Research on Why IUBAT is not Getting Enough MBA Students

Background of the Research:

IUBAT-International University of Business Agriculture and Technology is one of the leading non-government university in Bangladesh established in 1991 .It has been serving in the educational sector of the country for a long time. Already it has produced a lot of graduates who are now placed leading positions of many both local and multinational corporations. However, in the beginning of year 2005 the university has shifted from its temporary campus at Dhanmondi to permanent outstanding campus at Uttara. It is only the non-government university in Bangladesh which has permanent campus on it’s own 5 acres of land. This university is offering 12 types different program with multiple majors under different colleges. From the very beginning of this university the admitted student’s numbers was satisfactory in during every semester under different programs and as well as the number of admission students were increasing up to the expected level in every semester. But now a days, admission student’s numbers are rapidly increasing for most of the programs i.e. – BBA BSEEE, BSME, BA Econ. etc. and meanwhile the admission student’s numbers are suddenly falling for few programs – MBA, BATHM and BSN.  We know that students are the life for any educational institute and identified admitted students are the life for that specific program. In this situation sudden fall of students admission under those programs will hamper those departments and as well as will waste the varsity goodwill. For that reason it is desirable to find out the causes behind the sudden fall of admission student’s numbers for aforesaid programs in current point view and specifically find out the causes for what IUBAT is not getting enough MBA students under MBA program.

Rationale of the study:

The main rationale of the research is to identify the factors of reduced number of MBA students at IUBAT that may help the university management for developing a positioning strategy to take a position in marketplace, evaluating the effectiveness of advertising to get the more students in MBA program, predicting the admission rate, and facilitating the development of marketing programs. By implementing those to the university management can overcome form the suffering situation.

Research Objectives:

Broad Objective:

The overall objective of this research project is to find out the causes behind why IUBAT is not getting enough MBA students and to increase the number of MBA student at IUBAT.

Specific Objectives:

•   To find out the management lacking
•   To find out the visitors/students psychology
•   To find out the lacking of admission officers
•   To find out the lacking of marketing department of IUBAT
•   Measuring the satisfaction level of existing MBA students’ against the teaching and learning method of IUBAT
•   Determining the overall learning atmosphere of IUBAT in current point of view
•   Measuring the satisfaction level against the IUBAT lab facilities
•   Measuring the satisfaction level against IUBAT library facilities
•   Measuring the satisfaction level against IUBAT transportation facilities

Scope of the study:

The scope of the research will be confined with in the periphery of the response of the visitors who visited IUBAT for MBA admission and students of only those are studying at IUBAT under the College of Business Administration. Moreover, it will discuss about why the number of MBA students for admission is decreasing at IUBAT and at the same time how to increase it.

Information needs:

In order to conduct this research project and fulfill the research objectives the following information will be required:

•   Information about the cost or tuition fees for MBA
•   Information about the expectation of the students which will fulfill there demand and needs.
•   General information about MBA program of IUBAT
•  Information about the situational factors
•   Information about the opportunities to get admission here in MBA program
•   Whether the customer is influenced by the advertisements of the university to come for admission

Information about the cost of promotional activities of IUBAT

Methodology:

      Population Definition:

The population of this research is defined as follows:

   Sample Element: All the students of IUBAT those who are studying at IUBAT and the students who are about at the last semester looking for   MBA admission in Fall or Summer 09 semester.

    Sample Unit: All the students of IUBAT those who are studying at IUBAT looking for MBA admission in Fall or Summer 09 semester semester, current last semester BBA students, BBA completed students in fall’07 semester & also current MBA students of IUBAT.

    Extent: IUBAT, Uttara

Sample Size:

Hence, required sample size for conducting this research project is 68 respondents among those are studying at IUBAT on BBA, MBA students.

 Sampling Procedure:

For conducting this research project we will follow the probabilistic sampling procedure in order to select the sample which is Simple random sampling.

Data Collection Procedure and Instruments:

For conducting this research the following procedures will be used to collect data with the respective instruments:

Collection of primary data:

For collecting primary data personal interview technique will be used through a set of structured questionnaire as the instruments to collect data.

 Collection of secondary data:

For collecting the secondary data different related journal, books, magazines will be reviewed. More over Internet and web sites will be used, if necessary.

Data collection instruments:

Data collection instrument are the questionnaire with mostly close-ended as well open-ended questions.

Data processing and Analysis:

After collecting all the data, the questionnaires will be coded, and data will be processed, analyzed, and graphically represent by using SPSS 9.0 Version and MX-Excel to identify the central tendency of responses descriptive statistical analysis will be determine.

Data Analysis:

Individual Respondent’s Data Analysis and Interpretation shown by Table and Pie Chart:

Which gander you are?

Interpretation: Here 62% of the total respondents are male whereas the rest 45% are female of this research. So we see of the people are male.

What age group you are belonging to?

Interpretation: Here 55% of the total respondents are in 15 to 20 level of age, whereas the rest 45% are belonging to 21 to 25 level of age group. Most of the respondents are in 15 to 20 age level.

What’s your marital status?

Interpretation: Research result indicates most of the alumni students are not married. The percentage of this is 95%. Few of them are married with 5%. But there is no one Windowed or Divorced.

Where is your native home?

Interpretation: Research information shows that 67% percent of the respondents said that they live in the city area. Apart from these almost 33% percent of the total respondents have said that they reside in the village. And there are no percentage of urban area people.

What is your Educational Background?

Interpretation:

The survey result expresses that most of the alumni student of IUBAT are studying in BBA department. According to this research, 100% are BBA students.

How many universities have you visited?

Interpretation: Research result indicates most of the alumni students visited in more than four universities with 90%. And on the other hand, 10% of them visited in two/three varsities.

Did you ever visit IUBAT?

Interpretation: Here the majority of the total respondents that is 95% said that they visited IUBAT before get admitted. And rest 5% said that they did not ever visit IUBAT previous time.

With increasing this reputation, IUBAT will be able to get MBA student.

Interpretation: Here the majority of the total respondents said Agree on this statement. 10% of them said strongly agree and only 5% students said Disagree about this statement. There is no percentage of strongly disagree.

 Providing MBA degree with moderate cost student will be increased.

Interpretation: Here the majority of the total respondents said Strongly Agree on this statement with 80%. 20% of them said agree. There is no percentage either disagree or strongly disagree.

What should be the charge as per credit according to your opinion?

Interpretation: Here the majority of the total respondents said that the charge per credit should be first one with 55% and 35% for second one. On the other hand, 10% said about the third one.

Do you think these are the perfect course credit hours for MBA students?

Interpretation: Here the majority of the total respondents said that about this as a perfect credit hour with 57%. And on the other hand, 43% said no for this statement.

MBA students need these two things very much for good education.

Interpretation: Survey result expresses that most of the IUBAT students are agreed about this statement with 58% and 33% are strongly agree. On the other hand, only 9% students said disagree for this statement.

Permanent campus with own land is essential for increasing image of Education.

Interpretation: Survey result expresses that most of the IUBAT students are agreed about this statement with 40% and 52% are strongly agree. On the other hand, only 8% students said disagree for this statement.

Having all these facilities are necessary for getting more MBA STUDENTS?

Interpretation: Survey result expresses that most of the IUBAT students are agreed about this statement with 52% and 41% are strongly agree. On the other hand, only 4% students said disagree for this statement. But here we see strongly disagree is 3% for this statement.

By offering day or evening section opportunity, students will be inspired to get admitted in IUBAT

Interpretation: Survey result expresses that most of the IUBAT students are agreed about this statement with 57% and 30% are strongly agree. On the other hand, only 8% students said disagree for this statement. But here we see also strongly disagree is 5% for this statement. 

Extra curricular activities are needed for the students for refreshing mind and learning more.

Interpretation: Survey result expresses that most of the IUBAT students are agreed about this statement with 57% and 35% are strongly agree. On the other hand, only 4% students said disagree for this statement. But here we see also strongly disagree is 4% for this statement.

These short of facilities and services are essential for the students by supporting financially explicitly.

Interpretation: Survey result expresses that most of the IUBAT students are agreed about this statement with 68 people and 84 people are strongly agreed. On the other hand, only 37 students said disagree for this statement. But here we see also strongly disagree is 11 students for this statement.

Are you interested to join with us as a MBA student of IUBAT?

Interpretation: Here the majority of the total respondents said about this statement No with 67%. And on the other hand, 33% said Yes for this statement.

Findings:

The following outcomes have been detected as the findings after alumni survey of IUBAT:

•   IUBAT academic qualification is contemporary which assist its graduates in their professional career
•   The various academic program offered by IUBAT is sophisticated and contemporary. These academic programs are appropriate to prepare its students for their future career
•   Most of the IUBAT graduates are doing in the mid level organization of various local and multinational corporations. Beside some of them are also doing job in executive level position also.
•   The best side of IUBAT that has been detected through this research is mainly the report and research paper teaching system. Apart from these other important best side of the university is focusing on developing students communication skills.
•   Most of the alumni student have not acquire any other degree after completing their study from IUBAT
•   IUBAT needs to reengineer the whole operational system for the successful operation of the university. Moreover, the university also requires emphasizing on hiring highly qualified faculty for the improvement of the university.
•   The specialty i.e. competitive advantage of IUBAT is that it focus on students basic grooming and communication skills
•   Alumni and IUBAT graduates are satisfied with their degree from IUBAT
•    Most of the alumni are not agree to suggest any recommendation for university
•   Alumni want to assist for the development of the university by sharing their knowledge as well as providing placement opportunity to the existing student of the university

Recommendation:

•   As maximum students responded that IUBAT is not very familiar among all nongovernmental universities; IUBAT authorities should enhance the marketing promotion of IUBAT.
•    IUBAT must swell highly qualified faculty members and efficient implementation of course curriculum.
•   According to the research result most of the respondents were satisfied about the environment of IUBAT but the location is so far from main capital city. That’s why IUBAT authority should provide bus and suttle service from different location in Dhaka city and as well as from the certain point of Savar and Gazipur district
•   With the living facilities in near around IUBAT for the female students IUBAT should increase the female students and as well as male students.
•   IUBAT management should arrange in the job training for the admission officers to make them enough skilled with the good manner to handle all situation with visitors.

Conclusion:

As we were assigned to conduct a research as a partial fulfillment of the course MKT 401, we conducted the research on, “Identify the factors of reduced number of MBA students at IUBAT.” During the research conduction we tried to find out different aspects, based on which the students of these sectors, i.e. the students level of satisfaction or dissatisfied. We also found out that some aspects/problems for which the reduced number of MBA students. More over we have given some recommendation to solve these problems, which will catch up the factors and enhance the student’s satisfaction level, if implemented properly.