Date of Award

Spring 1990

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Program/Concentration

Urban Services - Urban Education

Committee Director

Petra Snowden

Committee Member

John B. Ford

Committee Member

Yvonne Gonzalez

Committee Member

Robert Lucking

Committee Member

Donald A. Myers

Abstract

In this study, a comprehensive set of successful marketing strategies and tactics for the recruitment of Mexican-Americans into four-year colleges and universities was identified. A taxonomy of findings ranging from very successful to not successful was developed. The methodology included focus groups conducted in Los Angeles, California and San Antonio, Texas to aid in the creation of survey instrument items. The resulting survey was mailed to admissions directors of four-year colleges and universities located in the six southwestern states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas.

The responses were analyzed by computing frequencies and crosstabulations. Subsequently, factor analysis was used for the purpose of data reduction and to identify the factors underlying the marketing strategies and tactics identified as successful.

The four P's of marketing include product, price, place, and promotion. Successful marketing strategies and tactics were identified for each of the four P's of marketing. These successful marketing strategies and tactics were grouped through the use of factor analysis. The factors identified as underlying these successful marketing strategies and tactics are as follows: (1) on-campus programs and activities, (2) off-campus programs and activities, (3) perceptions, and (4) cost. Examples of the factor identified as on-campus programs and activities include: (1) support groups for Mexican-Americans on campus, (2) increased Mexican-American employment on campus, and (3) increased contact of Mexican-Americans by letter or telephone. Examples of off-campus programs and activities include: (1) career fair programs, (2) school and business marketing programs, and (3) transfer centers on community college campuses. Examples of the factor identified as perceptions include: (1) parent preference for college/university close to home, (2) student preference for college/university close to home, and (3) current Mexican-American students promoting college/university. Finally, examples of the factor identified as cost include: (1) financial aid increase for Mexican-Americans, (2) provision of low cost relative to other colleges and universities, and (3) cost competition with community colleges because they are cheaper.

The successful marketing strategies and tactics identified in this study can be used by four-year colleges and universities to develop recruitment plans for Mexican-Americans. The four factors identified can also be used as a guide for future research to aid in the identification of additional marketing strategies and tactics tailored to the needs of individual institutions.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/5xnh-vc14

Download

Share

COinS