Notes for Dave - CiteSeerX

Customer Decision Support Systems: Resources for Student Decision Making Cara Okleshen Peters, Winthrop University David A. Bradbard, Winthrop University Mary C. Martin, Fort Hays State University

Abstract This paper highlights the potential of customer decision support systems (CDSS) to assist students in education-related decision making. Faculty can use these resources to more effectively advise students on various elements of college life, while students can employ them to more actively participate in their own learning and improve their academic experience. This conceptual paper summarizes consumer decision support systems (CDSS) concepts and presents exemplar websites students could utilize to support their education-related decision making. Finally, the authors discuss the potential benefits and drawbacks such resources engender from a student perspective and conclude with directions for future research.

The Journal of Educators Online, Volume 2, Number 2, July 2005

Introduction Increasingly, universities are approaching education utilizing a service quality perspective. Accordingly, faculty have become service providers delivering a product (information) to their customers (students) via the classroom (Hoffman and Kelley, 1991; Stafford, 1994). A significant body of literature is forming around the student-customer precept, with user satisfaction increasingly being correlated with assumptions of higher quality (Swanson and Davis, 2000). One recently published study examines such a paradigm from a professorial perspective (Swanson and Frankel, 2002). Swanson and Frankel's study is noteworthy because they argue students are not passive customers but rather active participants in the service encounter, a finding consistent with other research suggesting students are active producers of their own learning and employers view students as potential packages of benefits (Armstrong, 1995; Goulla, 1999).

As noted by Long, Tricker, Rangecroft, and Gilroy (1999), when universities embody the service quality perspective, they place greater emphasis on meeting customer needs and expectations, implementing change by enhancing course quality. This makes the role of the professor particularly important; he/she is responsible for delivering the product and carries the burden of ensuring transactional success. It should be noted, however, that this definition of the "service encounter" is limited; in fact, most literature to date restricts the exchange to the physical classroom. Arguably, learning takes place beyond that particular environment. For example, many faculty advise students with regard to careers, financial aid, graduate school preparation, and even personal issues.

Although the suitability of the service quality perspective as it pertains to education remains highly debatable (cf. Swagler, 1978), the model has become increasingly accepted among students, faculty, and administrators (Newson, 2004). While acknowledging the limitations of the model, this paper assumes a service quality perspective and applies it to service experiences outside the classroom environment. The purpose of this discussion is to highlight the potentially valuable role customer decision support systems may perform in assisting students with education-related decision making.


2

Assuming professors want to be more effective service providers, it serves faculty to be aware of customer decision support systems so they can better advise students on a variety of education related topics. From a student's perspective, such resources are tools to assist them in becoming more active participants in their own learning. The objectives of this paper are to:

1. Summarize consumer decision support systems concepts and present exemplar websites that currently exist to support student decision making; 2. Identify the potential benefits and drawbacks of these systems, as they pertain to students; 3. Highlight the implications of customer decision support systems in an education context; and 4. Suggest directions for future research.

Conceptual Background The World Wide Web is dramatically reshaping the way businesses operate and consumers behave in almost all industries (Hayes, 2003); the educational sector is no exception. Most research in this domain examines the effectiveness of electronic course delivery (Berger and Topol, 2001) and its impact on student learning (Peterson, Albaum, Mumuera, and Cunningham, 2002), as well as electronic resources to support coursework (Bell, Deans, Ibbotson, and Sinkovics, 2001) and student projects (Castleberry, 2001). This work falls under the category of inquiry associated with Internet resources faculty use in their classes, but the focus extends the literature because it addresses those World Wide Web resources particularly suited for aiding students in contexts beyond the classroom. In turn, students can use these resources to facilitate education-related decision making. To that end, the authors have utilized decision support systems theory as a foundation for this discussion.

Decision support systems (DSS) are integral to the field of Management Information Systems (MIS). A DSS is defined as a system that "assists management decision making by combining sophisticated analytical models and tools, and user-friendly software into a single powerful system that can support semi-structured or unstructured decision making" (Laudon and Laudon,


3

2004, p. 349). A customer decision support system is a specialized DSS designed to aid individual consumers in the decision making process. Arguably, there are some instances in which students are not allowed freedom of choice in their education as with course assignments. Yet, this discussion focuses on those cases in which students can choose among different options, such as selecting among several elective courses. In an academic environment supporting the student-as-customer model, customer decision support systems (CDSS) could prove useful for improving the service encounter and subsequent decision making.

Power (2004) provides a useful framework for classifying DSS based on the dominant component of the system (i.e., data-driven, model-driven, knowledge-driven, document-driven, or communications-driven). Furthermore, he identifies the target users, primary purpose, and enabling technology for each type of system. According to Power's framework, three types of DSS could be utilized by customers via the World Wide Web, making them potential CDSS. Data-driven systems provide users with a searchable database; knowledge-driven systems assist consumers in accessing expertise; and model-driven systems give access to mathematically based models that suggest appropriate need-solutions.

Grenci and Todd (2002) argue that CDSS is integral to any successful sales and marketing strategy. Given this, CDSS should perform like an expert system that identifies user needs, guides the user to an appropriate solution, and explains/justifies it so that he/she can understand the recommendation. Grenci and Todd (2002) classify three key CDSS according to the user interface. •

In the expert-driven interface, the customer has little expertise and is unsure of the intended product's use. The CDSS therefore assists the customer in identifying needs, options, and solutions. (Ideally, the system would also explain its recommendation.) Such interfaces are rare but a 401K retirement planning site, such as www.tiaa-cref.org, is an example.

•

In the decision-assisted interface, the customer knows his/her needs and the CDSS determines applicable choices or configures possible solutions. An example of this is the site, www.travelocity.com, where a user can specify preferences for travel and destination


4

details including date, location, airline, and expense. Travelocity searches the Sabre reservations system and presents a prioritized solution list based on how options fit within the customer's stated parameters. •

The user-driven interface assumes the customer is knowledgeable, can identify personal needs, as well as recognize options and configure the product or service without marketer assistance. In this case, the system assists the customer in making a final decision; firms selling computers online, such as www.dell.com, typically use this format.

Grenci and Todd's (2002) work suggests that a CDSS is especially applicable to those instances when a customer recognizes a need but cannot determine specific product or service features that fulfill their needs--as in the case of a student who recognizes that he/she needs advising on a marketing career but knows little about the field.

O'Keefe and McEachern (1998), first to coin the term "customer decision support systems," define one as "a system that connects a company to its existing or potential customers, providing support for some part of the customer decision making process" (p. 72). In the marketing literature, such systems have been referred to as "computer-assisted decision aids" (Olson and Widing, 2002), "shopbots" (Smith and Brynjolfsson, 2001), "shopping-comparison websites" (Liedtke, 2003), and even "super sales associates" (Alba et al., 1997). O'Keefe and McEachern's classifications are the most appropriate for this paper because they classify CDSS according to the stage supported in the consumer decision making process (See Table 1).

The consumer decision making process, well documented within marketing scholarship, is seen as encompassing five stages: problem or need recognition; information search; alternative evaluation; choice or purchase; and post-purchase evaluation. Research has shown the model's applicability across a variety of domains, including life insurance (e.g., Art, 2003), banking (Waite and Harrison, 2002), and health care (Domaszewicz, 2002). Thus, it is likely that students, defined as customers, follow a similar process with regard to education-related decision making.


5

Table 1: Taxonomy of Customer Decision Support Systems from O'Keefe and McEachern (1998) Decision Process Need Recognition Information Search

Evaluation

Purchase

Post-Purchase Evaluation

Description Customers recognize need

Typical Support Mechanisms 1. Agents 2. Event notification Customers search for a 1. Virtual catalogs product/service that satisfies 2. Internal search at web site need 3. Structured questions and answers 4. Links to external sources 1. FAQs and summaries Customers use decision 2. Samples and trials heuristics to evaluate and 3. Provision of evaluative compare goods and services models 4. Information on existing customers Customers place an order, pay, 1. Product or service ordering 2. Payment methods and arrange for collection, 3. Arrangement of delivery delivery, or installation Customers evaluate purchases 1. Customer support via email with a view to future decision and/or newsgroup (vendor making, customer support and initiated) maintenance may be important 2. FAQs 3. Trouble-shooting tips 4. Email communication and response (customer initiated)

Several published studies have recently examined the effects of CDSS on consumer decision making; three are particularly noteworthy. Haubl and Trifts (2000) addressed the utility of such aids in the context of online shopping. They found that recommendation agents and comparison matrices substantially influenced consumer decision making, concluding that consumers make better decisions via CDSS while expending less effort. Pereira (1999) found that CDSS impact choice processes, leading to increased satisfaction with the decision process and heightened confidence in judgments. Mathieson, Bhargava, and Tanniru (1999) argue that for consumers, CDSS offer improved decision making and reduces the costs of future decision making by applying the lessons learned to other situations. These authors also posit that service providers benefit because CDSS provide insights into consumer choice processes, increase customer loyalty, and reduce marketing costs. Taken together, these results validate the relevance of The Journal of Educators Online, Volume 2, Number 2, July 2005

6

CDSS to students for use in supporting education-related decisions while expending little effort. In addition, if faculty recommend such systems to students, it is likely they will generate greater student satisfaction and confidence with the advising experience (i.e., service encounter) and the decisions that ensue.

Education-Related Customer Decision Support Systems A list of exemplar CDSS resources faculty may use to advise students, concerning all aspects of academic-related life, was generated from an hour-long brainstorming session conducted with two undergraduate Internet Marketing classes (n = 79) at a major, Southeastern public university. It is important to note that this moderately sized student sample generated a substantial number of websites. In addition, the authors consulted with two graduate students in the field of education to expand the list. It should be noted that this list is not an exhaustive collection, but one that highlights a representative sample of particular relevance to undergraduate students, especially those majoring in business. It is impractical to generate an exhaustive list of CDSS as many websites, especially those unique to an individual university (such as a particular English department's suggestions on how to follow the APA writing style), are often not indexed on search engines. Web site obsolescence is another issue. Clearly, there are numerous CDSS that are not discussed in this paper yet our table presents some illustrative examples.

The websites generated in the brainstorming sessions were reviewed for 1) content, 2) support for a consumer decision making stage, and 3) the target market strategy adopted by the firm. Table 2 presents common target market strategies used by firms in the marketplace (Lamb, Hair, and McDaniel, 2005). This classification captures the different types of customers that each website is designed to serve. In a concentrated strategy, a website would be designed to focus on one type of student (i.e., graduate student). When using a multi-segmenting strategy, a firm would market one or more products to multiple types of students (i.e., high school, undergraduate and graduate students) via the web. In undifferentiated targeting, the website appeals to a mass audience of consumers, capturing students and non-students. After being analyzed for content, decision making stage, and target market strategy, the websites were grouped according to function. As highlighted in Table 3 (pages 19-21), six service categories were noted, relating to: courses, graduate school, financial aid, careers, professions, and college


7

life. These categories capture the various areas of education-related challenges students may face. For example, "course related" support sites help with choosing in which class to enroll, while "career" aids facilitate career choices.

Table 2: Target Market Strategies from Lamb, Hair, and McDaniel (2005) Concentrated Targeting

A firm selects a market niche (one segment of a market) for targeting its marketing efforts. Because the firm is appealing to a single segment, it maintains a highly specialized marketing mix. This category was used to represent firms marketing their products at one specific market segment, such as one type of student.

Multi-Segment Targeting

A firm chooses to serve two or more well-defined market segments and develops a distinct marketing mix for each. Multi-segment targeting may involve greater product design, production, promotion, inventory, marketing research, and management costs. This category was used to represent firms marketing one or more products targeted toward multiple market segments, such as different types of students (i.e., high school, undergraduate, and graduate students).

Undifferentiated A firm adopts a mass market philosophy, viewing the market as one big group with no individual segments. The firm uses one marketing mix for the Targeting entire market. A firm that adopts an undifferentiated targeting strategy assumes that individual customers have similar needs that can be met with a common marketing mix. This category was used to represent firms that marketed their product to any person as a consumer. Thus, the firm focuses on a variety of segments as in the case of all types of students and nonstudents.

Course-Related Resources. In the category of course-related CDSS, website services ranged from those used to communicate information about the quality of professor performance (i.e., www.ratemyprofessors.com) to those providing writing assistance (i.e., www.termpapers.com), study aids (i.e., www.tutor.com and www.cliffnotes.com), and basic business information (i.e., www.quickmba.com). Although not uncovered in the brainstorming sessions, there are a host of publisher-sponsored websites accompanying textbooks. Many of these sites have useful study aids, such as interactive quizzes.


8

With the exception of websites that are used to rate professors, most course-related resources in Table 3 (pages 19-21) simplify information searches or purchasing behavior. For example, www.cliffnotes.com sells abbreviated literature compilations available in most bookstores, thus providing an online distribution channel. Tutoring sites (www.tutor.com) provide a ubiquitous means of purchasing tutoring services. Figure 1 (page 22) presents the home page of www.tutor.com. Term paper writing websites (www.termpapers.com) cater to students wanting to improve their college-level writing skills.

With respect to studying, tutoring, and writing resources, such online services provide accessibility and convenience. However, their drawbacks include high cost, slow inquiry response time, and the difficulties posed by mediated learning formats, as well as ethical issues. In some cases, it may be less expensive and more effective to visit on-campus tutoring or writing centers. Even so, sites like www.tutor.com offer tutors with specialized knowledge, such as upper-level mathematics, that are not available from an on-campus tutor because of the difficulty in finding someone with expertise.

Teaching evaluation pages, such as www.ratemyprofessors.com, are distinct because they deal with multiple stages of decision making. Figure 2 (page 23) presents a copy of a page from www.ratemyprofessors.com showing the database. Ratemyprofessors.com, a compilation of more than two million entries, allows students to critique their instructors--a form of postpurchase evaluation--based upon three criteria: helpfulness, clarity, and easiness (in addition to providing space for open ended comments). Also, new students can search for information about professors they are considering before registering, thereby reducing uncertainty. Put simply, this website automates and centralizes the communication network that students access to gain information about professor performance.

From a student's perspective, the primary advantage of sources like www.ratemyprofessors.com is that they provide easily accessible information about instructors that some students would not be able to access via traditional social networks or word-of-mouth. Furthermore, an individual can often read multiple opinions, ideally representing a diversity of viewpoints. However, drawbacks include the fact that students respond differently to a particular instructor's style


9

rendering some insights less valuable (and potentially inaccurate). Additionally, students cannot assess the quality of the source since posting is done under anonymity.

Graduate school preparation. The websites in this category include national college and university databases as well as entrance essay assistance and graduate school test preparation services. The former relate to the information search stage of the consumer decision process, whereas the latter support the purchase stage. Databases, such as www.universities.com, provide comprehensive institutional lists of distance learning, online education, and on-campus options. Figure 3 (page 24) presents the Master's degree page from www.universities.com. However, this format entails limitations because to truly maximize an information search's utility, a student will most likely have to visit the website of a given college to read specifics about the programs of interest.

With respect to entrance essay aid and test preparation websites, these can be extremely advantageous. Students can purchase discipline-specific editing help, from www.essayedge.com, to improve graduate school applications. Test preparation services, such as Kaplan's www.kaptest.com, provide exam study tips, exercises, and test locations and schedules, among other features. In addition, a student can buy test preparation books and register for classroom-based prep courses. The primary disadvantage to these services is cost. Some service providers charge in excess of $900; many services on these websites are only available to students who have paid the registration fee. For example, Figure 4 (page 25) presents the home page of Kaplan, where a student has to register and pay before gaining full access to the site.

Financial aid resources. Most websites providing financial aid resources are purely informational, describing different forms of aid and detailing the necessary steps for obtaining such assistance. Many are proprietary but the Federal Government sponsors a comprehensive source: www.studentaid.ed.gov (See Figure 5, page 26). The advantage to students is that financial aid CDSS provide quick information access, but searching for a particular piece of information or an answer to a specific question can be tedious and time consuming. Often the application process is best completed in person using the guidance of a financial aid office on a


10

college campus. In addition, this office communicates deadlines and provides appropriate financial aid application forms, information oftentimes lost among the multiple pages of a content-rich website, if available at all.

Career resources. The World Wide Web contains numerous career related CDSS students can access for job searches. In general, these allow students to search job posting databases across a variety of fields as well as post their resumes. In addition, many, such as www.monster.com or www.hotjobs.com, provide tips for resume writing, interviewing, salary negotiation, etc.; hence, they support the information search stage of consumer decision making. Figure 6 (page 27) presents a copy of the home page of www.monster.com. Students could perceive several advantages to using these career-related CDSS: they provide fast, easy access to multiple job postings. Students searching these databases may become motivated as they learn about numerous possibilities for which they may be qualified. The disadvantages lie in the fact the ratio of jobs obtained to those applied for is low; inexperienced job hunters may limit their efforts to only submitting resumes online only to find their efforts do not generate enough (or any) interviews.

Professional resources. The category of CDSS that focuses on professional online resources contains industry-specific publications and websites supporting professional organizations. (The student brainstorming session generated a limited number of examples for this category, and it should be noted there are more resources than those given.) Online industry-specific publication websites include sources such as Advertising Age's www.adage.com, along with Internet versions of more general business publications like The Wall Street Journal's www.wsjinteractive.com. Many sites are online extensions of professional organizations, such as the American Marketing Association's www.marketingpower.com (Figure 7, page 28). These primarily informational resources can provide students with insights into the field of marketing, assist with their course-related learning, support their job searches, and build their connections to "real-world" marketing practitioners. However, the primary disadvantage common to many of these websites is that their contents are only accessible to customers who have paid a fee to access the material. It could be costly to subscribe to a number of professional organizations and publications in order to gain full access to their website contents.


11

College life resources. This category captures CDSS supporting information searches and purchases related to student life; its contents range from websites focused on new and used textbook sales, college life products, and apartment searches. Websites such as www.amazon.com (as well as specialty sites like www.campusbooks.com) are important for students interested in buying and selling used books. A variety of sites, such as www.ecampus.com, have customized product offerings to target the specific needs of college students (e.g., college apparel, videogames, and school supplies). Figure 8 (page 29) presents the home page of www.ecampus.com. In addition, there are general websites that support student apartment searches, including www.apartmentfinder.com.

Discussion and Implications

This paper illustrates the value of customer decision support systems (CDSS) in assisting students with education-related decision making. Professors (and personnel at all institutional levels) can use these resources to advise students within all areas of college life, while students can refer to them individually when facing specific challenges. Ideally, more actively integrating CDSS websites into academics would improve student satisfaction with education-related service encounters. Furthermore, students who utilize such resources should make better educationrelated decisions while expending less effort. Future research should examine whether incorporating CDSS into education-related service encounters does in fact significantly improve customer satisfaction and the ensuing decisions. For example, experimental research using web tracking tools could answer questions as to whether a CDSS reduces time spent searching, assists in narrowing down and prioritizing criteria used to evaluate alternatives, and produces an optimal choice relative to the most important criteria in the decision process for college textbooks.

An examination of the websites reported in Table 3 suggests that most education-related customer decision support systems currently assist the "information search" and "purchase" stages of consumer decision making; hence, they are especially useful for aiding students in gathering information and purchasing products or services. It also appears that the majority of


12

these systems are data-driven as opposed to model-driven (Power, 2004); and most have a userdriven interface that assumes customers are knowledgeable about their needs, aware of the product and service options, and can configure offerings with little assistance (Grenci and Todd, 2002). Collectively, these conclusions imply there is significant growth potential for the creation and development of CDSS that meet a wider set of student needs; current systems are not yet supporting all stages of the decision making process. Existing systems lack model-driven formats that suggest solutions appropriate for student needs. Furthermore, present systems do not include expert-driven and decision-assisted interfaces to assist in identifying needs, configuring options, and discerning optimal solutions.

In the context of student decision making, the stages of problem/need recognition, evaluation, and post-purchase evaluation processes are under-represented by the CDSS sample presented in this paper. The implications of such a situation could be significant, as illustrated by the case of www.ratemyprofessors.com, a popular website among students at numerous universities across the United States. Ratemyprofessors.com claims its customers add more than twenty-seven hundred ratings per day. As of August 28, 2004, the website had over two million ratings of more than four hundred thousand professors who taught at over four thousand universities. Arguably the phenomenal growth of this user base is due to its ability to fulfill the information search and post-purchase stages of students' education-related decision making. However, this site might be even more effective if it provided a comprehensive format where a user could compare the average ratings across the different professors that may teach a course at his/her university. This is an example of how the site could be expanded to support the evaluation stage of student decision making.

Other examples illustrate the potential impact of expanding the offerings of education-related CDSS to better address unfulfilled needs. If www.universities.com, in addition to providing a database list of colleges and universities by state (i.e., information search), would also allow users to compare the course offerings at these schools, the ratings of the various academic programs, and the average cost of tuition, among other key decision factors (i.e., evaluation stage), it would be a more valuable tool and most likely a more popular website. Furthermore, if a student could compare graduation rates, job placement statistics, and even alumni testimonials


13

from the programs in which he/she is interested, these features would provide support for postpurchase evaluation. This raises the question as to whether students derive more value from those CDSS that support a greater number (as opposed to fewer) of stages of the consumer decision making process.

This paper discusses some of the potential benefits and drawbacks of education-related CDSS from a student perspective, highlighting the fact that these systems are imperfect tools with serious shortcomings. It may be useful for future researchers to identify how many students actually use these types of systems and the ways in which the information is used. Furthermore, it would be useful to identify the negative externalities (i.e., unexpected costs or conditions) that may result from widespread usage of these systems. For example, as of September 21, 2004, a Google keyword search for "term paper help" registered more than 8.3 million hits and many of the listed websites offer pre-written (or tailored) for-fee work. If professors advise students to use the Internet as a tool for legitimate writing and editing help, and if such pursuits call up numerous portals fostering plagiarism, students may be tempted to cheat. Thus, professors may face an ethical dilemma in informing students about CDSS (sources such as www.cliffnotes.com or www.ratemyprofessors.com), though detection software such as Turnitin (www.turnitin.com) may act as a deterrent to plagiarism.

The discussion presented in this conceptual paper highlights several important research questions to be answered by a series of empirical studies on the topic. The most pressing question is whether students who use CDSS actually make better decisions? Additionally, do students derive more value from those CDSS that support a greater number of stages of the consumer decision making process? If so, how could current education-related CDSS be expanded to address a wider set of student needs and stages in consumer decision making? Other important questions include how many students actually use these types of systems and in what ways are the information is used? Furthermore, what specific conditions result from student usage of CDSS? Additionally, in what ways would expanded student use of CDSS alter institutional behaviors and/or service offerings?


14

In conclusion, the proliferation and increasing popularity of CDSS services among students generates a need for institutional awareness of their existence. Education-related CDSS will most likely continue developing and becoming more powerful tools to support student decision making. Faculty face the challenge of accepting these tools or rejecting them on the grounds of the negative externalities that they may produce. As indicated by the appeal of www.ratemyprofessors.com, it appears that for better or worse students are embracing such technologies to assist in their decision making. As CDSS become increasingly adopted, future research should examine whether they in fact significantly impact and improve decision making. What can be predicted with certainty is that, like most other industries, customer decision support systems of the World Wide Web are placing a permanent mark on education.


15

References Alba, J., Lynch, J., Weitz, B., Janiszewski, C., Lutz, R., Sawyer, A., & Wood, S. (1997). Interactive Home Shopping: Consumer, Retailer, and Manufacturer Incentives to Participate in Electronic Marketplaces. Journal of Marketing, 61(3), 38-53. Armstrong, J. S. (1995). The Devil's Advocate Responds to an MBA Student's Claim that Research Harms Learning. Journal of Marketing, 59(July), 101-106. Art, M. M. (2003). Consumers Online: The Role of the Internet in the Purchase Process. LIMRA’s MarketFacts Quarterly, 22(4), 84-89. Bell, J., Deans, K., Ibbotson, P., & Sinkovics, R. (2001). Towards the "Internetalization" of International Marketing Education. Marketing Education Review, 11(Fall), 69-79. Berger, K. A., & Topol, M. T. (2001). Technology to Enhance Learning: Use of a Web Site Platform in Traditional Classes and Distance Learning. Marketing Education Review, 11(Fall), 15-26. Castleberry, S. B. (2001). Using Secondary Data in Marketing Research: A Project that Melds Web and Off-Web Sources. Journal of Marketing Education, 23(December), 195-203. Domaszewicz, A. (2002). Online Tools Drive Health Care Decisions. HR Magazine, 47(8), 97102. Goulla, M. (1999). Assessing the Teaching Quality to Student Satisfaction Relationship: Applied Customer Satisfaction Research in the Classroom. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 7(Summer), 87-97. Grenci, T. T., & Todd, P. A. (2002). Solutions Driven Marketing. Communications of the ACM, 45(3), 65-71. Haubl, G., & Trifts, V. (2000). Consumer Decision Making in Online Shopping Environments: The Effects of Interactive Decision Aids. Marketing Science, 19(Winter), 4-21. Hayes, M. (2003). High Impact. Information Week, 926, February 10, 41-50. Hoffman, K. D., & Kelley, S. W. (1991). The Education Service Encounter: The Socialization of Students. Journal of Marketing Education, 13(Summer), 67-77. Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (2004). Management Information Systems, 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.


16

Lamb, C.W., Hair, J.F., & McDaniel, C. (2005). Essentials of Marketing, 4th Ed. United States: South-Western. Liedtke, M. (2003). Sites Check Prices. Salina Journal, November 27, E1-E2. Long, P., Tricker, T., Rangecroft, M., & Gilroy, P. (1999). Measuring the Satisfaction Gap: Education in the Market-place. Total Quality Management, 10(4,5), 772-778. Mathieson, K., Bhargava, M., & Tanniru, M., (1999). Web-Based Consumer Decision Tools: Motivations and Constraints. Oakland University, Working Paper 004. Newson, J. A. (2004). Disrupting the 'Student as Consumer' Model: The New Emancipatory Project. International Relations, 18(2), 227-239. O'Keefe, R. M., & McEachern, T. (1998). Web-Based Customer Decision Support Systems. Communications of the ACM, 41(3), 71-78. Olson, E. L., & Widing II, R. E. (2002). Are Interactive Decision Aids Better Than Passive Decision Aids? A Comparison with Implications for Information Providers on the Internet. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 16(2), 22-33. Pereira, R. E. (1999). Factors Influencing Consumer Perceptions of Web-Based Decision Support Systems. Logistics Information Management, 12(1/2), 157-181. Peterson, R. A., Albaum, G., Munuera, J. L., & Cunningham, W. H. (2002). Reflections on the Use of Instructional Technologies in Marketing Education. Marketing Education Review, 12(Fall), 7-17. Power, D. J. (2004). Specifying an Expanded Framework for Classifying and Describing Decision Support Systems. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 13, 158-166. Smith, M. D., & Brynjolfsson, E. (2001). Consumer Decision-Making at an Internet Shopbot: Brand Still Matters. The Journal of Industrial Economics, 49(4), 541-558. Stafford, T. F. (1994). Consumption Values and the Choice of Marketing Electives: Treating Students Like Customers. Journal of Marketing Education, 16(Summer), 26-33. Swagler, R. M. (1978). Students as Consumers of Postsecondary Education: A Framework for Analysis. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 12(1), 126-134. Swanson, S. R., & Davis, J. C. (2000). A View from the Aisle: Classroom Successes, Failures, and Recovery Strategies. Marketing Education Review, 10(Summer), 17-25.


17

Swanson, S. R., & Frankel, R. (2002). A View from the Podium: Classroom Success, Failures, and Recovery Strategies. Marketing Education Review, 12(Summer), 25-35. Waite, K., & Harrison, T. (2002). Consumer Expectations of Online Information Provided by Bank Websites. Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 6(4), 309-322.


18

Table 3: Education-Related Customer Decision Support Systems Service Category Course-Related Resources

Graduate School Preparation

Website

Decision Making Stage

Target Market

www.professorperformance.com Rate professors, search ratings Purchase one-on-one www.tutor.com tutoring services www.termpapers.com Access material to improve paper writing www.sparknotes.com Purchase study guides www.cliffnotes.com Purchase cliff notes and other study aids www.netmba.com Review business topics

Information search, Post purchase evaluation Information search, Post purchase evaluation Information search, Purchase Information search Purchase Purchase Information search

www.collegenet.com

Information search

Multi-segment

Information search Purchase Purchase Purchase Purchase Purchase Information search Information search, Purchase Information search, Purchase Purchase

Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Concentrated Multi-segment

Information search

Multi-segment

Information search

Multi-segment

www.ratemyprofessors.com

www.universities.com www.essayedge.com www.kaptest.com www.powerscore.com www.testmasters.com www.800score.com www.gradschools.com www.petersons.com www.mba.com www.gre.org Financial Aid Resources

General Site Content

www.fafsa.org www.studentaid.ed.gov

Rate professors, search ratings

Search graduate programs Search distance-learning graduate programs Purchase essay editing services Purchase graduate school test preparation Purchase graduate school test preparation Purchase graduate school test preparation Purchase graduate school test preparation Search graduate programs Search graduate programs, Purchase test preparation Search graduate programs, Purchase admissions test Purchase admissions test Gather financial aid information Gather U.S. government official financial aid information


Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Concentrated

Multi-segment Concentrated Concentrated

www.iefa.org www.fastweb.com www.college-scholarships.com www.theoldschool.org www.scholarships.com www.finaid.org www.estudentloan.com www.freschinfo.com www.collegeanswer.com www.srnexpress.com www.back2college.com Career Resources

www.brainbench.com www.hotjobs.com www.internships.wetfeet.com www.wetfeet.com www.monster.com www.campuscareercenter.com www.jobweb.com www.careerbuilder.com www.collegegrad.com www.ajb.dni.us www.nationjob.com www.kforce.com www.flipdog.com www.computerjobs.com www.cooljobs.com

Gather financial aid information for international students Search for colleges and scholarships Search for scholarships Gather financial aid information Search for scholarships Gather financial aid information Search for loan sources Search for scholarships Search for scholarships Search for scholarships Gather financial aid information for nontraditional students Undergo computer certification Search job listings and post a resume Search internship listings and post a resume Search job listings and post a resume Search job listings and post a resume Search by employer and advice on job hunting Search job listings and post a resume Search job listings and post a resume Search job listings and post a resume Search U.S. government official job bank Search job listings and post a resume Search job listings and post a resume Search job listings and post a resume Search job listings in technology and post a resume Search job related websites

Information search Information search Information search Information search Information search Information search Information search Information search Information search Information search

Concentrated Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment

Information search

Multi-segment

Purchase Information search

Undifferentiated Undifferentiated

Information search Information search Information search

Concentrated Undifferentiated Undifferentiated

Information search Information search Information search Information search Information search Information search Information search Information search

Multi-segment Undifferentiated Undifferentiated Multi-segment Undifferentiated Undifferentiated Undifferentiated Undifferentiated

Information search Information search



20

www.usajobs.opm.gov www.overseasjobs.com www.apha.org/career www.bls.gov Professional Resources

www.wsjinteractive.com www.adage.com www.the-dma.org www.marketingpower.com www.top-consultant.com www.nytimes.com

College Life Resources

www.moneyforbooks.com www.academicsuperstore.com www.ecampus.com www.thefacebook.com www.youngmoney.com www.campushook.com www.half.com www.amazon.com www.barnesandnoble.com www.moneyforbooks.com www.apartmentfinder.com www.apartmentguide.com

Search U.S. federal government official job bank Search for jobs worldwide Search for jobs and post a resume in public health Search U.S. labor statistics Purchase access to Wall Street Journal articles Purchase access to Advertising Age Articles Access the Direct Marketing Association Access the American Marketing Association Assess business consulting resources Access to the New York Times Sell used textbooks Purchase computer hard/software for college Purchase college supplies Directory connecting students through social networks Search information on money management Search information on college dating Buy or sell books Buy or sell books Buy or sell books Sell used textbooks Search for information on apartments Search for information on apartments





Purchase

Undifferentiated

Purchase Information search, Purchase Information search, Purchase Information search Information search

Undifferentiated

Undifferentiated Undifferentiated Undifferentiated

Purchase

Multi-segment

Purchase Purchase

Multi-segment Multi-segment

Information search Information search Information search Purchase Purchase Purchase Purchase Information search Information search

Multi-segment Multi-segment Multi-segment Undifferentiated Undifferentiated Undifferentiated Multi-segment Undifferentiated Undifferentiated


Undifferentiated

21

Figure 1: The Home Page of Tutor.com


Figure 2: A Page from Ratemyprofessors.com Showing Professors in the Database


23

Figure 3: The Master's Degree Page from Universities.com


24

Figure 4: The Home Page of Kaptest.com


25

Figure 5: The Home Page of the U.S. Federal Government's Financial Aid Program


26

Figure 6: The Home Page of Monster.com


27

Figure 7: The Home Page of the American Marketing Association


28

Figure 8: The Home Page of e-Campus.com


29