Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
2024
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ded)
Department
Education
First Advisor
Vassa Grichko
Abstract
Shrinking federal funds and increased accountability expectations rendered a competitive environment for higher education institutions. To compete for enrollment, institutions needed to employ strategic decision-making within the bounds of tuition models imposed by their boards. However, there was a gap in the literature as to how institutions worked within their tuition models to respond to environmental threats. This case study addressed this gap by exploring the decision-making process of administrators in charge of financial and strategic decisions for their institutions, who considered the external educational marketplace. Collectively, there were four emergent themes: (a) marketing the student experience; (b) affordability as price competition; (c) enrollment and the bottom line; and (d) marketing institutional transparency. The conceptual framework, Porter’s five forces, was seen throughout the themes. The threat of new entrants was minimal in higher education because of the high barriers to entry. However, existing competitors comprised a previously unexpected threat as non-reciprocal tuition entered the higher education landscape. To be competitive in this landscape, institutions needed to be savvy in marketing their student experiences and financial transparency while also financing scholarships that did not hurt their bottom lines.
Subject Categories
Education
Keywords
Financial Accessibility
Number of Pages
137
Publisher
University of South Dakota
Recommended Citation
Barnett, Julie, "FINANCIAL ACCESSIBILITY AND EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL FORCES: A CASE STUDY OF PUBLIC, FOUR-YEAR DEGREE GRANTING INSTITUTIONS’ TUITION STRATEGIES" (2024). Dissertations and Theses. 296.
https://red.library.usd.edu/diss-thesis/296
