The Marketing Strategy of Chinese Language Programs in Taiwan: A Case Study of the Mandarin Learning Center at the Chinese Culture University

• Main Authors: Ping-ping Chang, 張萍萍
• Other Authors: SHU-HWA CHIU
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/pdsq32

碩士 === 世新大學 === 公共關係暨廣告學研究所(含碩專班) === 102 === With the rise of the Chinese economy, learning the Chinese language is a craze that has swept the world. Foreigners all over the world have come to Asia to learn Chinese. In light of this trend, Taiwan universities have set up Chinese language centers, hoping to be apart of the growth of teaching the language. By doing so, foreigners in Taiwan have access to a holistic learning system. The subject of this study was the Chinese Culture University Chinese Language Center(MLC). The research focused on the promotion of Chinese language, including the difficulties faced by the program, the breakthroughs made, and the marketing strategy used to develop the program at MLC. The study also considers why the program can attract a considerable number of foreign students to study in Taiwan. The methodology used in this study was in-depth interviews. All interviewees were MLC staff members. By using the above methods, the goal was to identify the issues faced by MLC both internally and externally, and to understand their marketing strategies. A final analysis determined whether the strategies used were developed properly. The study found that the plight of MLC faced two major obstacles: primarily, the method of promotion for language programs in Taiwan compared to Mainland China was different as the university in Taiwan must rely on their own promotional methods; in addition, the quality and variety of Chinese textbooks needs to be increased. In light of these issues, the study found that MLC made up for these areas by relying on a curriculum based on demands and interest. By doing so, MLC made major strategic expansion that boosted its popularity; their strategy via word of mouth marketing combined with other marketing methods allowed to them to achieve a steady increase of students. This study is also based on the literature identified in the SWOT analysis of MLC via the STP module, to understand the development process of the MLC marketing strategy. But the study found that the MLC evaluation of its center is not sufficient. MLC completed quality assessment for the curriculum, but did not do an assessment of the effectiveness of marketing strategies, MLC can improve in this direction in the future. Finally, the study on the development of the MLC marketing strategy can be summarized in three steps. First, its main focus is to continue to increase the program’s brand awareness; secondly, use the platform of the excellent curriculum and the availability of technology and equipment in the school as the basis for promotion; thirdly, allow the consumer’s experience of the curriculum to be shared by word of mouth so as to build up the program’s reputation.