Discussion
When HEFCE became the OfS in 2018 and organisations such as the competitive markets authority became prevalent , the concept of education as a product , however distasteful that may seem , was raised even higher . Before this , students were more than able to “ Vote with their feet ” ( Prensky , 2005 ) however , with more choice and higher costs , the factors affecting demand , choice and customer satisfaction became more impactful .
When looking at the decision-making process of individuals it is common practice in business to look at the proposition acquisition / consumer decision-making process and also the external influences that affect that decision ( fig 1 ). What is interesting , in this case , is how easily it can be applied to the Uni Connect students in this study when making their decisions about post-FE life .
The Consumer Decision Making Process
Individual
Attitude
Decision-making process
Situational influences
Economic Ethical
Ecological
Group
Social class
Family evaluation
Marketing mix Price Product Place
Fig 1 ( Brassington and Pettit , 2013 )
The first stage , problem recognition , occurs when the student realises that they need to do something after college . Whether that be university , work , an apprenticeship or , in fact ,
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