INCLINATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS TO ADOPT BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY: EVIDENCE FROM UNIVERSITIES IN KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

This study magnifies the importance of adoption of the Blue Ocean Strategy (BOS) in the universities of Saudi Arabia. The core idea is to identify the strategic tendencies of such universities to develop unique market spaces for attaining a competitive edge. The study employed a qualitative research methodology in the shape of conducting semi-structured interviews with senior faculty members, researchers, and policy makers/administrators from both public and private universities. This is in addition to strategic consultants associated to higher education sector. The research findings reveal an increasing interest among these Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to adopting BOS principles as a way of recognizing themselves in a competitive academic marketplace and align with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. Some of the key results indicate that universities have attempted to prioritize innovation and new market development, but encountered obstacles such as bureaucratic administration, centralized decision making, cultural opposition, and the requirement for a more structured and sustainable approach to strategic innovation. This study calls upon the importance of resilient strategic management practices in higher education by offering suggestions for improving the implementation of BOS in a more effective way. It is highly recommended for the policy makers and strategic consultants to promote an innovative culture, through developing a participative decision-making management style and by reinforcing a proactive approach to come in partnership with the industry. Best practices of the developed and western world may ideally be replicated in the form of adoption of BOS in public and private universities of Saudi Arabia.