Building and Maintaining Relationships in a Global Education Context

Abstract

Education providers can reach their international student recruitment goals through effective management of education agents as a marketing channel. This chapter discusses methods on how to build and maintain relationships between a principal and an agent. Findings suggest that although trust and commitment are important elements in building and maintaining business relations, other elements such as active engagement through regular contact and communication, the provision of good service and honesty, and the provision of rewards such as competitive commission and incentives are more distinct in building and maintaining effective business relations between a principal and agent in the international education industry. This chapter examines business relations between universities and education agents located in Australasia and draws on current research and practitioner experience in outlining approaches to agent management. Research is specific to the global education industry; however, concepts could be considered transferable to other service industry settings involving a principal and an agent.