The cycle of business education in Malaysia: Institutional development and marketing strategies

Purpose - The growing professionalization of Malaysian industry over the past three decades, and the need for skilled business talent, have led to an increased demand for business education. This paper aims to examine how institutions in Malaysia have responded to this need. Design/methodology/approach - This is a case study that synthesizes and organizes institutional experiences in delivering business education in Malaysia. Findings - Malaysian academic institutions have responded to the demand for business education through a process modeled by the authors as a "cycle of business education" (CBE). The authors discuss institutional developments and competitive marketing strategies directed toward target markets during the five stages of the CBE. Practical implications - The Malaysian experience in meeting business education needs can provide valuable guidance to educators and policy makers, among others, in developing countries engaged in similar initiatives. These countries can benefit from understanding more about institutional practices as well as from the problems that surfaced during the Malaysian CBE. Originality/value - The paper makes an original contribution first by delineating and discussing the five stages of the cycle of business education (CBE), including institutional developments. Next it systematically articulates various components of the marketing strategies institutions use to deliver business education. Finally, recommendations are offered to improve the institutional provision and marketing of business education.