THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL NETWORK TO STUDENT’S CHOICE AN EDUCATION CONSULTANT AGENCY: SOLUTION OF MARKETING ON SOCIAL NETWORK FOR OSI VIETNAM

.
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
AND TRAINING

UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS HO CHI MINH CITY
--------------

NGUYEN THI NHU Y

THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL NETWORK TO STUDENT’S
CHOICE AN EDUCATION CONSULTANT AGENCY:
SOLUTION OF MARKETING ON SOCIAL NETWORK
FOR OSI VIETNAM

MASTER THESIS OF BUSINESS

Ho Chi Minh City, 2019



MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS HO CHI MINH CITY
--------------

NGUYEN THI NHU Y

THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL NETWORK TO STUDENT’S
CHOICE AN EDUCATION CONSULTANT AGENCY:
SOLUTION OF MARKETING ON SOCIAL NETWORK
FOR OSI VIETNAM

Major: Commercial Business
Major Code: 8340121

MASTER THESIS OF BUSINESS

Supervisor: PhD. Tran Mai Dong

Ho Chi Minh City, 2019



DECLARATION
I hereby certify that my thesis, which topic “The impact of social network to
student’s choice an Education consultant agency: Solution of marketing on social
network for OSI Vietnam” is my research under guiding of Doctor Tran Mai Dong.
The data and documents cited in this thesis are honest and have not been published
in any previous research. All inherited references are cited and fully referenced.
Ho Chi Minh City, October 10th, 2019
Author

Nguyen Thi Nhu Y



ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Firstly, I would like to thank my Supervisor, Dr. Tran Mai Dong for his
strong support and highly valued contribution, guidance throughout this research
and for making time whenever I needed it throughout the year.
Secondly, I would also like to thank to the interview participants,
interviewees for your time and contribution.

Finally, thank you my family, my husband and my friends for your enormous
support, encouragement and patience throughout my studying course.



TABLE OF CONTENT
THE SECOND COVER PAGE
DECLARATION
TABLE OF CONTENT
LIST OF ACRONYMS AND SYMBOLS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIRGURES
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INFORMATION..........................................................1
1.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................1
1.2. Research objectives and research questions .....................................................5
1.3. Scope of research ..............................................................................................5
1.4. Methodology of research ..................................................................................6
1.4.1. Research data ..............................................................................................6
1.4.2. Methodology of research ............................................................................7
1.5. Significance of research ....................................................................................9
1.6. Outline of research ............................................................................................9
CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ..............................................................11
2.1. Overview of the trend of studying abroad ......................................................11
2.2. Introduction about OSI Vietnam ....................................................................16
2.3. Social network ................................................................................................21
2.3.1. Introduction ..............................................................................................21


2.3.2. Definition ................................................................................................. 23

2.3.3. Constitution ............................................................................................. 23
2.3.4. The usage Social network in the world and Vietnam.............................. 23
2.4. Online marketing for Education Consultant agencies ................................... 25
2.5. Social networking sites was used by other international students ................. 26
2.6. Online communication and Virtual platforms ............................................... 26
2.7. Benefits of social networking for Education ................................................. 29
2.8. Social networking engagement ...................................................................... 30
2.9. Student mobility ............................................................................................. 31
2.9.1. What is Vietnamese student mobility? .................................................... 31
2.9.2. Student’s decision making....................................................................... 33
2.10. Choice .......................................................................................................... 34
2.10.1. Institution choice and student’s decision making ................................. 35
2.10.2. Proposed conceptual model of research ................................................ 35
2.10.3. Social media effected to student choice ................................................ 44
2.11. Conclusion ................................................................................................... 46
CHAPTER 3. RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................... 47
3.1. Research approach ......................................................................................... 47
3.2. Research design and sampling ....................................................................... 48
3.2.1. Data collection ......................................................................................... 48
3.2.2. Research questionaries ............................................................................ 49
3.2.3. Sampling .................................................................................................. 53


3.3. Data analysis ...................................................................................................55
3.4. Trustworthiness...............................................................................................56
3.5. Limitations ......................................................................................................57
3.6. Ethical consideration ......................................................................................57
3.7. Chapter summary ............................................................................................57
CHAPTER 4. FINDINGS.......................................................................................59
4.1. Introduction:....................................................................................................59

4.2. Analysis the response .....................................................................................61
4.2.1. Student point of view ...............................................................................61
4.2.2. Parents point of view ................................................................................69
4.2.3. Current situation of OSI Vietnam ............................................................74
4.2.4. Experience from other Agents..................................................................75
4.3. Confirmed final modified research model ......................................................77
4.4. Summary .........................................................................................................83
CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION ...............................................................................85
5.1. Conclusion ......................................................................................................85
5.2. Solution ...........................................................................................................88
5.2.1. Facebook ..................................................................................................89
5.2.2. YouTube ...................................................................................................90
5.2.3. Zalo ...........................................................................................................90
5.2.4. Company website .....................................................................................90
5.2.5. Action plan for OSI ..................................................................................90


5.3. Limitation ....................................................................................................... 95
5.4. Future research ............................................................................................... 95
REFERENCE
APPENDIX


LIST OF ACRONYMS AND SYMBOLS

1. OSI Vietnam

: One Step International Education Consulting Co., Ltd

2. IIE

: Institute of International Education

3. ISS

: International Student Survey

4. SDS

: Student Direct Stream



LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1. Parents consider overseas study ...............................................................11
Table 2.2. Destinations preferred by parents ............................................................13
Table 2.3. Studying abroad cases ..............................................................................17
Table 3.1. Research question design .........................................................................50
Table 3.2. Distribution of participants ......................................................................54
Table 4.1. Background of Participants ......................................................................59
Table 4.2. Person that student discuss.......................................................................63
Table 4.3. Social networking channels for student searching ...................................63
Table 4.4. Information students want to know..........................................................65
Table 4.5. Recommendation social networking sites................................................68
Table 4.6. Parents search ...........................................................................................71
Table 4.7. Recommendation from Parents ................................................................73
Table 4.8. Profile Agents ..........................................................................................75
Table 4.9. Summary ..................................................................................................80
Table 5.1. Suggested social networking sites ...........................................................88

TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1. Social media as part of the research process ......................................... 14
Figure 2.2. Students believe and trust Agents .......................................................... 14
Figure 2.3. Vietnamese Education Agent ................................................................ 15
Figure 2.4. Studying abroad cases............................................................................ 18
Figure 2.5. Frequency of internet use....................................................................... 24
Figure 2.6. Most active social media platforms ....................................................... 25
Figure 2.7. Number of unemployed ......................................................................... 32
Figure 2.8. Decision making process model ............................................................ 35
Figure 2.9. Type of content looking for ................................................................... 39
Figure 2.10. Student interact on social media .......................................................... 45
Figure 2.11. Proposed conceptual model of research .............................................. 46
Figure 4.1. Confirmed Final modified reseach model ............................................. 83


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CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1. Introduction
Nowadays, social network has developed very widely and strongly. It allows
people to connect with family, friends, to share all information with all users. The
innovation of technology has playing a key role and a powerful tool in influencing
and changing behaviour of consumer. Social network has become more and more
popular as the daily life, so these tools has been perceived as sources for customer
to search information about products or service during their buying decision
process. (Sinem Ozer, 2012). They use social network to share information,
experiences, advice, reviews … that are interesting to their connected users
(Friends, followers…). It can be helpful sources and may influence consumer’s

purchasing process (Seaman, 2013). More over, it also is one of the most effective
marketing and business development tools in recent century. And because customer
use information on social networks as the instruction/ guideline for their decision
process and this tool is also used as advertising channel for enterprise to market
which in turn can help them gain more business opportunities and potential
customers (Seaman, 2013).
On another hand, the number of population all around the world are using
internet and social network have increased by 21% since 2015 and it was 2.8 billion
users reported globally in 2017 (Kemp, 2017). Social network has been changing
the way people communicate, gather information and inform their decisions. For
young students and even modern parents in particular, social network is principle
means of gathering information and communication with peer to peer (Kemp,
2017). In this report, there are 83% of prospective students have been using social
networks as channels to research information about study abroad procedure. Along
with the trend of globalization and the development of science, technology internet,
especially social network, study abroad has become an indispensable need for many
young generations to realize the “Global Citizen” dream and it will expand their


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knowledge beyond their traditional educational style and their current world. This is
an opportunity to raise students' awareness of the many cultures of the world that
can contribute to create many individuals with a broader understanding of today's
society rather than limiting within the traditional education system at their home
country (Johnson and Stewart, 1991). Kinginger (2007) considered that students
who have studied abroad often demonstrate the development of cognitive and
creative thinking that surpasses the ability of students with only have educational
experiences in their home country.
One of the reasons why studying abroad is becoming increasingly important

is that globalization has opened up international employment opportunities. Qiang
(2003) observed that there is a noticeable increase in the number of international
labor recruitment due to globalization. This creates a need for competition in the
international labor market which affects many students in seeking opportunities to
enhance their career prospects by achieving high quality education with
qualifications which are recognized around the world (Mpinganjira, 2009). Up to
now, the concept of overseas study has been developed and it seem to be potential
service business. Overseas study has been becoming the educational activities.
The innovation of social networks has influenced enterprises to discover
effective ways to communicate with their potential consumers. This marketing has
been extending to education consultancy that attempt to influence parents and
students’ choices. Morris (2012) demonstrated that social networks were used by
students to assist in the university choices. Social networks are proving an
influential way of providing a platform for potential students to gather information
and inform their choice about study abroad and destination (We are social report,
2017). Students can use a variety of information sources to do decision-making.
These include the internet, social networks, newspapers, word of mouth, education
consultancies and government sources... (Poonam and Madhu, 2015). Despite this
wide diversity information sources, overseas students had limited knowledge to


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choose the courses to study and job prospects on completing a specific program
(James et al, 2013). Therefore, they really need a professional advice and guidance
to make final decision. As Morris (2012), he said that social network is used by
students to assist in the university decision making process. So social network has
potential for education agency to grow visibility and attract more prospective
students (Zinck and Constantinides, 2011). Therefore, social network has appeared
to have much potential and promise, it will be determined what role social network

plays in student’s decision of education consultant agency. And from the increasing
demand of studying abroad in Vietnam leads to strong development of education
consultant agents to help student on preparing full study abroad procedure. And
because of big opportunity of study abroad business now so many Agents are
opening in Vietnam, it creates the dynamic market and stressful of competition. OSI
Vietnam (One Step International Education Consulting Co., Ltd) is one of the
companies that their service is oversea study service are facing with their own
challenge to adapt to the booming of technology nowadays to keep growing and
replace another proactive approach strategy to prospective students through social
networks.
Problem Statement:
Although OSI Vietnam has been established in the market for a long time
(over 20 years), but company has not been prominent and successful, as well as not
well known. OSI Vietnam is a small enterprise, there have only 12 employees’
unreasonable job allocation, and each employee must occupy multiple positions (as
consultant, customer service, marketing, cashier, international relationship ...)
resulting in low marketing effectiveness. Employees are primarily trained in
professional counseling, customer care by telephone but lack of marketing training.
The lack of a specialized marketing department has led to ineffective publicity of
the company image; the staffs disregard the marketing function that only focuses on
the processing of the visa application. Because it is a small company, marketing


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budget is very low, so it is not suitable for communication activities, organization of
seminars, events ... Accordingly; the company now needed a marketing plan both
less costly but still effective.
Even though the company has website: www.osivietnam.com and fan page
on Facebook but does not regularly update, refresh the content as well as do not

have specialists in charge so it does not bring effective marketing for the company.
They only had ineffective marketing policies like annually; the company
coordinates with the Thanh Nien Newspaper to participate in the graduating season
consultancy program. Although effective immediately at that time but does not
bring long-term and stable effects.
Furthermore, the competitors are using social networking and marketing
online very strong so there is fewer customers know and willing to choose OSI
Vietnam and traditional approachment strategy has become passive and outdated so
the company need to think about changing and replacing the marketing plan as soon
as possible or they will decrease day by day.
Because of many trouble with the business of OSI Vietnam currently when
they cannot get new customers by world of month based on relationship and
traditional ways as Director of OSI Vietnam recognized that it is the passive
approachment, and they must change to adapt to the modern human world changing
day by day, if they are not smart they will be left behind and disappear amidst a
very dynamic competitive environment. Author, who used to work in OSI Vietnam,
grew with them and OSI as her second family, she wants to do something that as the
strongest action to make them pass through their difficult period time. As discussion
with board director, the company really needs a marketing department but as the
beginning their budget is still not too much, so author will consider and found that
social networking marketing now is very effective tool for them to spread OSI
Vietnam image to the new horizon of social community.
And author chose OSI Vietnam because author used to be counsellor of that
company, so I know they are lacking the marking strategy even their service is good


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but without advertisement they will lose their business to other competitors. So,
next section author will introduce about OSI Vietnam and their problem that need to

have solution for marketing campaign as the reason why author do this research to
help them issue their current problem. Whether social network has a great impact on
customer’s making process and there have many researches about this issue but
until now there are no specific studies for this field in Vietnam. So, in this study,
author chooses the topic “The impact of social network to student’s choice an
Education consultant agency: Solution of marketing on social network for OSI
Vietnam”
1.2. Research objectives and research questions
Research’s objective is to indentify the way that social network influence to
students on making decision when they are finding education consultant agency for
their studying abroad process.
Related to research’s objectives, the questions are set as follow:
1. How does social network impact on student’s choice?
2. What social networking sites do students use to search education consultant
agency?
3. Which social networking sites influenced student’s decision making?
1.3. Scope of research
Scope of study:
-

Students: who have already had student visa to study abroad by Education
consultant centres. They have gone through the selection process to make
final decision, therefor understand them will help author find out which
factors have brought the highest efficiencies and how social network plays a
role and which social networking sites they have used in the process of their
choice. In this thesis, author will focus on students who studied in USA,
Canada and Australia.


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-

OSI Vietnam Staff: They know the problems and the needs. They have more
efficient marketing campaigns to attract more students and develop their
business.

-

Education counsellors: author chooses to interview because they are working
in the company where has been running marketing online so that we can see
more clearly the effective of social networking marketing. Then give solution
from their experience to help OSI Vietnam develop their marketing strategy.

-

Parents: they have the most influence on student on their study abroad
decision. According to research of McFadden (2015), there is nearly 60% of
prospective students report they research schools with their parents, and 61%
of parents said that they will made the final decision.

1.3.1. Methodology of research
1.3.2. Research data
In this research, author has used both primary and secondary data sources.
Secondary data: all information was founded on books, magazines, internet...
and Primary data: has applied survey method through questionnaires.
Semi structure interview’s objective is exploring the insights and specific
information.
In this study, author choose direct interview one by one with 4 kinds of
research objectives to take their opinions to devote into the research as much ideas

from many different subjects, there are 13 participants accept to join the interviews:
- Students: who are international students in USA, Canada, they are the
persons that successful student visa by OSI Vietnam. Author contacted them
for inviting the interview and made the conversation one by one on Facebook
messenger, Zalo, Skype… They are very happy and satisfied with OSI
Vietnam and promise to share every promotion from OSI Vietnam on social
networks.


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- Parents: author made interview with 2 parents who are working with OSI
Vietnam for their children to study abroad. They knew OSI through their
friends’ introduction and they also said that without someone told them that
company then they will not know who they are and never come so they totally
agreed that OSI should have marketing to promote their brand to many people
especially on social network.
- Board of director of OSI Vietnam: director of OSI Vietnam and Office
manager discussed about the lack of marketing campaign of the enterprise and
they are facing with loosing many students and they demonstrated OSI must
change to adapt to new technology era. That why they accept author to do the
thesis with using it as the real case.
- Reference from the marketer and counsellor from other Agents: These
people have experience of marketing on Education field in other Agents, they
are even established later than OSI Vietnam, but they are now even growing
faster than OSI because they have the active approachment on social networks
where have a whole world community. They gave author many ideas about
how to do marketing on social for studying abroad demand.
The interviews took around 30 minutes to 45 minutes, and some trouble with
the time zone and internet so some of the records were not good but after that author

also re-contacted for completing the transcript versions. Through the time doing my
thesis, author is in rush season at working so she had travelled a lot. But after all,
she tried her best to complete thesis on time.
1.3.3. Methodology of research
This study uses combination of qualitative. Qualitative research is the
method with collecting information without numerical form and it usually related to
the emotions of human, or behavior. Discovering the experience of participants in a
qualitative study is viewed as a phenomenological approach. Furthermore,


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Qualitative research is suitable to answer the question of “How” and “Why”
(Hennink et al., 2011).
Since this is an appropriate way, the attitude, value and behavior of the research
should be acknowledged at the beginning of the research, but should be part of the
research. A perfect example of qualitative research is group interviews and
structured questions with open responses that generate qualitative data. These openended questions allow respondents to express and answer in-depth questions in their
own words rather than the words of researcher feeds. These answers help the
researcher gather in-depth analysis and the real understanding of the respondents
about the research problem. However, this method can take quite long time and
respondents are very limited because they can only be considered in such a study
(Palys and Atchison, 2014). As Palinkas and partners (2015), the qualitative
research method is an exploratory study. The primary purpose of qualitative
research, as assessed by Flick (2015), is to better understand the reasons, opinions
and motivations of research. Karlsson (2016) argues that some trends are discovered
by researchers with the use of qualitative research. There are several methods used
in qualitative research where the study is unstructured and semi structured (Robson
and McCartan, 2016). The most common qualitative studies are interviews.
Whatever technique is selected by the study of research for qualitative research

should provide the ability to provide insight from the inner core of the problem for
this study. This insight may include the responses of the participants, their
comments or ideas (Taylor et al, 2015).
In this study author choose the choice model of Engle, 1995; Kardes, Cronley,
Cline (2011) as her main model to follow and give more finding about how social
networks can be effective on each step. There are five steps: Need; Information
search; Evaluate of Alternative; Purchase decision and Post purchase. Following
five steps, it has their own factors that can be the reason for further steps and final
decision


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1.4. Significance of research
Finding of this research found that effect of social network will be strong on
step 2 (Information search) and step 3 (Evaluation of Alternative) because students
will nearly 100% go to internet and social network for seeking and taking all their
concerns so every positive or negative recommendation will be their issue. On Step
1 (Need), the effect just medium since what they see on social network with good
performance then will be their motivation to know exactly what they want and
where to go. Going to step 4, it just the most depends on actual service and
consultant skill of Agents and how much they give their customers belief then more
opportunity of business they can win. The last step (Post purchase) will close for
decision making process of this person but will be the next beginning steps of other
students.
This research brings the theoretical as well as practical significance to all
enterprises in the field of Education consultancy, marketing, it also identifies the
influence of social network to consumer’s choice, especially students in the process
of finding, comparing and deciding. From this research they can come up with
appreciate policies to attract their target customers, support marketing, build and

develop the strategies to improve competitiveness.
1.5. Outline of research
The research has five chapters as below:
Chapter 1: General information
The first chapter will show the overview of research topic, research objective,
research question, scope and methodology of this study.
Chapter 2: Literature review
Theories of social networks, Student’s choice and the link between social
networks and Student’s decision making process will be introduced in this chapter.