Educational supply chain: a tool for strategic planning in tertiary education?

Abstract

Examines the concept of adapting industry models to higher education, with specific reference to the idea of an educational supply chain, in which employers, students, university staff, schools and colleges work in collaboration to ensure that the needs of all are satisfied. The empirical research was undertaken as part of the University of Strathclyde’s Department of Marketing’s review of the undergraduate programme. It involved both students and employers in the decision‐making process and gauged the reaction of both sectors to the idea of becoming more integrated into the university planning structure. Results show that both student and employer markets welcome the idea of further integration and collaboration and that there are some valuable lessons to be learned from industry in the arena of strategic planning.