An Experimental Analysis on the Corporate Identity of Institutes of Higher Learning in the Malaysian East Coast Region Vis-À-Vis Market Conditions in Empowering Self-Sustainability
Nor Hafizah Abdullah1, Mohammad Rezal Hamzah2, Suffian HadiAyub3, Sharipah Nur Mursalina Syed Azmy4, Zanirah Wahab5, Hishamuddin Salim6, Wan Abdul Hayyi Wan Omar7
1Nor Hafizah Abdullah, Department of Languages & Communication, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia.
2Mohammad Rezal Hamzah, Department of Human Development & Technocommunication, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Malaysia.
3SuffianHadiAyub, Department of Arts, Sunway University, Malaysia.
4Sharipah Nur Mursalina Syed Azmy, Department of Languages & Communication, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia.
5Zanirah Wahab, Department of Languages & Communication, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia.
6Hishamuddin Salim, Department of Languages & Communication, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia.
7Wan Abdul Hayyi Wan Omar, Department of Languages & Communication, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia.
Manuscript received on 08 June 2019 | Revised Manuscript received on 13 June 2019 | Manuscript Published on 08 July 2019 | PP: 189-193 | Volume-8 Issue-8S3 June 2019 | Retrieval Number: H10520688S319/19©BEIESP
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open-access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: The liberalization of the education industry has ex-posed the institutes of higher learning (IHL) in Malaysia to financial challenges. Without good financial standing, public institutions will rely on government funding. Ostensibly, this contradicts with the government’s aspiration to make universities self-sufficient. With stiff competition from private institutes of higher learning, IHL need to be prepared at the forefront level. The corporate identity itself is the entrance to the world of higher learning and it is in this uniqueness, it will be able to distinguish itself from competitors. Effective corporate identity representa-tion of the IHL is very important for the sustainability of the institution. This study employed in-depth interview with key personnel and decision makers of the IHL. The IHL in the east coast region of Malaysia has been chosen as the location for the research due to its rising prominence as an education hub espe-cially with the establishment of East Coast Economic Region (ECER). The market conditions elements in the Corporate Identi-ty Model developed by Melewar and Jenkins in 2002 has been used as the primary research framework. The result highlights the readiness of each IHL in the east coast region in competing with other well established IHL all over Malaysia despite the increase of financial challenges. Some of the strategies used to promote and establish their corporate identities are proven to be efficient and cost effective which could be emulated especially by new IHL.
Keywords: Communication, corporate identity, market Condi-tions, IHL
Scope of the Article: Optical Communication