Social networks, their role and influence on generation Y versus generation Z when recruiting applicants for Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to analyze the importance and role of social networks in the decision-making process of a university candidate at the moment when the generation of this target group changes. The author, together with the research goal, has been monitoring the phases and influences on the initiation and decision-making of the candidate for a long time, and the perception of online tools is changing as the generation that grew up with the Internet is emerging. This study analyzes the differences, possibilities and barriers to the inclusion of social networks at the various stages of the impact on potential candidates as well as attitudes towards them. The basis for its processing are quantitative and qualitative surveys. The aim of the qualitative survey was to identify specific factors regarding the behavior and habits of students in the decision-making process of choosing a higher education institution. The research was carried out in 2015 with N = 12 respondents. The quantitative survey was focused on the analysis of the decision-making process of applicants, which is regularly verified in the monitoring of attitudes. This survey was carried out in the years 2015 to 2019, providing a total of 2082 evaluated responses for this article (2015: N = 714, 2016: N = 440, 2017: N = 99, 2018: N = 392, 2019: N = 437). The survey's target group consisted of university candidates who were approached during an Open Day visit or in the admission process of the selected Czech higher education institution. Although it is a narrowly focused sample, it is an inspiring material that is supported by a number of secondary data sources, thus creating at least a discussion platform for university marketing staff. The output of the paper is a model of inclusion of social networks in the communication mix of universities and a number of recommendations arising from the results.