Developing the Organizational Strategy: A study of University Personality

Abstract

Nowadays, the competition can occur in various fields even in the educational institution (Judson et al., 2009). Many universities have adjusted and prepared their organizational image to encounter the radical change. (Lee et al, 2008). In order to differentiate themselves from the competitors, they decided to spend a budget to improve and develop their organizational image (Palacio, Meneses and Perez, 2002). Brand personality concept, one of the important dimension of brand image (Plummer, 1985), is an useful element which universities can apply it to make their brand distinctive (Watkins and Gonzenbach, 2013). Although brand personality concept has received increasing attention among researchers (SHYLE and HYSI, 2013), the research that examine how the brand personality concept can be applicable when the organization is used as a brand is insufficient. To fill this gap, Kasetsart University Chalermphrakiat Sakonnakhon Province Campus, Thailand (the fourth campus of Kasetsart University, Thailand and it was established to response government's policy in distribute education opportunities into the Northeast of Thailand) was selected to uncover how Aaker (1997)'s five dimensions of brand personality are applicable for an organization as a brand. Keywords: University Personality; Organizational Strategy; Personality