Exploring the use of competitive intelligence for student recruitment at selected public universities in East London, South Africa

Abstract

Student recruitment is crucial for universities. Increased competition among institutions due to rising applications makes competitive recruitment strategies essential. The competition among South African Higher Education institutions, specifically in East London, has led Walter Sisulu University and the University of Fort Hare to compete for students. The overall aim of this study was to investigate how competitive intelligence is used as a communication strategy to promote student recruitment. A mixed methodology was used to collect data from first-time entering students and staff members from two public universities based in South Africa, in the Eastern Cape. A Cronbach’s alpha reliability measurement scored 0.89 which is in keeping with the reliability’s quantitative domain. Results revealed that a combination of both traditional and technology-based communication strategies is being used by public universities for student recruitment. The study also found that the marketing and communication divisions were not using a standardised communication strategy for recruitment. Instead, they rely on both traditional and competitive intelligence-driven communication strategies. This diversity assists with devising messages to meet the diverse communication needs of students. To promote student recruitment at public universities this study therefore recommends a communication strategy framework that incorporates competitive intelligence.