STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY MID LEVEL COLLEGES TO COPE WITH GLOBALIZATION

The challenges in the business environment calls for organizations to develop a roadmap in order to steer in the right direction amid the environmental turbulence and challenges of globalization. This makes it necessary for an organization to device an appropriate strategy to enable it create a “fit”. The business environment is becoming increasingly competitive and hence there is the need to ensure that they put in place mechanisms to enable them compete not only at the national level but also at the international level. Globalization involves the diffusion of ideas, practices and technologies. It is something more than internationalization and universalization. Giddens (1990), described globalization as the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. This involves a change in the way we understand geography and experience localness, as well as offering opportunity it brings with considerable risks linked, for example, to technological change.

Globalization effects are spreading all over the world with increased speed and organizations must align themselves accordingly or be faced out of business. Small and Medium Enterprises are not an exception in this and they will have to adopt new ways of doing things in order to remain relevant and competitive (Ansoff and McDonnell, 1990). This brings about the relevance of development of a game plan of action to enable them move to the next level.

Globalization of competition really starts to get hold when one or more ambitious companies precipitate a value for worldwide market leadership by launching initiatives to expand into more and more country markets. Globalization can also be precipitated by the blossoming of consumer demand, where national organizations find themselves competing with international organizations at the national level. The forces of globalization are sometimes such a strong driver that companies find it highly advantageous, if not necessary, to spread their operating reach into more and more country markets (Osterhammel and Niels, 2005). Globalization is very much a driver of industry change in such as the educational sector through the various academic programs offered. Various educational institutions have developed various strategies to take the huge opportunities that are opening up as a result of globalization. Some of the strategies include development of partnerships, offering of international programs through collaborations, expansion to new markets and broadening of the academic programs.

The education sector has been growing rapidly with the increase of mid level colleges and institutions of higher learning. There has been increased competition both locally and internationally. Most of the colleges fall under the category of small and medium enterprises and the level of competition mainly stems from larger institutions. In order to remain competitive, the mid level colleges have developed strategies that enable them to remain relevant, offer competitive programs and at the same time offer high quality education. Some of the activities they have engaged in are development of academic programs that are unique and also having them validated and recognized by the government. Other activities include development of programs in collaboration with the universities and international institutions. However, it has been an uphill task for most of them since they have been operating in a local level or national level, and as a result of globalization, they have suddenly found themselves experiencing regional and international competition in their operating levels.

The mid level colleges that have been applying various strategies in order to cope with the challenges brought about by globalization. However, the strategies developed have not proven as best practices in the operations. Previous studies carried out in the small and medium enterprise sector by Omondi (2009), Maina, (2009), Ngui (2007) and Awino (2007) were on the areas of performance, development of strategies, relationship management and strategic responses but none has looked at the strategies they have adopted to contend with globalization in the higher education Sector.