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Introduction to BNU
In this immensely competitive and dynamic world, qualitatively superior education is an
imperative for success. Over the years, higher education has assumed a pivotal role in
the development of the required acumen of the students to better equip them to meet
the emerging challenges. Universities and higher education institutions are thriving
social and cultural centers with much to offer students of any age, nationality or social
background. A modern university aims to provide its students with a wide array of
courses and degrees to choose from, according to their embedded career interests and
aptitudes. At Beacon house National University (BNU), we offer our students broad-
based education in which a student studies a variety of different subjects in order to
gain a better working knowledge of the world around him or herself, thus preparing them
for lifetime of opportunities and challenges.
BNU is the first Liberal Arts University of Pakistan. Chartered by the Government of
Punjab, the BNU was established in 2003 for the purpose of imparting education with
modern and rational course content while ensuring that the history and culture of
Pakistani society are respected. BNU is planned as a non-profit, private university
disseminating learning and encouraging research in diverse areas where the essential
focus of the programs offered has been determined by the type of the work force
identified for the future economic, business, academic, cultural and technological
advancement of the country. As such, BNU offers students a range of subject areas
which are of immense relevance to the countrys economy.
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Over the years, Liberal Arts education has assumed a vital role. One armchair
philosopher once said, "When the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see
every problem as a nail." All knowledge is one, a unified wholeness, and every field of
study is but a piece or an angle or a way of partitioning this knowledge. Thus, to see
how one's chosen area fits into the whole, to see the context of one's study, we at BNU
believe, liberal education is not merely desirable, but necessary.
The diverse body of knowledge that a student gains at BNU, together with the tools of
examination and analysis that one learns to use, will enable him or her to develop
opinions, attitudes, values, and beliefs, based not upon authority or ignorance, whim, or
prejudice, but upon ones own worthy evaluation of argument and evidence. We foster
the development of an active engagement with knowledge, and not just the passive
reception of facts.
At BNU, the knowledge disseminated will help you learn new subjects by one of the
most common methods of learning--analogy. As George Herbert noted, people are best
taught by using something they are familiar with, something they already understand, to
explain something new and unfamiliar. The more you know and are familiar with, the
more you can know, faster and more easily. Many times the mind will create its own
analogies, almost unconsciously, to teach itself about the unfamiliar by means of the
familiar. The education at BNU creates an improvement of perception and
understanding.
This is done by a number of unique, innovative practices at BNU:
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An academic format which encourages the student to read across the curriculum
allowing for cross registration in courses offered at Schools other than the one
the student is registered in. These courses may be taken as minors or electives.
The University underscores the importance of the creative and performing arts
which form an integral part of any liberal arts education. Open workshops and
seminars are offered where students interact with scholars and practitioners of
international repute.
Each student works with an academic adviser who helps design a program of
study most suited to the individual students talent and is also available for
personal guidance throughout the students stay at the University.
A system of education in which students learn in small, interactive class
sessions.
A system of student evaluation based on frequent written assignments and
research projects rather than a traditional method of examination.
At Beacon house National University, education is enriched through a free exchange of
ideas and debate which is expertly guided by qualified faculty. Most courses are
intensive and year long in which students are encouraged to question assumptions,
listen to diverse opinions and challenge convention. This strategy is further developed
through disciplined and motivated work on the students part and the evaluation of
individual progress through written reports and ongoing interaction between students
and teachers.
The University is fully cognizant of the fact that the formative years of a young adults
life i.e. the years spent at university must be enriched through a variety of experiences,
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both within and outside the classroom. Study tours therefore, form a regular feature of
University life and serve as a means of research and exposure to life in other regions of
the country and varied socio-economic groups.
BNU is a non-profit, apolitical, non-sectarian, equal-opportunity institution offering
undergraduate and graduate programs in modern disciplines, many of which are not
offered anywhere else in Pakistan.
Mission Statement:
BNU's mission is to promote the Liberal Arts education in Pakistan. It wants to create
liberal space where students from different school of thoughts can learn values
prevailing within different cultures.
Mission of BNU is to carry out career oriented, financially viable vertical and horizontal
expansion of the schools to deliver quality education with the support of distinguished
faculty and through improvement in quality of student intake. Schools also aims at
making significant research contribution associated with the most pressing issues at
local and national level in Pakistan.
Vision Statement
The vision of BNU is to produce graduates who can compete academically, technically
and professionally with the best in the country.
Objectives
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We want to provide an opportunity for students to enhance their personal and
professional development through highly supportive academic atmosphere so
that they are in a position to play leadership role in economic management and
resolve critical public policy issues of the country.
BNUs objective is to provide liberal arts education, to promote an understanding
of diverse cultural foundations while stimulating social responsibility.
We in vision to be a world class liberal art university. And we want to protect and
extend the liberal art
We want improved access to be in academic environment.
We also want to become the institute with original features.
We aim to get comprehensive support from the entire stacks holder.
BNU aims to create a magnetic attractiveness together stack holders under one
roof.
1. Corporate mission and objectives
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The mission statement of BNU is giving clearly guide to the product market because as
BNU's mission is to promote the Liberal Arts education in Pakistan and BNU is creating
liberal space in the environment, so people who come to BNU feel free and they have
liberty in doing whatever they want to do in their respective field of interest which makes
them professionals and expert afterwards. In this manner one (Product-market) can
have a clear idea about the organization at the time of selection this is because the
Product market is clear what mission statement provided.
The objectives have been established for the organization as mentioned in the report,
considering the goals of organization as together and the different schools and institutes
prevail within the organization. So collectively they tend towards the objectives of the
organization.
As BNU has different schools and each having its own management team which deal
with their issue or problem then there is a top management committee who reviews the
performance of all schools and institutes before and at the end of each semester (semi
annually) either it is progressing towards the objectives or not.
Corporate strategies are essentially about what the business wants to achieve and how
those corporate objectives are to be achieved. As the nonprofit organization
(Foundation) BNU is achieving career oriented, financially viable vertical and horizontal
expansion of the schools to deliver quality education in a liberal environment as defined
in their objectives.
As within the educational industry there is a potential in market to grow in the Liberal
arts education and until now BNU is focusing on quality to attracts the students which
will help in availing the opportunity of growth.
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Corporate strategic planning is about formulating, implementing, and monitoring the
operational or tactical plans to achieve interim objectives. Chief marketing executive is
contributing in corporate strategy by leading four different departments, named as
Public 0relation, external relation, fund raising and student affairs & activity.
2. Business composition and strategies:
BNU is segmenting its market on the basis of psychographic variable as in this it target
its customer according to their personality and BNU is offering different courses for the
different type of personalities. And the product market of BNU is as follow:
1. School of liberal Arts and Social sciences
2. School of visual Arts and design
3. School of fine Arts
4. School of Architecture
5. School of Education
6. School of computer and information technology
7. School of media and mass communication
Two Institutes
1. Institute of psychology
2. Institute of public policy
All of above schools and institution has its own strategic planning unit and management
team that is responsible for the basic organization function.
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At BNU each planning unit has product market attractiveness because it has well known
personalities of their particular field. And they are serving on the designation of Board of
Governors, board of trustees, management, Deans and permanent faculty members.
Develop Strategy is a plan of action resulting from strategy or intended to accomplish a
specific goal of the organization in this manner each planning unit of BNU is developing
its strategy so that each planning can meet the overall objectives of BNU.
Each planning unit has a strategic plan for the achievement of their objectives,
accomplishment of the academic excellence, for the identification in market and for
achieving the Objectives of BNU.
As marketing department has sub department under it:
1. Public relation office
2. External relation office
3. Fund raising office
4. Student affair and activities
So according to the requirement of each planning unit, it may assign responsibilities to
marketing department for example at the time of admission public relation office is given
task for admission campaigns, for the promotion of media and mass communication
student affairs and activates is given task for organizing events.
3. Marketing strategy
3.1 Strategic planning and marketing
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The longer and annual strategic marketing plan has been developed like, for long term
vision for 2020 it has aimed to reach 3000 students, expanding the educational offering
horizontally and vertically.
In marketing department, Public relation office, External relation office, Fund raising
office, Student affair and activities has specifically assigned responsibilities as per their
given objectives.
Marketing structure is in decentralized form, where every sub-department is given
different targets as per their expertise in given time period to achieve market plan of the
organization and they are doing very well by attracting new students, donor agencies,
government authorities, national and internals linkages by implementing marketing
plans.
3.3 Market target strategy.
As The target market of BNU is students who like liberal space to learn and want to
explore themselves and in this manner BNU is targeting clearly this type of students by
offering different specialization in different schools and in institute as name mentioned in
business composition of BNU and all schools having their own objectives or planning to
achieve, which are directly for the establishment of liberal arts university.
As BNU is market leader in liberal Arts education and it really knows about the market
demand and specially about its competitors because each of its schools and institute
competing with a complete universities or colleges like Kinnaird college, National
college of arts, FC college, Lahore school of economics and Government university
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Lahore and these competitors are threats also for BNU and when we talks about the
opportunities then As within the educational industry there is a potential in market to
grow in the Liberal arts education and until now BNU is focusing on quality to attracts
the students which will help in availing the opportunity of growth.
BNU doesnt need any repositioning or any exit from market because as per saying of
CME all of planning units is doing well and in future they will grow definitely.
3.4 Objectives
The objectives of each planning unit are established for each target market and
objectives are consistent with the planning on the basis of available resources and they
are realistic as well because they are working according to the environment.
The performance of marketing department (in form of promotion by conducting different
activities) is available to monitor planned and actual progress. The plan performances of
BNU will be its defined objectives and actual will be what really they are getting from
market.
There is no gap exist between planned and actual result as they are market leader in
liberal education so they are getting what they plan or desire.
3.5 Marketing program positioning strategy.
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BNU having an integrated positioning strategy on the basis of its product, channel and
price like In product it is having liberal education because BNU encourages liberal arts
critically and in Channel it is having well known personality in faculty and in the
designation of dean who drive peoples at BNU and likewise it is offering courses on low
prices then other universities and also offering scholarships on the need and merit
basis. And these are consistent with their objectives.
As the BNU is a foundation and Supported By well known peoples who are having
strong financial background to donate so BNU has adequate resources to carry out the
marketing program and which can be properly utilized for the marketing and advertising
purposes. From the promotion budget most of the part used to create awareness
among the students about the uniqueness of the product, features and benefits which
make students to perceive about product and about to take some action.
The allocation of various marketing mix component (Product, Place, Promotion and
price) is average in term of expected accomplishment because the marketing team
using these component to meet their objectives.
The effectiveness of the marketing programs By BNU is appraised on the semiannually
by management board to check either it is working according to defined objectives or
not.
4. Marketing program activities
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4.1 Product strategy
As BNU having different schools in its product line and each of school is helping in
gearing the BNU to fulfilling its need and preferences according to the each product
market. As they design their objectives to provide social agents to market through liberal
education, on which their product line performing best to attain their market objective.
BNU is using unique branding strategies to brand itself as in unique branding you brand
yourself by bringing something unique in your product and to make yourself different
from your competitor and in this manner BNU is providing liberal education for branding
as it is clear from its slogan an emerging world class liberal arts university.
Product positioning is about making your product image in your target customers mind
and here BNU is positioning its product by differentiation on the basis of liberal arts
education.
In BNU each school have its own management for making decision independently.
Any type of addition, modification and deletion is not required, because product line of
BNU is doing well and the performance of product mix is evaluated on semiannual
basis.
4.2 Channel of distribution Strategies
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BNU is Following vertical Coordinated for its Distribution Strategy as the Product of
BNU is education and it is providing it on the basis of different channel which are
Campus, faculty, IT labs, auditorium and library and these all channels are appropriate
for each product market.BNU has two main campuses in Lahore and student can
access channels of distribution easily from campuses.
As above mention BNU using the decentralization structure for its management so that
each channel of distribution carry out their assign function in well prescribed manner.
4.3 Price Strategy
Generally BNU is following Value based Pricing methods because BNU is giving more
benefits on the low cost and making the students satisfy in each product market.
As BNU is working as a nonprofit making organization the pricing is not playing an
important role while setting price because they having numbers of donor from whom
they get finance.
BNU is not positioning itself on the basis of pricing infect it is positioning itself on the
basis of quality.
BNU compete with its competitor on the basis of its services rather than price. But BNU
is offering need or merit basis scholarship for promotion or to position itself.
There is only logic behind setting low price is that BNU wants to give maximum benefit
to its students at low cost.
4.4 Advertisement and sale promotion strategies
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Advertisement and promotion is a process that allows an organization to concentrate its
limited resources on the greatest opportunities to increase sales and achieve a
sustainable competitive advantage. And the objectives of BNU for promotion are to
establish brand identity, to increase numbers of students and to increase market share.
The creative strategy used by BNU in advertisement and promotion is consistent with
positioning strategy.
BNUs current promotion campaigns are on print media because it is cost effective for
organization and for students as well and BNU choose this media for promotion
because they are using reach strategy.
4.5 Sales Force strategies.
The role and objective of personal selling in the market positioning strategy clearly
specified and understood by the sales organization, like sales of prospectus, interacting
with students at the time of admission. Sales force may be considered as the people in
the public relation office. Numbers of people are adequate as per the requirements of
sales of prospectus and admission accessories. Creating the image of the service they
are providing to the current students and new students to get admission here.
5. Implementation and management.
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A performance gap is the difference between the actual or present performance and the
optimal or future performance. BNUs actual performance can be measured through
their market share and their desired market share as the vision of BNU 2020 has much
enough time to reduce the gap between actual and desired performances
Implementation of plans being doing well in marketing but not in the finance point of
view as BNU is facing operational deficit in the current period of time. As new campus is
being constructed and need more and more funds to be utilized in the expansion of
campus but need to identify the lack of strategies so can overcome the operation deficit.
Control is the way that we catch failures in implementation or strategy. The organization
may have implemented poorly, set the wrong marketing mix, aimed at the wrong target
market, or done poor initial research. Control is not a singular thing but a host of tools
for making sure that the company is on track. The tools fall under four types of control
shown here
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Types of marketing control
5. Budget Allocation
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Type ofControl
PrimeResponsibility
Purpose of Control Approach
I. Annual-plan control
Topmanagement;middlemanagement
To examine whether the plannedresults are being achieved
Sales analysis Market-shareanalysis Sales-to-expenseratios Financial analysis Market-basedscorecard analysis
I I.Profitabilitycontrol
Marketingcontroller
To examine where the companyis making and losing money To evaluate and improve thespending
Profitability by: Product Territory Customer Segment Trade channel Order size
III.Efficiencycontrol
Line and staffmanagement;marketing
controller
Efficiency and impact ofmarketing expenditures
Efficiency of: Sales force Advertising Sales promotion
Distribution
IV. Strategiccontrol
Topmanagement;marketingauditor
To examine whether the companyis pursuing its best opportunitieswith respect to markets, products,and channels
Marketingeffectiveness ratinginstrument Marketing audit Marketingexcellence review Company ethicaland socialresponsibility review
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Total budget allocated = 100, 00,000
Reserve = 10% of the total amount = 10, 00,000
Budget available for use = 90, 00,000
20% for operational deficit
50 % of total budget on following:
o TEDx BNU
o Bestival session 02
o Fashion show
o Tele film
o Exhibition media culture and visual arts
o National Meet up on Liberal arts
12 % for print add in Dawn news & Jang
8 % Publications or BNU
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7. Recommendations
Shifting of students from city campus to Tarogil Campus as city campus is
congested
Even thought their vision is to increase quantity until 2020 but as per the growth
in educational sector it may increase the number of students as well.
Sport activities seems to be less over there it may increase those activates like
conducting competitions
More events like Bestival form more promotion of concept it is working on
working
Better and modern functioning of training and development department and It
must prepare the faculties for the upcoming challenges and threats in the
education industry.
Better financial plane to overcome the operational deficit in the organization
More kind of BTL activates as suitable for the institution like BNU.
It should also build campus in other city of Pakistan.