Appropriate strategies for developing information marketing in Iranian Faculties of Agriculture.

Sookhtanlo, Mojtaba ; Mohammadi, Hamid Movahed ; Rezvanfar, Ahmad 等

Introduction

The educational institutions in higher education system were among the early institutions undergoing radical changes with the dawn of the information age (Ismail et al., 2010). In this regard, academic outreach gradually developed in Higher Education System. Academic Outreach is an effort by a faculty/ university or organization to connect its ideas, products or practices, to the efforts of other organizations, groups, scientific clients or the general public, in which marketing activities is a key component (McGivney, 2000). In Iran, marketing activities for Faculties of Agriculture is in related to Academic Outreach, but trustee unites of marketing of information products and services in them (academic agricultural libraries) don't have comprehensive strategies for marketing.

Marketing is a set of activities by which the demand for goods, ideas, and services is managed to facilitate exchange (Kotler, 2000). In other hand, marketing is planning and managing the organization's exchange relations with its clientele. It consists of studying the target market's needs, designing appropriate products and services, and using effective pricing, communication, and distribution to inform, motivate, and serve the market (Joseph Jestin & Parameswari, 2002). But, when the main products and services of marketing is "information", it's called information marketing (Suresh Kumar, 2010; Kanaujia, 2004). Information marketing is an aggregate of activities directed at satisfying information clients and wants through exchange processes. Marketing involve viewing the whole information service or product from the point of view of the final result, i.e. from the information client's viewpoints (Kamba, 2009). Information marketing is not just disseminating information; it includes the optimum use of information products and resources in information centers (Kanaujia, 2004). Information marketing involves promoting the information products and services by adopting marketing strategies effectively. The most important objective of information marketing is to attract more number of clients and to encourage them to utilize the resources of the information centers to the maximum extent (Suresh Kumar, 2012; Kumarjit and Mohan, 2014).

Garusing Arachchige (2002), investigated an approach to marketing in special and academic libraries of Sri Lanka. According to findings, special libraries and academic libraries of Sri Lanka had a sufficient amount of resources acquired and market opportunities available. Yet, they practiced poor marketing. In comparison, marketing performances were more available in special libraries than in academic libraries. Special libraries and academic libraries of Sri Lanka had cost recovery capabilities and even profit potentials from their services if they undertake proper marketing. Library personnel had very little knowledge of marketing principles. Lack of trained staff; poor library investments (allocations), insufficient technology and know-how etc. identified as problems that hinder the practice of marketing.

Kanaujia (2004), in her paper discussed the role of marketing of information products/ services with the help of survey in information centers of India. Her findings revealed that librarians have a positive attitude towards the different aspects of marketing of information products/services. The study recommended that currently efforts for increasing clients' awareness and separate financial support are requisite for efficient marketing. Instead of scattered approaches and different styles, a coherent view must be taken. According to 91 percent of the librarians, marketing helps in justifying the involved cost in generation of information products, and aspects such as resource constraints, shrinking budgets, electronic information age have made marketing necessary. Also, many librarians perceived many barriers to apply the concept of marketing in their respective libraries. These barriers consist of lack of knowledge; lack of manpower and financial support (89 percent of the librarians strongly agree that implementing a marketing program requires adequate manpower and financial support); and misconception about the concept of marketing. librarians and information managers were facing challenges such as an increase in clientele, their variety, demands, and expectations; an increase in the initial or capital cost of information and information technology; drying up of the public sponsorship and subsidy and the need to find alternative sources of revenue; and complexity in ways of identifying clients and their requirements, and servicing them, which in following, appropriate strategies for the development of information marketing was presented.

Suresh Kumar (2012), in your research performed an objective analysis of the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis) of four university libraries in Kerala viz. Kerala University Library (KUL), Mahatma Gandhi University Library (MGUL), Cochin University of Science and Technology Library (CUSATL) and CH Mohammed Koya Library of University of Calicut (CHMKL) in terms of collections, infrastructure, human resources, and library and information services. He also analyzed the strength and weakness of the university libraries according to the opinion of the chief of each library. According to findings, all University Librarians in Kerala have a positive opinion towards marketing but none of the libraries has specific allocation of funds or a designated person or a marketing wing for marketing of information products and services. Most of the libraries identified certain problems encountered in the marketing of information products and services such as lack of trained staff, less demand from the users for the existing resources and services. In this research, the SWOT analysis shows all the university libraries in Kerala with their strengths and opportunities can easily overcome the threats and weakness with appropriate positioning and marketing strategies. Based on the average score of university libraries in Kerala, the strengths identified were lack of fund, customer care, special collection, membership, and geographical position of the library. The major weaknesses identified by the Kerala University Library and CUSAT Central Library were shortage of staff strength, inadequate fund, space problem, lack of weeding out policy, absence of University Librarian etc. MG University Library identified the major weakness as geographical position of the library; computer networks etc. while CHMK Library identified lack of sufficient fund as the main weakness. The opportunities identified were in related to academic plan, new sources of funding, cooperation and consortium in collection building, technology; also the opportunities identified were consist of alternative information providers and rate of change in information field and information technology.

Garoufallou et al. (2013), examined the current situation in Greek academic libraries as well as staff attitudes and perceptions towards marketing applications. The findings of the study indicate that Greek librarians acknowledge the need to adopt marketing techniques as a means of promoting library services, and they realize that marketing approaches can be effective if they are correctly incorporated into their work. However, the results indicate a divergence in practice. The majority of libraries made an ad hoc use of some marketing techniques, mainly related to promotion and advertising, without incorporating the concept of marketing into their general institutional goals and strategic planning. The major weaknesses identified were factors such as lack of marketing education, seminars and training courses, resistance to change, budget cuts, etc. Findings indicated that, although the majority of the librarians showed an appreciation for the concept of marketing, they also had limited exposure to marketing education, therefore, a long way to go in order to fully understand its procedures and integrate it into their strategic planning. Also, the absence of any formal education, seminars or workshops on marketing and managerial topics hinders strategic planning in Greek libraries in conjunction with lack of appropriately educated staff and funding.

Given aforementioned discussion, the present research seeks to determine the appropriate approaches to develop information marketing while identifying the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to information marketing in Iranian Faculties of Agriculture. Secondary objectives of the study are as follows:

1--Respondents' attitudes to information marketing

2--Comparison of respondents' personal and professional characteristics, their attitudes towards information marketing.

3--Identification of internal and external factors affecting information marketing in Faculties of Agriculture, and

4--Prioritization of internal and external factors affecting information marketing in Faculties of Agriculture.

Research method

This research is applied and has been done with survey method. The statistical population of the study consisted of all staff employed in information units (central libraries) in the selected Faculties of Agriculture of Iran (N=107). The representative Faculties of Agriculture were found to be selected through quintuple classification (polarization) by Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (MSRT) (Institute for Research and Planning in Higher Education (IRPHE), 2013). Within each class (each pole in polarization performed by MSRT), the most appropriate faculty of agriculture in terms of facilities and Infrastructures for information marketing, number of faculty members, number of students and more experimental about information marketing activities (five major universities) were selected consisting of Faculties of Agriculture in Universities of Tehran, Ferdowsi of Mashhad, Shiraz, Tabriz and Isfahan technology. The respondents selected by census sampling method so that ultimately number of 90 questionnaires obtained (n=90). Questionnaires contained staffs personal and professional characteristics (Includes items associated to age, sex, marital status, educational level, field of study and work experience), attitudes toward information marketing (9 items) and items related to strengths (15 items) and weakness (12 items) , opportunities (12 items) and threats (12 items) in the Likert scales.

To determine the validity of the questionnaire, content validity was established. The content validity of the questionnaire was obtained using a panel of faculty members (Department of agricultural extension and education (University of Tehran) and Departments of Communications and Informatics ((Universities of Tehran and Ferdowsi of Mashhad)) and a multi-step correction and review process. Reliability of scales determined with Cronbach-Alpha coefficient (higher than 0.7). For describing dispersion of respondents' attitudes to applying information marketing factors, Interval of Standard Deviation from Mean (ISDM) index was used as follows (Gangadharappa et al. 2007; Jamini et al., 2013):

A: Very negative: A< Mean-Sd

B: Negative: Mean - SD < B < Mean

C: Positive: Mean < C < Mean + SD

D: Very positive: Mean + SD < D

It should be noted that in the above formula, SD imply the deviation from mean.

The main method of study is SWOT analysis. The SWOT Analysis is used to generate strategies and actions. Identification of SWOT is essential, because subsequent steps in the process of planning for achieving the selected objective may be derived from SWOT (Hazidah and Edzan, 2012). Strength is a resource or capability an organization possesses to successfully achieve its objectives. A weakness is a debility, fault, defect, or limitation in the organization that prevents the achievements of its objectives. An opportunity is any conducive or favorable situation in the organization's external environment. A threat, on the other hand, is an unfavorable situation, a barrier or constraint that may pose problems in the smooth working of the organization or information unit or it may even damage it. Naturally, SWOT analysis allows strategies to be planned that can successfully utilize strengths and opportunities to overcome the threats and weakness facing the organization or information unit (Suresh Kumar, 2012).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Respondents personal and professional Characteristics

According to the findings, the most age frequency of the respondents was (32.6%) between 30 to 34 years old. With a view to the gender of the respondents, 63.3 percent were women and 26.7 percent were men. As for work experience among respondents, the majority of them were (46.6%) between 6 to 10 years and in contrast, the least one was ranged of 21 years and above (2.3%). Respondents with educational level of Bachelor's degree had the highest frequency (70.1%). Also, the most common study field among the respondents (52.3%), was Knowledge and Information Science followed by Agriculture, with 25.6 percent. The highest prevalence rate of participation in the courses / workshops in conjunction with information marketing varied 3 to 5 courses (70%).

Respondents' attitudes to applying information marketing factors

For assessing of respondents' attitudes to applying information marketing factors used of ISDM index and they were classified into four groups. Results in table 1, showed that the majority of respondents have a positive and very positive attitude to applying information marketing factors (72.3%); while 27. 7 percent of them have negative and very negative attitude to applying information marketing factors in our job.

Comparison of respondents' attitudes to applying information marketing based on personal and professional characteristics

Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the respondents' attitudes to applying information marketing factors, with personal and professional characteristics. According to table 2, among their characteristics (age, educational level and work experience), only educational level (Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees) showed significant difference in respondents with respondents' attitude to applying information marketing factors (p<0.01) and respondents with higher educational level have the more positive attitude.

Findings of SWOT analysis

1--Internal factors affecting the marketing of information products and services:

This analysis aimed to assess internal conditions affecting marketing of information products and services in the Iranian Faculties of Agriculture in respect to its strengths and weaknesses. Summary of strengths and weaknesses as internal factors are presented in Table 3.

2--External Factors affecting the marketing of information products and services:

This aimed to assess the external conditions of information units (in Faculties of Agriculture), to identify the opportunities and threats to marketing of information products and services. Summary of opportunities and threats so called external factors are shown in Table 4.

3--Determination of the weighted scores and rankings of internal and external factors

As shown in Table (5), in the study information unites number of 15 internal strengths vs. 12 internal weaknesses and 12 external opportunities vs. 12 external threats were identified and subsequently evaluated. Thus totally, 27 strengths and opportunities were served as advantages and 24 threats and weakness as constraints or bottlenecks to which factors affecting marketing of information products and services were encountered in Faculties of Agriculture. Now, according to Table 5, weighted scores and rank for each item of weaknesses, strengths (internal factors), opportunities and threats (external factors) are discussed. Also, analysis of the results (Table 5) on respondents' viewpoints in terms of both internal and external factors can be provided.

4--Identification and developing SWOT analysis strategies

In strategies formulation, the internal and external factors in SWOT matrix were compared with each other to prepare possible strategies as a result of the SWOT analysis in Table (6).

Conclusion

The present study seeks to identify strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated to information marketing in Iranian Faculties of Agriculture and hence appropriate strategies to develop effective information marketing. The SWOT Analysis was used to generate strategies and actions. Identification of SWOTs was essential because subsequent steps in the process of planning for achieving the selected objective may be derived from SWOT. According to the results, the majority of respondents (72.3%) has a positive and very positive attitude to applying information marketing factors and supported applying information marketing initiatives, in turn paves the way to adopt implement the information marketing plan in academic information units of Iranian Faculties of Agriculture. Among personal and professional characteristics (age, education levels, work experience), only educational level showed significant difference (p<0.01) with in respondents with varied attitudes to information marketing. In other words, those staffs with higher educational level showed the more positive attitude to information marketing.

In light of the obtained results, as for the most important components of strengths, those components regarding the more scientific validity of the information products and services than other information competitors and terms and conditions of access to reliable information databases and fruitful academic information resources and communication with different academic departments were the most outstanding. As for weaknesses, Inadequacy of required physical infrastructures (marketing office or unit, sales place, warehouse, etc.) for information marketing and inadequacy of ICT infrastructures for information marketing were found to be as the most important internal weaknesses. The major external opportunities were diverse target markets for new information products and services, and High educational level and information seeking skills of most information clients. Additionally, some factors like the traditional attitudes of community requiring information for the free access to information recourses and failure to maintain compliance with laws related to copyright and immaterial property of developers and providers of information in society and internet were the most important external threats to information marketing. Finally, the strategies presented in this paper to design a strategic plan is not enough because turning developed strategies to operational plans and implement them to overcome weaknesses and exploit opportunities and avoid threats play determinant role.

References

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Mojtaba Sookhtanlo (1), Hamid Movahed Mohammadi (2), Ahmad Rezvanfar (3), Yousef Hedjazi (4) (1). Ph.D. Candidate in agricultural education, Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, University of Tehran; (2). Faculty member, Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Development. University of Tehran, Iran, Email: [email protected] (Corresponding Author), and (3), (4). Faculty member, Faculty of Agricultural economics and development. University of Tehran.

Table 1. Grouping the respondents' attitudes to applying
information marketing factors

Attitude levels   Frequency    Percent    Cumulative percent

Very negative         8          8.8             8.8
Negative              17         18.9            27.7
Positive              43         47.8            75.5
Very positive         22         24.5            100

Total                 90         100              -

Table 2. Kruskal-Wallis test for comparison of respondents'
attitudes to applying information marketing based on
educational level

               educational
               level groups   Mean Rank   Chi-Square   Sig.

                Associate       10.17
respondents'     Bachelor       5.00        47.388     0.000
attitudes         Master        27.50
                Doctorate       50.00

Table 3. Internal factors in SWOT analysis

Strengths                           Weaknesses

S1. Terms of offering information   W1. Effect of low budget on staff
products and services to external   tasks, facilities and equipment
clients (Outreach)

S2. Proper utilization of           W2. The mismatch between budget
manpower characterized by           and inflation in the society
suitable expertise and skills

S3. Suitable geographical and       W3. Lack of a systematic approach
place position                      to evaluate staff services and
                                    performance for marketing
                                    activities

S4. Fruitful academic information   W4. The high cost of upgrading
resources and communication with    or providing new information
different academic departments      sources

S5. The more scientific validity    W5. Poor interactions with other
of the information products and     information production centers
services than other information     and units (academic departments,
competitors                         research centers, etc.)

S6. Diverse and comprehensive       W6. Poor interactions with other
information products and services   information dissemination centers
                                    and units (research and
                                    educational institutions,
                                    academic libraries, etc.)

S7. Terms and conditions to hold    W7. Shortage of skilled manpower
a variety of specialized courses    for information and advisory
and workshops                       services

S8. Terms and conditions of         W8. Inadequacy of required
access to reliable information      physical infrastructures
databases                           (marketing office or unit, sales
                                    place, warehouse, etc.) for
                                    information marketing

S9. Positive attitudes among        W9. Inadequacy of ICT
managers and staff to implement     infrastructures for information
information marketing plans         marketing

S10. Appropriate knowledge among    W10. Failure to account for
managers and staff about            additional obligations and
information marketing               benefits for staff on
                                    information marketing

S11. Adequate number of             W11. Poor advertisements of
experienced and qualified staff     information products and services
in multiple tasks of
information services

S12. Easier and more convenient     W12. Lack of staff adaptation
internet access                     to keep up new communication and
                                    information technologies

S13. Adequate space and
facilities for clients

S14. Internal rules and
guidelines supporting the
Information marketing

S15. Adjacency to academic
departments and scientific
research centers

Table 4. External factors in SWOT analysis

Opportunities                      Threats

O1. Hiring new staff to develop    T1. Inadequate allocation of
new activities and services in     academic credits
information marketing

O2. Developing regional            T2. Increased advertising and
marketing of information           information costs
products and services

O3. Developing trans-regional      T3. Lack of expertise and ability
and sometimes international        to keep up with modern information
marketing of information           technologies
products and services

O4. To expand domestic and         T4. Lack of financial asset to
foreign partnerships with other    keep up with modern information
agencies, organizations and        technologies
universities

O5. Appropriate potential for      T5. External rules and guidelines
efficient use of space in          supporting the Information
marketing information              marketing

O6. Diverse target markets for     T6. Failure to maintain compliance
new information products and       with laws related to copyright and
services                           immaterial property of developers
                                   and providers of information in
                                   society and internet

O7. Increasing demand for          T7. Increasing costs of supplying
information products and           initial materials for information
services in society                resources (paper price increase,
                                   print, etc.)

O8. More tendency and skills       T8. Managerial instability and
to use of ICT among information    hence frequent changes of policies
clients                            and decisions

O9. High educational level and     T9. Increase the number and
information seeking skills of      diversity of information
most information clients           competitors in the society

O10. Government policies and       T10. Rising inflation in the
higher education on the            society
development of information
electronic services

O11. The increased tendency to     T11. The mismatch between needs
Interdisciplinary and              of target markets with information
multidisciplinary studies among    products and services
researchers

O12. Improved higher education     T12. The traditional attitudes of
and Increasing number              community requiring information
of students                        for the free access to information
                                   recourses

Table 5. Weighted scores in SWOT matrix

                                               Relative
Items                                           Weight    Mean Rank

Strengths

S1. Terms of offering information products      0.035       4.11
and services to external clients (Outreach)
S2. Proper utilization of manpower              0.047       1.98
characterized by suitable expertise
and skills
S3. Suitable geographical and place position    0.038       3.22
S4. Fruitful academic information resources     0.053       3.07
and communication with different academic
departments
S5. The more scientific validity of the         0.054       4.13
information products and services than
other information competitors
S6. Diverse and comprehensive information       0.028       1.91
products and services
S7. Terms and conditions to hold a variety      0.042       2.64
of specialized courses and workshops
S8. Terms and conditions of access to           0.058       3.09
reliable information databases
S9. Positive attitudes among managers           0.033       2.71
and staff to implement information
marketing plans
S10. Appropriate knowledge among managers       0.040       2.64
and staff about information marketing
S11. Adequate number of experienced and         0.022       3.85
qualified staff in multiple tasks of
information services
S12. Easier and more convenient                 0.022       3.87
internet access
S13. Adequate space and facilities              0.017       2.20
for clients
S14. Internal rules and guidelines              0.026       4.64
supporting the Information marketing
S15. Adjacency to academic departments          0.034       4.60
and scientific research centers

Weaknesses

W1. Effect of low budget on staff tasks,        0.047       4.15
facilities and equipment
W2. The mismatch between budget and             0.034       3.78
inflation in the society
W3. Lack of a systematic approach to            0.022       4.27
evaluate staff services and performance
for marketing activities
W4. The high cost of upgrading or providing     0.049       1.49
new information sources
W5. Poor interactions with other information    0.016       3.93
production centers and units (academic
departments, research centers, etc.)
W6. Poor interactions with other information    0.014       3.84
dissemination centers and units (research
and educational institutions, academic
libraries, etc.)
W7. Shortage of skilled manpower for            0.033       2.58
information and advisory services
W8. Inadequacy of required physical             0.059       4.25
infrastructures (marketing office or unit,
sales place, warehouse, etc.) for
information marketing
W9. Inadequacy of ICT infrastructures           0.059       4.15
for information marketing
W10. Failure to account for additional          0.048       3.00
obligations and benefits for staff on
information marketing
W11. Poor advertisements of information         0.041       2.62
products and services
W12. Lack of staff adaptation to keep up        0.029       2.04
new communication and information
technologies

IFE = 3.2654                                      1           -

Opportunities

O1. Hiring new staff to develop new             0.016       2.85
activities and services in information
marketing
O2. Developing regional marketing of            0.023       3.00
information products and services
O3. Developing trans-regional and sometimes     0.028       2.00
international marketing of information
products and services
O4. To expand domestic and foreign              0.031       4.22
partnerships with other agencies,
organizations and universities
O5. Appropriate potential for efficient use     0.032       1.93
of space in marketing information
O6. Diverse target markets for new              0.057       3.33
information products and services
O7. Increasing demands for information          0.048       2.96
products and services in society
O8. More tendency and skills to use of          0.041       3.16
ICT among information clients
O9. High educational level and information       0.64       2.67
seeking skills of most information clients
O10. Government policies and higher             0.018       3.45
education on the development of information
electronic services
O11. The increased tendency to                  0.064       2.67
Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary
studies among researchers
O12. Improved higher education and              0.043       2.82
Increasing number of students

Threats

T1. Inadequate allocation of academic           0.050       2.45
credits
T2. Increased advertising and information       0.046       2.73
costs
T3. Lack of expertise and ability to keep       0.025       3.91
up with modern information technologies
T4. Lack of financial asset to keep up          0.061       1.93
with modern information technologies
T5. External rules and guidelines               0.013       2.93
supporting the Information marketing
T6. Failure to maintain compliance with         0.065       4.22
laws related to copyright and immaterial
property of developers and providers of
information in society and internet
T7. Increasing costs of supplying initial       0.058       1.93
materials for information resources (paper
price increase, print, etc.)
T8. Managerial instability and hence            0.038       2.47
frequent changes of policies and decisions
T9. Increase the number and diversity of        0.033       2.45
information competitors in the society
T10. Rising inflation in the society            0.022       4.29
T11. The mismatch between needs of target       0.059       4.09
markets with information products
and services
T12. The traditional attitudes of community     0.068       4.13
requiring information for the free access
to information recourses

1. EFE = 3.0166                                   1           -

                                               Weighted
Items                                           Score     Ranking

Strengths

S1. Terms of offering information products      0.1429       5
and services to external clients (Outreach)
S2. Proper utilization of manpower              0.0923      10
characterized by suitable expertise
and skills
S3. Suitable geographical and place position    0.1237       6
S4. Fruitful academic information resources     0.1621       3
and communication with different academic
departments
S5. The more scientific validity of the         0.2209       1
information products and services than
other information competitors
S6. Diverse and comprehensive information       0.0529      14
products and services
S7. Terms and conditions to hold a variety      0.1120       8
of specialized courses and workshops
S8. Terms and conditions of access to           0.1798       2
reliable information databases
S9. Positive attitudes among managers           0.0895      11
and staff to implement information
marketing plans
S10. Appropriate knowledge among managers       0.1048       9
and staff about information marketing
S11. Adequate number of experienced and         0.0833      13
qualified staff in multiple tasks of
information services
S12. Easier and more convenient                 0.0870      12
internet access
S13. Adequate space and facilities              0.0363      15
for clients
S14. Internal rules and guidelines              0.1192       7
supporting the Information marketing
S15. Adjacency to academic departments          0.1571       4
and scientific research centers

Weaknesses

W1. Effect of low budget on staff tasks,        0.1960       3
facilities and equipment
W2. The mismatch between budget and             0.1273       5
inflation in the society
W3. Lack of a systematic approach to            0.0939       7
evaluate staff services and performance
for marketing activities
W4. The high cost of upgrading or providing     0.0735       9
new information sources
W5. Poor interactions with other information    0.0629      10
production centers and units (academic
departments, research centers, etc.)
W6. Poor interactions with other information    0.0543      12
dissemination centers and units (research
and educational institutions, academic
libraries, etc.)
W7. Shortage of skilled manpower for            0.0862       8
information and advisory services
W8. Inadequacy of required physical             0.2515       1
infrastructures (marketing office or unit,
sales place, warehouse, etc.) for
information marketing
W9. Inadequacy of ICT infrastructures           0.2435       2
for information marketing
W10. Failure to account for additional          0.1449       4
obligations and benefits for staff on
information marketing
W11. Poor advertisements of information         0.1079       6
products and services
W12. Lack of staff adaptation to keep up        0.0599      11
new communication and information
technologies

IFE = 3.2654                                    3.2654       -

Opportunities

O1. Hiring new staff to develop new             0.0463      12
activities and services in information
marketing
O2. Developing regional marketing of            0.0687       8
information products and services
O3. Developing trans-regional and sometimes     0.0560      11
international marketing of information
products and services
O4. To expand domestic and foreign              0.1289       5
partnerships with other agencies,
organizations and universities
O5. Appropriate potential for efficient use     0.0625       9
of space in marketing information
O6. Diverse target markets for new              0.1890       1
information products and services
O7. Increasing demands for information          0.1411       4
products and services in society
O8. More tendency and skills to use of          0.1286       6
ICT among information clients
O9. High educational level and information      0.1720       2
seeking skills of most information clients
O10. Government policies and higher             0.0616      10
education on the development of information
electronic services
O11. The increased tendency to                  0.1707       3
Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary
studies among researchers
O12. Improved higher education and              0.1220       7
Increasing number of students

Threats

T1. Inadequate allocation of academic           0.1223       5
credits
T2. Increased advertising and information       0.1246       4
costs
T3. Lack of expertise and ability to keep       0.0969       8
up with modern information technologies
T4. Lack of financial asset to keep up          0.1184       6
with modern information technologies
T5. External rules and guidelines               0.0369      12
supporting the Information marketing
T6. Failure to maintain compliance with         0.2737       2
laws related to copyright and immaterial
property of developers and providers of
information in society and internet
T7. Increasing costs of supplying initial       0.1121       7
materials for information resources (paper
price increase, print, etc.)
T8. Managerial instability and hence            0.0931       9
frequent changes of policies and decisions
T9. Increase the number and diversity of        0.0806      11
information competitors in the society
T10. Rising inflation in the society            0.0926      10
T11. The mismatch between needs of target       0.2395       3
markets with information products
and services
T12. The traditional attitudes of community     0.2787       1
requiring information for the free access
to information recourses

1. EFE = 3.0166                                 3.0166       -

Table 6. The obtained strategies from SWOT analysis

Weaknesses                           Strengths

Opportunities

SO1- Taking in-service training      WO1- Reviewing current hardware
of staff on activities associate     and physical infrastructure for
to information marketing             effective implementation of
                                     marketing plans
SO2- Holding training courses        WO2- Reviewing interactions with
for clients in relation to           other units or information and
information seeking skills and       research centers
information literacy
SO3- To create a sector so called    WO3- Reviewing the formulation of
information marketing through        new responsibilities to staff
developing a set of                  with job benefits, associated
responsibilities, tasks, and         with engagement in information
written guidelines.                  marketing activities.
SO4- To develop contacts to          WO4- Reviewing traditional methods
information clients system to        of marketing management and to
get feedbacks, information, and      consider new approaches to
orders on information products       management and relevant technical
and services.                        information.
SO5- To identify and procure         WO5- Checking ICT infrastructure
software , hardware ,                components associated with the
facilitators and appropriate         development of information
technologies for efficiently         marketing factors.
implementation of the information
marketing plan
SO6- To establish appropriate        WO6- Reviewing staff in-service
administrative contexts to           training courses with respect to
facilitate the replication           new management technologies and
process, to get orders or send       of e-marketing
information products and services.
SO7- To prepare and compile a        WO7- Reviewing rules and
comprehensive list on types of       guidelines to provide the
divers information products and      optimum conditions for membership
services                             or to facilitate information
                                     needs of clients
SO8- To enact internal rules and     WO8- Revising mechanisms to
guidelines supporting the            facilitate feedbacks from
Information marketing                information clients on information
                                     products and services.
SO9- Participation in conferences    WO9- Revising the procurement
and scientific exhibitions to        process, introduce and deliver
introduce and provide a list of      information products and services
information products and services    with special emphasize on
and experiences exchange.            capabilities and capacities of
                                     information units to optimize
                                     implementation of the information
                                     marketing plan.
SO10- Focusing on the preparation    WO10- Revising processes of
and development of electronic and    warehousing, packing format,
digital information products and     duplicate and deliver information
services for access of               products and services forward to
information clients through          improve the quality
virtual channels and the internet.
SO11- Supporting applied research    WO11- Reviewing special attention
in universities and research         to continuously and periodically
institutes on information            awareness from update list of the
marketing and target markets.        latest information products and
                                     services to the target markets.
SO12- To establish a link with       WO12- Reviewing developing
information producers and            interactive useful link among the
suppliers to exchange feedbacks      marketing activities and academic
and suggestions from information     outreach.
clients
SO13- To establish a link among
information unites in Faculties
of Agriculture to exchange
information and experiences
in marketing
SO14- To develop or strengthen
website forward to marketing on
information products and services

Themes

ST1- Providing and supporting        WT1- Creating suitable substrates
researches on the useful             for financial transactions and
strategies for solutions of          selling information products
optimal advertisements of            and services.
information products and services.
ST2- Holding training courses        WT2- Integrating capabilities of
for staff and personnel in order     the various information units
to gain new knowledge related to     suitable for adaptation of
internet and information             marketing plans with optimal
technologies and marketing           administrative actions.
software.
ST3- Identifying present and         WT3- Formulating rules and
future needs for the                 guidelines for the information
implementation of marketing plans    services and products to support
and pay more attentions to create    and facilitate internal and
suitable substrates.                 external clients.
ST4- Organizing information          WT4- Identifying and determining
marketing system in regional and     appropriate standards for
international scales in order to     assessment of information
gain competitiveness with            services and performance of staff
competitor information units.
ST5- Identifying diverse and         WT5- Building a culture to respect
potentially new markets on           copyright and immaterial property
information marketing and support    of information products and
related researches.                  services among information
                                     clients.
ST6- Facilitating administrative     WT6- Creating suitable substrates
and management mechanisms to         for application of electronic
accelerate search processes          technologies to facilitate
associated with searching of         administration and Reducing
information products and services    bureaucracy in marketing
(face-to-face and virtual).          information activities.
ST7- Determining mechanisms for      WT7- Improving efficient
financial management, sale and       advertisements, incentives and
apply relevant software              facilities to attract more
                                     clients.
ST8- Developing useful guidelines    WT8- Creating executable
to identify appropriate standards    strategies to make competitive
in embed university logo on          condition to information
information products.                competitors
ST9- Enhancing existing website      WT9- Organizing pricing process
functions to do internet and         of information products and
financial transactions               services in line with growing
                                     costs.
ST10- Identify and set short-        WT10- Developing indexes and
medium- and long-term goals for      standards to improve the quality
information marketing                of information products and
                                     services.
ST11- Making awareness for           WT11- Identifying strategies to
universities managers on existing    alleviate costs in communication
scientific information potentials    unites and databases and common
and the ability of information       use from portals and networks to
units to attract funding to          implement information marketing
implement the marketing plan and     plans.
to attract the additional budgets.