Question

Colleges and universities, like all business, have strengths, weaknesses, and competitors. What would you consider to be an online university's internal strengths and weaknesses? Why? Also, who would you say are the competitors to online universities? What are three external opportunities and three external threats?

Your response should be at least 200 words in length.

Answer 1

An online university's internal strengths can be

(i) Excellent academic resources that are well versed with the online mode of content delivery

(ii) Effective marketing strategy to reach the right customer segments and enrol them.

(iii) Excellent technological capabilities with platforms to deliver high class content to customers.

Weaknesses.

(i) Good resources but no experience in online delivery.

(ii) Limited coverage due to technical limitations.

(iii) Great content and capabilities but inadequate publicity to reach the right people.

Since there is a huge market of learners who are constrained with geographical barriers and commitment to work, which prevents them from joining a real classroom, there is an influx of competitors in the online learning domain. Besides IT division of renowned universities, there are technology companies, industry units ( such as hospitality establishments and healthcare organisations, insurance and financial organisations) and individual niche sector companies competing for new graduates who wish to obtain an oline certificaion to enhance career prospects.

External opportunities.

(i) Huge untapped market of learners.

(ii) Lack of flexible learning options with conventional universities

(iii) Demand for skilled and subject matter specialists, whch these players can fulfill.

External threats

(i) Varying quality of content and delivery process might keep the serious learners away.

(ii) There is hardly any entry formalities in most of the course, unlike the full time courses which have rigorous admission procedure. This affects the opinion of companies  hiring these candidates. They are seen as second grade candidates, which is something that dilutes the value.

(iii) In some developing nations, the cost of full time courses might be much less than online courses of a big university, which might prove as a deterrant.