know about marketing and communications at other schools. To suggest future topics for the Marketing and Communications Council (MaCC) surveys and initiatives, please contact: • Yvonne Martin-Kidd, Vanderbilt University (and Chair of the MaCC Research Committee) Yvonne.Martin-Kidd@Owen.Vanderbilt.edu or 615. 322.8787 • Margaret Andrews, Mind and Hand Associates - Margaret@mind-and-hand.com or 508.359.2002

31. Prepared by: Cynthia Jackson, Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business Gary McKillips, Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business Hiring the PR-Marketing-Communications Professional Marketing and Communications Council

32. Hiring Marketing and Communications Council • Defining the job • Where to look for a candidate • Defining target dimensions • Using an interview guide, team interviewing

33. Defining the job Marketing and Communications Council • How will this position contribute to your school’s mission? • What are the specific functions you want this position to execute? • What is the reporting structure and organizational structure? Budget? • Job description examples at http://business.baylor.edu/hsb/AACSB_ICAM_2008

34. Where to look for a candidate Marketing and Communications Council • Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) • International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) • American Marketing Association (AMA) • AACSB Marketing and Communications Affinity Group • AACSB’s Building B-Schools: Development, Marketing and Branding Conference

35. Defining target dimensions Marketing and Communications Council • What traits matter most to you? • Examples: “I want someone who will… • “…provide counsel to me. They need to have analytical skills and give me good advice.” (valued counsel) • “…be able to manage complex projects and meet aggressive deadlines.” (project management) • “…be strategic, not just tactical.” (support of strategic objectives)

36. Editorial influence Marketing and Communications Council • How does the candidate handle writing challenges? • How are interpersonal communications used in the situation?

37. Editorial influence Marketing and Communications Council • Describe the most difficult editing project you have experienced and explain why.

38. Project management Marketing and Communications Council • How does the candidate perform with aggressive deadlines and multiple, complex projects?

39. Project management Marketing and Communications Council • Describe the most difficult project you have managed to completion and explain why.

40. Influencing management understanding Marketing and Communications Council • Listen for how the candidate was successful in bringing about better understanding on management's part. • If yes, how did that communication happen? • Informal meetings? • Hallway conversations? • Formal documents or meetings?

41. Influencing management understanding Marketing and Communications Council • Describe a time when you helped your management understand the opinions and positions of particular publics. • Describe how you did that.

42. Support of strategic business objectives Marketing and Communications Council • Listen for ways in which the communications plan dovetailed with and supported the organization‘s overall plan and objectives. • Ask the candidate to assess the effectiveness of the communication plan and its contributions to organizational effectiveness.

43. Support of strategic business objectives Marketing and Communications Council • Tell me about how you have prepared or helped prepare a communication component for your organization's strategic plan.

44. Measurement of effectiveness Marketing and Communications Council • The candidate should describe instruments to measure progress toward goals. • Benchmark research • Annual audits • Program assessments • Survey data • Return on investment (ROI)

45. Measurement of effectiveness Marketing and Communications Council • Tell me about how you have developed or helped develop measurable goals for a program or for your department. • Tell me about ways you have been held accountable for the effectiveness of your communication programs. Describe these ways.

46. Valued counsel Marketing and Communications Council • Determine if his/her counsel was regarded as valuable to top management. • What key issues was he/she influential in advancing/modifying?

47. Valued counsel Marketing and Communications Council • Tell me about a time you have advised top management on communication problems and issues. • What strategies did you devise to deal with them?

48. Planning and organizing Marketing and Communications Council • Listen for how priorities were set, how objectives or milestones were established and how tools were used.

49. Planning and organizing Marketing and Communications Council • Walk me through a typical week at your current job. • How do you plan your activities? • Tell me about a time you faced conflicting priorities? • In scheduling your time, how did you determine what was top priority?

50. Teamwork and collaboration Marketing and Communications Council • Does the candidate actively participate in and facilitate team effectiveness? • Is the candidate aware of the effect of his/her behavior on others?